- Compact varieties have priority - tips for plant selection
- Choosing and planting flower boxes - you should pay attention to this
The transfer of winter blossoms from Christmas roses to the balcony box is easier than the pronounced site loyalty of Helleborus niger would suggest. If the general conditions are right, the magical winter queen likes to hold court in the flower box. These instructions explain how to convince the legendary beet perennial to have a flower festival on the balcony.
Christmas roses bloom in winter - even in balcony boxes
Compact varieties have priority - tips for plant selection
If Christmas roses feel in good hands, they can reach an age of up to 25 years. This floral masterpiece results, among other things, from the growth as a deep rooter. Therefore, the following compact varieties are well suited for cultivation in the limited space of the balcony box:
- 'Praecox' scores with a long flowering period from November to March; Growth height 15 to 25 cm
- 'Double Ellen Picotée' inspires with pretty ruffled, double flowers from November; Growth height 25 to 35 cm
- 'Black Swan' trumps with night black and crimson double flowers from December to March; Growth height 25 to 30 cm
An extravagant rarity among the Christmas roses is the new variety 'Hantay'. Its yellow, red-spotted flowers appear on stalks that are a maximum of 30 cm long from December to March.
Choosing and planting flower boxes - you should pay attention to this
The deep root system not only influences the choice of variety for the balcony. The nature of the flower box (€16.99) and substrate also take this vegetative property into account. Choose a flower box that is at least 30 cm deep and has several openings in the bottom for water drainage. As a substrate, we recommend high-quality potting soil with a few handfuls of loamy garden soil. How to properly plant Christmas roses in the flower box:
- Cut open pre-punched openings or drill holes yourself if necessary
- Spread out a 3 cm high drainage made of potsherds or expanded clay (€19.73).
- Fill in the substrate half way up
- Plant the Christmas roses in it at a distance of 20 cm
Gradually fill in the remaining soil. A pouring rim 1 to 2 fingers wide is advantageous. Place the flower box in a sheltered spot on the partially shaded balcony and water.
tips
To plant a window box in a winter hardy way, snow roses are not the only winter-blooming beauties. Ideal plant neighbors in the flower box are the dainty purple bells 'Plum Pudding' (Heuchera hybrid) with furious ornamental leaves and the enchanting spring cyclamen (Cyclamen coum), which puts on its flowers as early as February.