Can You Keep Potted Begonias Over Winter?

Begonias are a beautiful, flowering plant that add plenty of color to any garden or outdoor space throughout the summer months. The bright blooms come in many hues such as red, pink, white, and yellow, and they are easy to care for once they have been planted correctly.

But when fall arrives, many gardeners wonder if it is possible to keep their potted begonias alive during the cold winter months when temperatures drop below freezing? The answer is yes! With proper preparation and care, you can keep your potted begonias over winter so that your garden will burst with color once again when springtime rolls around.

Introduction

Begonias are perennials that thrive in warm climates with plenty of bright sunlight throughout the summer months. They can be grown outdoors in pots or flower beds or indoors as houseplants if they are cared for correctly. In most climates, they will die off after several weeks of frost have hit, but it is possible to keep them alive by overwintering them either in pots or by storing their roots in a cool, dry place until springtime arrives again. Here we will discuss both methods of overwintering so that you can choose which one works best for your particular climate and gardening needs.

How To Overwinter Begonias in Pots

If you live in an area where temperatures don’t dip too low during winter months (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit), then overwintering your potted begonias is a great option since it allows you to enjoy their beauty year round without having to replant them every springtime. To begin this process, it’s important to prepare your pots and soil for winter by adding plenty of organic material such as compost or manure and making sure that there is good drainage from the bottom of each pot (this will help prevent root rot).

Then choose a potting material such as peat moss or coco coir which will hold moisture while also providing good aeration for the plants’ roots – this can be mixed with some sand if needed for better drainage capabilities. Make sure you select a pot that is large enough so that the begonia has room to grow but not too large that it becomes too heavy, something around 10-15 inches wide should suffice nicely depending on how many plants you have growing in each pot!

Additionally, set up stakes or supports around each pot so that they are properly elevated and able to drain away any excess water – this will also help keep them from tipping over during high winds or heavy snowfall during winter months! Lastly, provide a light source such as a grow light so that your potted begonias can get enough sunlight even on cloudy days, this isn’t necessary but can help ensure optimal health through those chilly months!

How To Store Begonia Roots For Winter

If temperatures dip too low during winter months where you live (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit), then overwintering your potted begonias may not be an option since they won’t survive those extreme temperatures no matter how much protection you give them! In these cases, it’s best to dig up the roots before frost hits and store them somewhere cool and dry until springtime arrives again – this could be anywhere from a basement or garage with consistent temperature control all the way down to burying them outside as long as they are kept dry!

When digging up your begonia roots make sure you shake off any excess dirt before wrapping them carefully in newspaper or burlap sacks, this will help protect them from mold growth while still allowing air circulation inside the sack so they don’t suffocate! Make sure you label each root bundle with its corresponding plant name so that you know which one is which when planting back come springtime!

Conclusion

Overall, keeping potted begonias over winter is totally possible if done correctly but may not be feasible depending on where you live due to extremely cold temperatures near freezing point during certain months!

If this is the case then storing their roots until springtime is best, just make sure you dig up those roots before frost hits using proper gardening tools like spades or trowels then store them somewhere cool and dry like a basement or garage wrapped up tightly in newspaper or burlap sacks until ready for replanting come next year!