Bringing in Plants for the winter - How to water?

11 years ago

Hi Everyone,

Its starting to get cold down here in MD, and I've got a couple of weeks before the tropical stuff will need to come in for the winter. I've got a couple of citrus, a pair of banana plants, etc.

I don't have a basement or garage, so these things have to come in and sit in my office (decent sized 2nd bedroom). Pretty much everything is in gritty mix, so it needs quite a bit of water to actually get wet.

How do you guys water in situations like this? Take the plants to the tub? Do you have those clear plastic dishes for each pot?

Basically, I'm looking for a way to water a bunch of plants in very fast mix, without making a mess. Any ideas?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

krismast
11 years ago
I was in the exact same situation as you a week or so ago. The only place I could put my plants in the house was in a sun room on a wooden window seat so I knew any water on the wood would be a very bad thing. So I went looking around at some stores and I found this at Tractor Supply.
{{gwi:52980}}
It's about an inch deep and several plants can sit inside it. I had some left over pvc pipe so I cut some rounds for the pots to sit on so they weren't sitting in the water.
{{gwi:52981}}

So far it's working great! If there starts to be too much water in the tray I'm just going to siphon it out.

Kristopher
hookilau
11 years ago
Yup. I've started using these as well. I added a layer of pea gravel at the bottom about .75" thick so I can water with impunity 0_-

This allows the water to run freely through & pool under the rocks for additional humidity...and it looks purdy too.
Related Discussions
Bringing plants for the winter
Q
Comments (8)
Just to emphasise to rhizo's comment. Malathion has been banned for over 20 years in the European Community as a plant pesticide and is severely restricted for other uses. Do you have some sort of area where you could quarantine your plants for a while and keep a close eye on them? Something like screened porch? Close observation and simple leaf slooshing with tap water will deal with a lot of things. Another trick is to sit the pot in a bucket of water until the water shows on the surface. All sorts of things will make an escape bid from the potting mix and you can nab them. Then let the pot drain thoroughly. Both the spider mites and the caterpillar you mention would have been spotted during a period in a 'half way house.' My plants are gradually coming back in. They spend a couple of weeks on the table outside the kitchen door before reentry.
...See More
How do I take care of my water plants this winter?
Q
Comments (3)
Yes, we need to know what types of plants you have in order to help.:) I have overwintered a whiskey barrel in the past. I cut the hardy plants back and dropped them in the bottom. Get yourself a completely submersible titanium aquarium heater (don't use the glass ones!) rated for the number of gallons of the barrel. Stick it in the barrel and plug it in. It will keep the barrel from freezing. It won't heat it up warm but it will keep it warm enough to prevent freezing.
...See More
Bring Plants in for winter?
Q
Comments (15)
So, those of you talking about overwintering tomatoes and geraniums, can I assume you all have either lots of south facing sunny windows, or plans for a great light setup? :-) What is the method of using the floral foam for rooting geraniums? I am trying to cut back on what I bring in the house this winter, because I really don't have enough sunny window space. I tried coleus a few winters in a row but they just didn't last long at all and were a bit of work trying to keep them alive. I do have Asparagus Ferns, that started out 3 years ago in a 4" pot and now I have three large pots of them to find a place for. A huge Boston Fern that amazes me how well it survives it's summer outdoors. A Jade plant, a tropical Hibiscus that has overwintered at least 5 years now and I have lost count. I have a lovely Begonia Good n Plenty that did well in the yard this summer. I could try potting up a nasturtium that has bloomed profusely in about 2 hrs of sun in the morning all summer. or take a few cuttings of coleus and just enjoy them until they give up. [g] Not enough sun for the basil I would love to drag in the house. What about four oclocks, would they overwinter? Does anyone have any tips for cleaning up the plants to make sure they won't bring bugs in the house? I saw a gardening show recently that suggested adding garden lime to a watering can of water and watering all your plants before bringing them in and it would take care of the fungus knats that can drive you crazy in the winter. I have Dahlia and gladioli bulbs but nowhere that is the right temperature to store them, wish I was going to a fall swap and I could offer them to someone who might like to try overwintering them. pm2
...See More
Bringing plants inside for winter
Q
Comments (21)
My brother-in-law asked me 5 years ago if he could bring a couple habanero pepper plants inside over the winter. I told him I doubted it would work, and even if it did it wouldn't be worth it. He didn't listen to me, the biologist and supposed garden expert. His plans are were 4 years old when he got lazy last fall and they were killed by an early frost. They had produce unbelievably well every summer. The stems became woody like some kind of small shrub. Every fall he'd bring them in and stick them by a window. A lot of the leaves would fall off, and they would get sickly looking. They seem to adjust after a month or two, and they perk up nicely- even flowering sporadically all winter long. He made no attempt to pollinate them, so they never set fruit. When he took them out in late spring, they would go berzerk and yield huge crops way way earlier than you would expect. It was pretty cool. I'm going to try it with a serrano this fall.
...See More
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
11 years ago
...elevating pots is great idea - if one doesn't have a spare piece of pvc pipe, caps from water/juice bottles could be used...
meyermike_1micha
11 years ago
Also, if you really want to water at the spot where your plants are, you could use a plastic tote and set something on top of it like a grate that allows you to water copiously while you water with a watering can.
You use a sprinkler head on the watering can so the mix gets watered evenly and thoroughly while the water falls into the tote. Sort of like a moveable sink.

If you don't understand, I would gladly take a picture for you to give you the visual.

Mike
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
11 years ago
I use plastic plates and set my containers on water bottle tops. Four to one container..

When i water my plants and trees in the Gritty Mix, i water lightly and water just a little and then i go back and give them another drink. If you water to fast, the water will drain to quickly. The mix needs to soak up the water so that is why i use a head like Mike and water just a little as i go through my pots, then i come back and give another "drive by..." ;-) The water that collects in the plates will evaporate quickly and also help add some humidity inthe area.

Hope this helps!!

Laura

Related Stories

WINTER GARDENING 7 Container Plantings to Bring Winter Gardens to Life

By Matt Kilburn

Adding instant color but with long-lasting practicality, these plant groupings are bright spots in a slumbering wintertime garden

Full Story

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Great Design Plant: Blanket Flower Brings Year-Round Cheer

By Steve Asbell

It's irresistible to wildlife, but this wildflower's drought tolerance, copious blooms and versatility draw human fans too

Full Story

TREES Great Design Plant: Sourwood Brings Fiery Fall Color

By Le jardinet

For a sweet spot of scarlet and orange in autumn, look to sourwood's foliage — but this tree offers interest the rest of the year too

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Little Heath Andromeda Brings 4-Season Color

By Le jardinet

Rosiness in the cool months and fragrant white flowers in spring help make this shrub a winner — and hummingbirds love it too

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Desert Ruellia Brings Beauty to Dry Gardens

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Abundant purple flowers and bright green foliage would make this shrub a winner even without its unthirsty ways

Full Story

INSPIRING GARDENS Native Plants Bring 10 Southern California Front-Yard Gardens to Life

By Annie Thornton

Rare plants, rain gardens and wildlife habitats are just a few of the features showcased on the 2016 Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Showers Bring Zephyranthes Flowers

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Plant zephyrlily bulbs now for lovely blooms amid grassy foliage in summer and fall

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Autumn Sage Brings Color and Butterflies

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Whether you live in the arid desert or the humid South, you'll likely find this deer-resistant beauty as irresistible as winged creatures do

Full Story

TREES Great Design Plant: Acer Rubrum Brings Shade and Beauty

By Ellen Sousa/Turkey Hill Brook Farm

Red maple — a fast-growing, low-maintenance Eastern native — has spectacular fall foliage and early-spring flowers that feed pollinators

Full Story

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Great Design Plant: California Fuchsia Brings Color and Hummingbirds

By Bill Marken

Set this summer perennial up in a dry and sunny spot for blazing orange or red blooms into fall

Full Story

Bringing in Plants for the winter - How to water?

Comments (5)

krismast

hookilau

Related Discussions

rina_Ontario,Canada 5a

meyermike_1micha

Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US