How to Overwinter Water-Cultivated Pennywort
Main content introduction: Learn about how to overwinter water-cultivated pennywort and the related details on green plant care methods for wintering pennywort. Let's get to know more about it.
Pennywort enjoys a warm and humid environment. Overwintering water-cultivated pennywort requires good frost protection, insulation, pruning management, as well as meeting the requirements for light, water, and reduced fertilization. It generally cannot survive outdoors in winter, but whether it can depends on the local winter temperatures. When temperatures drop below 5°C, the plant will suffer frostbite, so it's not suitable for outdoor overwintering in areas with very low temperatures. It's best to keep it in a warm room. I will now discuss the overwintering methods for water-cultivated pennywort and the reasons why it cannot overwinter outdoors.
I. Overwintering Methods for Water-Cultivated Pennywort
1. Frost Prevention and Insulation
In areas where the winter temperature is above 5°C, you can use a transparent plastic bag to wrap the entire plant and container for insulation.
In areas where the temperature is below 5°C in winter, the water-cultivated pennywort should be moved indoors for care before winter arrives to acclimate to the environment. In areas where the temperature drops below 0°C, it is necessary to switch from water cultivation to soil cultivation, by taking the pennywort out of the water and planting it in potting soil to prevent frost damage.
2. Light Requirements
Pennywort requires 4 to 6 hours of sunlight for growth. In winter, when light is weaker, water-cultivated pennywort should be placed in a sunny location, such as a warm south-facing balcony or windowsill indoors.
3. Water Requirements
In winter, when temperatures are low and water evaporation is slow, the frequency of water changes can be reduced, typically changing the water every 7 to 15 days. Pennywort prefers a humid environment. In dry winter areas, when the temperature is above 5°C, you can increase humidity by spraying water or misting the air.
4. Reduce Fertilization
Fertilization frequency should be reduced in winter because the overwintering environment in most areas is not conducive to the growth of pennywort, so there's no need for heavy fertilization during this time.
5. Pruning Before Winter
Before winter, you can prune the dense parts of the pennywort to reduce nutrient consumption and increase ventilation. In areas where the winter temperature is too low, the above-ground parts should be cut off when switching to soil cultivation to avoid frostbite or frost damage to the plant.
II. Water-Cultivated Pennywort Cannot Overwinter Outdoors
Water-cultivated pennywort generally cannot overwinter outdoors. Most areas in our country experience cold winters. The suitable water temperature for pennywort is between 16 to 28°C, and the overwintering temperature should be above 5°C. Especially in the northern regions, where temperatures can drop below 0°C, water outdoors can freeze, causing frostbite or frost damage to the plants.
If frostbite has occurred, the plant should be immediately transplanted into a pot. Soil-cultivated plants can overwinter outdoors, although the above-ground parts may turn yellow and wither. At this time, pruning should be done appropriately. As long as the roots are healthy, the plant can regenerate the following year.
The above information is a detailed explanation of how to overwinter water-cultivated pennywort and the care methods for overwintering pennywort in winter. I hope it can be of help to you!