Winter Guests. Which Plants Should Be Moved from the Summer House to the Apartment 0 14

In fact, the process of "wintering" summer plants follows simple but strict rules, said agrochemist Petr Sukhorukikh.

Which Plants Can Be Taken to the Apartment for Winter

Many summer potted plants are actually perennials that simply cannot withstand our winter. They can and should be saved.

Pelargonium (Geranium). A classic. It feels great in winter on a cool windowsill.

Fuchsia. With proper care, it will rest in winter and will produce new shoots in spring.

Coleus. Its bright leaves will please the eye all winter if given enough light.

Balsam (“Vanka wet”). It will continue to bloom in the apartment, although perhaps not as abundantly.

Tuberous begonia. Its tubers can be stored in peat, but ever-blooming varieties can be taken in their pots.

You can also move tradescantia, chlorophytum, and hypoestes to the city if they spent the summer outdoors.

It is extremely important not to make the common mistake of pruning all types of raspberries the same way.

When to Move Potted Plants

The main guide is not the calendar, but the weather forecast. You need to act before the first serious frosts. As soon as the nighttime temperature starts to consistently drop below +7...+5 degrees, it’s time to act. Plants experience stress from sudden changes in environment, so it’s better not to delay until the last moment.

How to Properly Transport Plants and Care for Them

To ensure that the plant does not die and comfortably survives the winter, a clear plan is needed.

Inspection and treatment. Carefully inspect the plant for pests. Even if you don’t see any, it’s better to carry out preventive treatment with an insecticide right at the summer house to avoid bringing "uninvited guests" into the apartment.

Acclimatization. Do not immediately bring the plant in from the cold outdoors to a warm, dry apartment. This is a shock. Ideally, if there is an opportunity to arrange a "quarantine" for it for a couple of weeks on a glazed balcony or veranda, where it is cooler than in the room.

Pruning. Don’t be afraid to prune. Long summer shoots should be shortened by about a third. This will rejuvenate the plant, help it redirect its energy to the root system, and form a beautiful bush in spring.

Proper location. The ideal place for wintering most summer "migrants" is the brightest and coolest windowsill in the apartment. The further away from the central heating radiator, the better.

Watering. This is the most common mistake. In winter, under cool conditions and short daylight, plants enter a state of dormancy. Their need for moisture decreases sharply. The main rule is to underwater rather than overwater. Water only when the soil ball has dried a couple of centimeters deep.

Transporting Plants from the Summer House to the City: Unexpected Benefits

According to the expert, caring for these "seasonal migrants" is excellent training for patience and a systematic approach.

"This teaches you to plan your actions and understand that results do not come immediately. Qualities that are useful not only in gardening," noted Petr Sukhorukikh. "In my childhood, I had one responsibility that I initially didn’t particularly like. We had geraniums, or, as it is correctly called, pelargonium. My mother entrusted it to me. It was not just caring for a flower, but a kind of first project with clear tasks and responsibility for the result. In spring, we would take it to the summer house together, and in autumn, before the first cold, we prepared it for the move to the city.

My mother still does this. Every year at the beginning of October, I observe this ritual and realize that that childhood task was one of the building blocks that taught me systematics and the ability to work long-term."