So that the chocolate flower exudes its unmistakable scent of milk chocolate in the next year, a species-appropriate overwintering is necessary. Because the beautiful plant is unfortunately not hardy. Read here how it works.
The chocolate flower does not tolerate frost
Move to winter quarters
Neither potted plants nor outdoor flowers should be exposed to frost in winter. While a tub is easy to transport indoors, you'll need to dig up chocolate flowers from the bed, with only the bulb left at this point, and plant them in an overwintering pot.
Note: In mild areas, where temperatures rarely drop below 0°C even in winter, it is quite possible to overwinter a chocolate flower tuber in a tub outdoors, provided the pot is well insulated with a brushwood mat.
time
The chocolate flower should move into its winter quarters as early as October to avoid the risk of unexpected night frosts.
manual
After you have dug up the tuber, it is a good idea to divide it with a sharp knife and overwinter the individual sections separately. In spring you can look forward to a large stock of numerous young chocolate flowers. Overwinter the tubers as follows:
- ideal temperature: 8°C to 10°C
- dark, dry location (preferably in the basement)
- Check tubers regularly for rot (caused by moisture)
- Let tubers shrivel
- hang in a potato net
- Alternatively, fill a wooden box with a peat-sand mixture and bury the tubers
spring habituation
At the end of February, when the sun is gaining more and more strength, you can get your chocolate flower used to moving outside soon. How to proceed:
- Put the pot in a warm place
- choose a bright location
- put it on the terrace when the weather is nice
- no direct sun
- resume watering
- fertilize
- divide in case of significant tuber formation
Note: Night frosts are possible up to the Ice Saints in mid-May. Until then, you should bring the chocolate flower into the house at night.