Caring for oleander properly in winter: The best tips for your balcony!

Caring for oleander properly in winter: The best tips for your balcony!

Winter is just around the corner and many garden lovers in Cologne are asking themselves the question: How do we properly overwinter our oleander? This Mediterranean beauty is known for its bright flowers, but unfortunately it is not hardy and requires special care when temperatures drop. It is all the more important to take the right measures so that the oleander survives the cold season unscathed.

A crucial criterion is the right location. The oleander should be moved to a bright, cool and frost-free place. Temperatures between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius are optimal. Although a heated living room awakens the expectation of spring, it is unsuitable because there is no light for photosynthesis and growth is stimulated without charging up enough energy. A mild room with daylight is ideal, as 24garten.de highlights.

Casting – the happy medium

When casting, sensitivity is required. Too much moisture can cause root rot and make the plant vulnerable to pests. Experts recommend keeping the oleander dry and only watering it when the soil in the pot has dried out. A rule of thumb is that watering in the winter months should not be done weekly, but as needed. A visual and finger sample of the soil every two weeks can be helpful here. Watering too frequently in winter is a common mistake that should be avoided. In dry conditions, the method of thoroughly watering the root ball once rather than frequent small amounts has been found to be more effective.

For owners of oleanders who live in the mild regions of Germany - such as: B. in the Ruhr area or on the Lower Rhine - there is also the option of leaving the plants outside. In these climates, oleander can overwinter well insulated if well protected. A styrofoam plate under the bucket, tying the branches together and wrapping them with bubble wrap or coconut mats will help a lot. The plant container should also be covered with an air-permeable hood made of plastic fleece to prevent frost damage, while an opening for watering makes care easier, as the tips from mein-schoener-garten.de show.

Preparing for spring

Another aspect that needs to be taken into account is the latest time when the oleander should be brought into winter quarters. It is advisable to wait until just before the first severe frosts. The plants need a sunny and wind-protected place from spring to autumn. When the cold season is over, the oleander that has overwintered in a cool place can often go outside in April, while in warmer rooms the ideal time is only after the ice saints.

The fact that the oleander is an exciting topic is also shown by the fact that it looks good when pruned in spring. Old shoots should be shortened to around 10 to 15 cm to promote new growth. The care is varied; from proper watering to repotting and fertilizing to propagation through cuttings in summer. A good long-term fertilizer supports nutrient absorption and helps the plant to develop its full splendor - it is important to wear gloves when working with the oleander, as all parts of the plant are poisonous, as ndr.de states.

If you take all of these care tips into account, the oleander has a good chance of surviving the winter safely and delighting you again with its blooming beauties in spring. Because nothing is nicer than enjoying the splendor of the oleander's colors in the garden or on the balcony!