The vanilla flower, also known by its Latin name heliotrope, is usually cultivated as an annual flowering plant in our latitudes. It is one of the sun-hungry balcony bloomers that prefer a full sun or partially shaded location. Unfortunately, the heat-loving plant is not hardy, but can easily be overwintered in a suitable room.
The vanilla flower cannot stand the cold at all
The vanilla flower in winter
Since the vanilla flower is not hardy, you should bring the plant to winter quarters in good time. Even temperatures of around five degrees can damage them so badly that they die. In rough locations, this can therefore be necessary as early as the beginning of October.
Move to winter quarters
Potted plants are first checked for vermin and plant diseases.
Bedding plants must be carefully dug up and planted in commercially available potting soil, which you mix with some sand or cactus soil to improve permeability. Cut out the plant as widely as possible to cause as little damage to the roots as possible.
A slight pruning does not damage the plants, which can reach a height of up to eighty centimeters with good care, and is particularly recommended for large specimens and limited space. Take this opportunity to clean the plants thoroughly and remove all faded and dead plant parts.
The ideal conditions in the winter quarters
An unheated stairwell, a bright basement or the greenhouse are ideal for overwintering heliotropes. In any case, the location should:
- no colder than five degrees
- not warmer than ten degrees
- bright
being. Water sparingly as the vanilla flower stops growing during the winter dormancy. Don't fertilize at all until spring.
tips
In the cold season, the solstice loses part of the foliage, and some shoots dry up. In the spring, remove all dead plant parts and cut back the vanilla flower a little. It then drives out all the more vigorously.