- Granting at the right time - What you should pay attention to
- This is how you accompany the miracle flower through the winter
Although the magic flower has been delighting the hearts of people in Europe since the Middle Ages, it still does not get used to freezing temperatures. With the right strategy, you can accompany the South American summer flower alive and well through the winter. This is how hibernation succeeds.
The miracle flower comes from southern Latin America and is used to a warm climate
Granting at the right time - What you should pay attention to
At the end of the summer flowering period, the foliage still has an important job to do. In autumn, the tuber absorbs the remaining nutrients from the leaves. The miracle flower then draws on this reserve again next year. Therefore, only cut off the withered flowers first to prevent the growth of seed heads.
When the night-time temperatures oscillate between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius, the right time has come to move to the winter quarters. Get the tubers out of the ground with the digging fork and cut off all the roots and the shoots to 5 cm. If you notice rotten spots, please cut them out as well and dust the wound with charcoal ash.
This is how you accompany the miracle flower through the winter
The miracle flower is not suitable for overwintering outdoors, even at an advanced age. Therefore, please get the tubers out of the ground every year in order to store them in this winter quarter:
- Cool and dark, with temperatures between 5 and 8 degrees Celsius
- Laid out on a wooden shelf or grating
- Alternatively, wrap the tubers in a box in dry sand or peat dust
- Under the influence of very dry air, spray the tubers from time to time so that they do not dry up
From February/March onwards, please check the tubers regularly to see whether they are starting to sprout. In this case, put the magic flowers in a pot with potting soil in order to take care of them in a bright, warm location until the start of the planting season in May. Thanks to your efforts, the plants propelled in this way start the new season with a vital growth advantage.
tips
In a pot with a substrate volume of 10 liters or more, the miracle flower transforms the evening balcony into a fragrant garden full of blossoms. Plant the bulbs in normal, loose potting soil 2 to 3 cm deep in May and place the pot in a sunny, warm spot.