Easy to find in garden centers, they will bring life to your home while being a treat for the eyes.
Annual flowers vs. perennials
The life span of an annual plant is one year. It blooms early in the spring and dies when the frost period starts (in colder regions). Annuals require little maintenance, but new plants must be planted every year.
Perennials, however, continue to bloom year after year. During the winter, they become dormant and wake up again the following spring. Perennial plants are often used in landscaping.
Taking annual flowers indoors for the winter
In colder areas, the arrival of fall marks the end of your annual plants. Did you know many annuals adapt well to life indoors?
It is a great solution to prolong the life of your season favorites. Also, the annuals taken indoors for the winter can be replanted outdoors the following spring, which means savings for you!
Annual flowers must be taken indoors before the first frost. Because space is often a constraint, you will probably have to make choices. Choose the healthiest, and check for any signs of disease before moving them in.
Here are a few annuals that easily acclimate to life indoors:
- Geranium
- Fuchsia
- Browallia
- Coleus
- Begonia
- Mandevilla
- New Guinea impatiens
- Lantana
- Calibrachoa
- Dahlia
Use cuttings from your annual flowers
Another great way to preserve your annuals for the following year is to take cuttings from your favorite plants. Take a cutting 10 to 15 cm in length. It is highly recommended to choose non-flowering cuttings. Rinse the cutting and remove all signs of flowers or buds on the stem. You also need to remove the leaves from the bottom half of the stem.
Plant the cutting in a pot filled with moist soil. Choose a soil with mycorrhizae to get optimal results. To create a greenhouse effect, place the pot in a plastic bag and in a sunny spot, but not in direct sunlight to avoid burning the cutting.
In three to four weeks, your cutting will be rooted and can be taken out of the plastic bag.
Maintenance of annual flowers indoors
The needs of annual flowers do not differ much from those of indoor plants. They need water and light like any other plants. The following spring, it will be important to acclimate them to life outdoors before planting them permanently.
