Caring for Tender Annuals Wintering Indoors

Turn your attention indoors and give those tender annuals overwintering a bit of TLC.

The low light and humidity indoors stresses plants, resulting in pale leggy growth. Don’t reach for the fertilizer – instead do a bit of rearranging and grooming.

Move leggy plants to a sunnier location or add an artificial light. Consider growing overwintering annuals in a cool location, free of drafts, in your home. The humidity will be higher and the cool temperatures slow growth, helping plants to better adapt.

Water thoroughly and only as needed. Plants growing in warm homes will need more frequent watering than those in cooler locations.

Pinch back leggy stems to encourage growth. Use scissors or pruners for a cleaner cut. Prune just above a set of leaves and consider starting new plants from these cuttings to enlarge your collection.

A bit more information: Wait until plants are actively growing to fertilize with a dilute solution of any flowering houseplant fertilizer. Fertilizing stressed plants can damage roots, discolor leaves, and in severe cases kill plants.