Rising up in a tropical local weather, I could have taken without any consideration that almost all crops might be anticipated to overwinter outside, with little to no safety from the weather. I now know higher, having misplaced fairly a number of crops to my first few zone 8 winters, and have come to acknowledge which crops want additional assist to endure the chilly climate.
For some crops, this appears like an extra-thick layer of mulch or a sheet draped over them on chilly nights. For others, these measures simply don’t lower it. Many crops, particularly these native to tropical climates, have to be introduced indoors for the winter, or their roots will die.
Quite than letting nature take its course, you possibly can preserve some crops generally thought-about annuals in your local weather zone by bringing them indoors for the winter. For some crops, like dahlias, this entails digging up and storing the tubers. For others, your entire plant might be introduced indoors and overwintered as a home plant.
Many crops have totally different wants within the winter than throughout their progress cycles. Solar publicity and watering can usually be decreased because the plant will probably be going by way of dormancy and never have as nice a necessity for these items. Most crops don’t should be fertilized within the winter, both.
Let’s take a better take a look at 21 varieties of crops that don’t need to be annuals. We’ll discover the native vary and local weather of every and tackle how their wants could shift within the winter. And at last, methods to take care of every of those crops inside the home.
Alocasia
|
botanical identify Alocasia |
|---|---|
|
solar necessities Brilliant oblique solar |
|
hardiness zones Sep 11 |
Alocasia crops are native to Australia and Southern Asia. They’re thought-about tropical crops and like heat climate and loads of humidity. Their massive and wonderful leaves have positioned them within the group of crops generally known as elephant ears.
Alocasia crops are similar to Colocasia crops, besides that they don’t like direct solar, and the place Colocasia leaves are arrow-shaped and level upwards, Alocasia leaves level downward. There may be plenty of variation between species of this plant in leaf dimension and coloration. They flower in the summertime, however the flowers are usually not particularly notable.
Thankfully for gardeners residing north of zone 9, Alocasias might be completely happy indoors. They thrive with persistently gentle temperatures and require much less mild than many tropical crops. They’re understory crops and like loads of vibrant however oblique daylight. Carry your Alocasias indoors when temperatures dip into the low 50s, and put them again outdoors in the identical vary.
If you wish to reduce the area they require, you may also retailer simply the bulbs of Alocasia and Colocasia. Dig up the bulbs, rinse the filth off them, and take away all foliage. Let the bulbs dry and wrap them in paper, then retailer them in a cool, darkish spot.
Banana
|
|
botanical identify Musa |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 7-11 |
Banana bushes are additionally tropical crops, though they’re a bit extra cold-tolerant than some tropical crops. Some decorative hybrids have higher chilly tolerance, however banana bushes ought to usually come inside earlier than the temperature hits the freezing mark.
Bananas can be overwintered in two other ways. You may carry your potted banana bushes into the home and place them in a sunny spot. Their progress will sluggish for the winter, and they received’t want as a lot water. The identical stays true for storing the roots of a banana tree for the winter.
Step by step lower watering because the climate will get cooler to protect the roots to replant within the spring. Wait till simply earlier than the primary freeze, lower the stems to about six inches tall, and transfer them to a cool, darkish room. The soil must be saved barely moist however not moist, otherwise you danger root rot.
Basil
|
|
botanical identify Ocimum basilicum |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar |
|
|
hardiness zones 10-11 |
Some herbs are exceptionally cold-hardy and may survive being left outside within the winter. Basil is just not a kind of herbs. Basil is native primarily to tropical and subtropical Asia, with some species discovered naturally in Africa.
Earlier than you carry your basil crops indoors, give them a lightweight pruning to encourage wholesome progress. You may take away about ⅓ of the plant with out inflicting undue stress. If you happen to repot earlier than bringing your basil indoors, prune the roots by about ⅓ earlier than replanting it. Basil crops do very effectively in containers, which is a good way to develop them all year long.
Once you initially carry the plant indoors, hold it in a cool spot with oblique solar. After every week or two of acclimating to the indoor atmosphere, your basil plant must be prepared for water and sunshine. A sunny window will make basil happiest for the winter months.
Begonia
|
|
botanical identify Begonia |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 9-10 |
Begonias are tropical and sub-tropical crops native primarily to Central and South America and Asia, with a number of popping up in sub-Saharan Africa. Principally, they’re understory crops that thrive in temperate, humid climate with plenty of oblique daylight. I think about begonias to have related publicity must orchids.
Though most of them will survive temperatures nearly to the purpose of freezing, a very good time to relocate your begonias is when the thermometer registers 45°F. Begonias do admire some cooler climate within the winter, so hold them out of the kitchen, and as a substitute, think about maintaining them simply contained in the entrance door or in a stairwell when you’ve got a cool one.
Give them vibrant however oblique solar, and cut back watering by half in order that the highest inch or two of the soil dries between waterings. For tuberous begonias, you possibly can lower the foliage down and overwinter the tubers in a paper bag in a cool, darkish place.
Cacti
|
|
botanical identify Cactaceae |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 6-12 |
Some cacti and many succulent crops can tolerate pretty chilly temperatures, with some that may survive winter, even in zone 3. Nevertheless, most of those succulent crops will present indicators of chilly injury when the temperature drops beneath 40°F.
There are some particular concerns when bringing these crops indoors for the winter. Earlier than you carry your cacti indoors, it’s best to attend till the climate will get near that 40°F mark. The cooling climate tells the cactus to provoke dormancy, which makes your plant a lot simpler to take care of by way of the cooler months.
Cacti will probably be effective indoors, in reasonable mild, whereas dormant. Since they won’t develop a lot throughout this time, they are going to want little or no water. Don’t water your dormant cacti and succulents greater than as soon as per thirty days, or you’ll compromise their roots.
Caladium
|
|
botanical identify Caladium |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones Sep 11 |
Caladiums are beautiful crops that fortunately fill areas within the backyard which are partially shaded. They’re native to Central and South America, rising in rainforests with distinct moist and dry seasons. That signifies that throughout the winter, they don’t want practically as a lot water.
Caladiums will cease rising and producing leaves at about 55°F. They are often left within the floor past this, however the sooner you carry them indoors, the decrease the danger of shedding the bulbs to chilly injury. You may carry your entire plant indoors for the winter or dig up and retailer the tubers if you wish to preserve area.
As soon as the leaves have died off, dig up your tubers and shake the soil off. Enable them to dry utterly, then place them in a fabric sack or field with peat moss. They want no water throughout this time and might be planted once more within the spring.
Calla Lilies
|
|
botanical identify Zantedescia |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 8-10 |
These tropical flowering crops are fashionable with florists for his or her lengthy vase life and gorgeous, distinctive flowers. Calla lilies are native to South Africa and are accustomed to heat climate year-round. They usually develop on riverbanks, the place they get a constant water provide, and that is the situation they like.
Transfer your calla lilies to the shade for a number of weeks earlier than bringing them indoors for the winter. Because the temperature nears 50°F, your callas will wish to enter dormancy. Cease watering them because the leaves die, then take away all useless foliage and produce them indoors.
Whereas your callas are dormant, hold them in a cool, dry, darkish area. Their dormancy lasts about two to 3 months. You may repot them after their dormancy and produce them into an area with partial solar. When the climate reaches 50°F within the spring, they’re prepared to return outdoors to renew their rising cycle.
Canna
|
|
botanical identify Canna |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar |
|
|
hardiness zones 7-10 |
Cannas are hanging tropical crops that reproduce prolifically and produce massive, flashy, colourful flowers. They’re native to the Americas and particularly to the tropics, so that they like heat, humid climate. Nevertheless, they’re extra cold-tolerant than many tropical crops and may survive outside in temperatures as little as 20°F.
Canna leaves die again within the winter, so bringing them indoors doesn’t need to be a giant area waster. You may lower canna leaves all the best way to the soil and retailer them in a cool, dry area the place the temperature stays round 40°F or hotter.
Alternatively, you possibly can dig up your Canna bulbs and retailer them as naked root bulbs. You’ll want to clear the bulbs after which enable them to treatment or dry in a heat room for a few week. Wrap them in paper with some dry planting medium and retailer them in a cardboard field.
Citrus
|
|
botanical identify Citrus |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar |
|
|
hardiness zones 8-11 |
Citrus bushes usually have fruit maturing because the winter climate rolls in. Additionally they actively develop and flower throughout these months. Consequently, they’re barely extra excessive upkeep within the winter, as they want a constant degree of care and fertilizer and loads of daylight on this interval.
Most citrus bushes can face up to freezing temperatures. Nevertheless, if there’s to be an prolonged interval of chilly climate, the place the nighttime temperatures dip into the 20s for a number of days or extra, these crops might want to come indoors. Citrus crops are native to heat and humid areas, so that is the kind of atmosphere they like.
Carry your citrus right into a brightly lit room, the place they are going to get six or extra hours of solar every day. Hold the plant away from drafts and heating vents, which might be drying. A sunny toilet is a superb spot for citrus. Alternatively, a humidifier is nice for bringing out of doors crops into the home.
Coleus
|
|
botanical identify Coleus |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 10-11 |
Colourful coleus is native to tropical and subtropical Asia and Australia. That signifies that they love heat climate and humidity. Coleus is barely totally different relating to how we protect it and hold it rising for the subsequent season.
Coleus could be very straightforward to develop from cuttings. You may lower the highest off of a plant and stick the tip within the floor, and likelihood is very robust that it’ll root and proceed to develop with out skipping a beat.
That being the case, if you wish to maintain onto your coleus, take cuttings and put them in a seed beginning tray for the winter. In spring, when all menace of frost has handed, you should have new coleus crops able to put within the backyard.
Dahlia
|
|
botanical identify Dahlia |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar |
|
|
hardiness zones 8-12 |
Dahlias are one other plant you wouldn’t essentially carry indoors for the winter. These fairly flowering crops are tuberous perennials. They develop from tubers beneath the bottom. These tubers are hardy in zones 8-12 and might be left within the floor in these climates.
If you happen to stay in zone 7 or above, you’ll need to overwinter your dahlia tubers indoors or danger shedding them to the chilly. Wait till the primary frost has killed off the tops of your dahlia crops. As soon as the tops of the crops are useless, dig up your tubers.
Dahlia tubers must be separated and allowed to treatment or dry utterly. You may retailer them in many various types of containers, together with cardboard bins, paper baggage, or milk crates. The primary goal is to maintain your tubers dry and in a cool place over the winter. Dahlias might be planted as quickly as the bottom thaws.
Geranium
|
|
botanical identify Geranium |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 9-12 |
Geraniums (Pelargoniums) are generally grown as annuals in all however the warmest climates. Nevertheless, of their native South Africa, they’re perennials, to allow them to be overwintered indoors and can bloom once more within the spring. There are additionally hardy geranium varieties that thrive outside all yr lengthy, even in chilly climates.
Geraniums might be introduced indoors of their containers. Goal to carry them in about six weeks earlier than the primary freeze. Place them in a cool, sunny area, and water them when the highest inch of soil is dry.
Geraniums are additionally completely completely happy to spend the winter in dormancy. You may dig up your geranium roots and lower the plant again to about ⅓. These bare-root geraniums might be hung in a cool, darkish area or positioned in paper baggage. A shed or storage that stays above 45°F is good for dormant geraniums.
Ginger
|
|
botanical identify Zingiber officinale |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 8-12 |
If you’re rising ginger as an edible, bringing your tubers indoors might be already in your record of gardening duties for the autumn season. Nevertheless, decorative gingers can be introduced indoors for the winter to guard them from the chilly.
Ginger is native to Southeast Asia and enjoys heat, humid climate and partial shade. Whereas it’s straightforward to domesticate elsewhere as an annual, it’s good to carry onto your ginger from yr to yr. Some species die again within the winter, even in hotter climates, however all of them accomplish that north of zone 8.
Dig up your ginger rhizomes the best way that you’d with dahlias. Wash them and permit them to dry earlier than storing them. Retailer them in a cool, darkish, dry atmosphere, and replant them within the spring when the bottom thaws. Most varieties are tolerant of temporary durations of 20° climate.
Jasmine
|
|
botanical identify Jasminum |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 7-10 |
Jasmine crops are native to tropical Asia and elements of China, and so they can endure some pretty chilly climate, however in some climates, will probably be higher to carry them indoors. If you happen to stay in zone 6 or north, there’s a good probability that your jasmine received’t do very effectively overwintering outside.
Jasmine wants some cool climate and shortening days to induce flower manufacturing. If you happen to carry them indoors too early, you danger stopping flowering for the subsequent yr. It’s best to depart your Jasmine crops outside to expertise some night time temperatures within the 40s and 50s in order that the plant units buds, after which carry it indoors.
Place your jasmine in a cool spot with oblique mild by way of the winter. Humidity will probably be extra essential than watering, which must be performed sparingly and solely when the highest inch of the soil is dry. Make sure that your own home’s humidity stays above 40% for this plant.
Kalanchoe
|
|
botanical identify Kalanchoe |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar to partial shade |
|
|
hardiness zones 10-12 |
Kalanchoe crops are winter bloomers, so bringing them indoors not solely preserves and protects their roots, however lets you get pleasure from their colourful flowers inside the home. These fantastic little crops do very effectively indoors.
Let your kalanchoes keep outside whereas the climate begins to chill. This may encourage blooming. When the climate heads towards 45°F and colder, it’s time to carry these succulents indoors. Since they’re winter bloomers, you don’t need to reduce on watering these crops for the chilly season.
Give your kalanchoe water each two weeks or when the soil is dry to the contact. Place them in a spot the place they are going to get plenty of vibrant, oblique mild, and benefit from the fairly flowers!
Orchids
|
|
botanical identify Orchidaceae |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Varies |
|
|
hardiness zones Varies |
Overwintering orchids indoors is a given until you reside in a tropical local weather. Though some orchid species are extremely chilly tolerant, a lot of the sorts offered in shops and nurseries are usually not chilly tolerant in any respect.
A little bit of cool climate, and extra precisely, a shift from sizzling to cooler climate, is nice for many orchids. That is what prompts them to set buds to bloom within the spring. Nevertheless, as soon as the thermometer falls to the low 40s, carry them indoors, otherwise you’re prone to lose the plant altogether.
Orchids make nice houseplants. They want plenty of humidity, so bogs are an important place to maintain orchids indoors. Hold the humidity at 50% or increased, and water your orchids as soon as per week. In case your orchid is in a progress cycle, fertilize each two to 3 weeks.
By way of daylight, totally different species have totally different wants. Cattleyas and dendrobiums can deal with some direct solar, particularly indoors. Phalaenopsis and oncidium orchids choose to have filtered or oblique mild.
Poinsettia
|
|
botanical identify Euphorbia pulcherrima |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar |
|
|
hardiness zones Sep 11 |
It could come as a shock that poinsettias are usually not cold-weather crops. They’re tropical crops that don’t take care of the chilly in any respect, and when the thermometer falls beneath 50°F, you might be prone to see some injury to the leaves.
Poinsettias are fairly, inexperienced, leafy crops for a lot of the yr, and their bracts solely start to show crimson when the sunlight hours shorten and the climate cools down. Consider them like bushes that flip colours within the fall. Poinsettias produce much less chlorophyll as the times shorten, and the crimson shade turns into extra outstanding.
It is a nice time to carry your poinsettias indoors. Carry your poinsettias inside in late September to early October, and set them in a pleasant sunny window for the winter. Exposing this festive plant to extra darkish hours will trigger these bracts to develop into extra colourful. Water your plant each time the soil feels dry to the contact.
Rosemary
|
|
botanical identify Salvia rosmarinus |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar |
|
|
hardiness zones 7-10 |
Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant. Their most popular temperature ranges between 55-80°F, and they’re going to start to die when the temperature drops to freezing. If left outside, you may even see your rosemary return after a light winter, however when you stay north of zone 7, I wouldn’t danger it.
Whereas rosemary is mostly straightforward to develop, bringing it indoors might be difficult as a result of it likes a ton of daylight. Be sure to put your rosemary plant within the sunniest window you will have. If you happen to don’t have a window that receives six or extra hours of solar every day, chances are you’ll have to compensate with fluorescent or develop lights. Water your rosemary when the soil is dry to the contact.
Tropical Hibiscus
|
|
botanical identify Hibiscus rosa-sinensis |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar |
|
|
hardiness zones 10-12 |
One other tropical plant that likes heat temperatures and ample humidity, tropical hibiscus crops will want safety from winter climate. Of their native atmosphere of tropical Asia, they’re evergreen and able to flowering practically year-round. If you happen to go away them outdoors whereas the climate cools, they are going to enter dormancy.
Being dormant means they don’t want practically as a lot water and might be saved in a cool spot with decrease mild. If you happen to carry your hibiscus indoors whereas the climate continues to be heat, it’ll proceed to develop and presumably even bloom by way of the winter.
Hibiscus crops like plenty of solar, and so they want a little bit of humidity as effectively. If you happen to enable the plant to go dormant, water it very sparingly. If not, water as common, maintaining the soil moist however not moist. Reduce on the watering in case your hibiscus doesn’t appear to be utilizing as a lot water as common,
Tuberose
|
|
botanical identify Agave amica |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Full solar |
|
|
hardiness zones 8-10 |
If you happen to develop these splendidly aromatic bulb flowers, you don’t need to plant new bulbs yearly, even in colder climates. All you could do is dig up your bulbs and retailer them for the winter, similar to dahlias!
When rising your tuberoses in containers, winterizing is so simple as reducing the foliage to the bottom and bringing the containers right into a cool, dry place. They received’t want a lot water over the colder months, however it’s greatest to not allow them to dry out utterly.
In case your tuberoses develop within the floor, you need to dig them up. Take away the foliage, enable the bulbs to dry, after which wrap them in paper. Retailer your paper-wrapped bulbs in a cool, darkish room.
Zebrina
|
|
botanical identify Tradescantia zebrina |
|---|---|
|
|
solar necessities Partial solar |
|
|
hardiness zones Sep 11 |
Zebrina is one in all my favourite crops to maintain in hanging baskets. I like that I can take some cuttings and have an entire new plant in months. The colours of the foliage are daring and dramatic, and when it blooms, the tiny purple flowers are adorably charming.
By way of climate, zebrina doesn’t love chilly temperatures. When the thermometer hits 50°F, zebrina will cease rising; round 40°F, you’ll start to see injury to the plant. Thankfully, they do fairly effectively indoors.
I like to depart my zebrina crops outside, in {a partially} shaded spot, throughout the heat months. Within the winter, make area for these beauties in any room with a brightly lit window. They like humidity, however it’s much less very important to their survival than different tropical crops. Proceed to water your zebrina, permitting the highest of the soil to dry between waterings to keep away from overwatering.
Ultimate Ideas
If it saddens you to let go of these crops thought-about annuals in your local weather zone, think about bringing them indoors for the winter as a substitute. You don’t need to have a greenhouse to maintain tropical crops alive by way of the colder months. You simply want brightly lit areas and a cool, darkish spot to retailer dormant crops and bulbs.
