I know the end of season time is near, but I just can’t let everything die back. No reason to let everything go once there is a good, hard frost. Now is the time to save summer plants you want to continue to grow indoors during the winter.
The No. 1 set of plants we save at our house are pelargonium (aka geraniums). We have ours in containers, huge tubs actually, and some are more than 15 years old. They are big and they take up a lot of space in the indoor greenhouse. Still, we move them in come September and cut them back. We root the cuttings and get more plants. Pelargonium will start blooming again around February even without supplemental lights.
Next, since I do have indoor grow lights, I like to pot up a few of the best annuals I can find in our gardens. Plants, like stock, that already have seed pods are not at the top of the list. Instead, fibrous begonia, coleus and nemesia all do great, at least for a while.
Since we have a room indoors with grow lights in it, I bring in a couple of our containers to nurse along until the plants figure out something is out of whack. Right now I am eyeing a container with sweet peas and alyssum. Yum. I can smell the fragrance now, much enhanced by the dry air caused by a snowy day outdoors. This is a good way to slowly say goodbye to your fuchsia and even tuberous begonias before you put them in that dark, cool, winter storage space.
Any amaryllis stored outdoors have to come in. It is time to put all amaryllis pots on their sides and let them sit in the dark for 8 weeks. They do not need water and will go dormant. No need to pull or cut the leaves. Let them die back naturally and deal with anything left when you revive the bulb.
We have lettuces in a container that used to be a window box. I plan on cutting back what is there as it is getting a bit bitter. (That is “cut back,” not pull the plants.) New leaves, hopefully much more tasty, will grow back indoors. We even have a box filled with those cute, 1-inch ball carrots. I didn’t thin them well enough, so I will now and move that indoors too.
Mind you, don’t just walk your plants inside. First, you might want to pot things up in fresh soil (still filled with organics, of course) and do it outdoors. Next, consider trimming plants back, both to get bushier plants later and for reducing any pest rest stops, which you should inspect for.
Moving plants indoors also requires the plant to adjust to the change in the intensity of light and humidity. Make the move gradual. Put your plants in the shade for a while, the garage for a while and then the house. Provide extra humidity with a humidifier or trays of water around the plants.
What else is out there? Do you have coleus? Fibrous begonias? How about those Simon and Garfunkel sage, rosemary and thyme? All of these (and much more) can be brought indoors for winter enjoyment.
What have you to lose? Your outdoor plants are going to die back outdoors. Besides, I am hoping the prospects of keeping some of your plants alive in the winter months will encourage those who have lights to set them up early and those who don’t to get a system going.
Jeff’s Alaska Garden Calendar:
Alaska Botanical Garden: Purchase tickets now for “Beer in The Garden” on Thursday, Sept. 5. Plus the nursery is open with sales until Sept. 15.
Butter and eggs: Get those seeds taken care of.
Compost: Collect green material to mix in with leaves, which will be falling soon.