How to move plants indoors to gain a jump next spring
Q, I want to save money on next spring's garden. I would like to overwinter my plants. Any advice?
A. There are several ways to overwinter many of your tropical and tender plants that will save money in replacements next spring. Plus there are additional benefits like larger plants, more plants, indoor natural air purification and the chance to use your restless green thumb in the dead of winter.
The best way to get the most mileage out of many annuals is to grow them outdoors in the summer and take 4- to 6-inch cuttings in late summer. Remove the lower leaves and insert the cutting into a peat or perlite mix, or coarse sand, or water, and store in good but not direct light. Repot in growing medium once the roots have developed. Provide bright light and water only after the soil surface dries.
Coleus, geraniums, wax begonias, impatiens, sweet potato vines and tradescantia all do well with this type of multiplication. Just be sure to take only as many cuttings as you can handle indoors.
Many tropical plants and tender bulbs, including elephant ears, cannas, caladiums, dahlias, tuberous begonias and gladiolus, form underground structures called tubers, bulbs or corms. These can be dug up in the fall and stored over the winter.
After the first light frost when the plant leaves have started to brown, cut the stems back to 4 to 6 inches. Carefully dig up the underground structures, gently wash away any clinging soil, and air dry in the shade. After drying, store them in well-ventilated containers such as milk or bread crates packed with small bark chips, peat moss, vermiculite or sawdust. Store in a dark cool area ideally between 40 and 50 degrees. A cellar, basement or crawl space is the perfect spot.
Check monthly for moisture control. Discard any rotting bulbs and provide a light spray of water if any look shriveled. Repot six to eight weeks before the last spring frost date to give plants a jump start on growth. You will likely have more and larger plants next year.
Wood-stemmed tropicals such as hibiscus, angel trumpet, bananas, jasmine and geraniums can be coaxed into dormancy to survive the winter. They should be brought indoors before the first frost. Stop watering and fertilizing to help them become dormant. Store in an area with temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees. As the soil dries, the leaves will drop, but don't worry. Check the soil for moisture throughout the winter and only water sparingly when the soil has dried 2 to 3 inches below the surface.
In the spring, bring the plant to a warmer, well-lit area, water and prune lightly. Watch for green shoots to emerge from the branches and or crown of the plant. Trim away any dead wood. Continue to water and resume fertilizing. Soon your plant will be ready to spend another summer outdoors.
- Stephanie Stauder Kenny
• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines, and University of Illinois Extension, North Cook Branch Office, Arlington Heights. Call (847) 298-3502 on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday; (847) 201-4176 ext. 14 on Fridays; or email northcookmg@gmail.com. Visit web.extension.illinois.edu/mg.