What to do when flowers can't survive the winter? Winter cold-protection and care methods
Some flowers native to tropical and subtropical regions, such as Aglaia odorata (mock lime), Michelia alba (white champaca), jasmine, poinsettia, cyclamen, Clivia (kafir lily), Epiphyllum (orchid cactus), Schlumbergera (Christmas cactus), Sansevieria (snake plant), cactus-family plants, dracaena-type plants and foliage plants, all need cold protection and warmth in winter in order to survive the winter safely.
In homes with heating equipment, flowers generally have few problems overwintering. When potted flowers are placed indoors, they must not be too close to a heat source; keep a certain distance, and at the same time pay attention to indoor ventilation, and frequently spray water on the leaf surfaces to prevent the air from drying out and to increase air humidity. When the room temperature is above 0°C and below 5°C, small potted flowers can have the whole plant covered with a plastic bag, with the opening tied shut with string, and placed in a sunny room, and the potted flowers can survive the winter.
Some cold-sensitive potted flowers can be placed inside a pot one size larger, with sawdust, rice husks, perlite, charcoal and other insulating materials placed between the two pots and on the pot surface, then covered with plastic film or a glass cover; the insulation effect is also very good.
Build a simple greenhouse on the balcony and place more cold-tolerant flowers and trees there, such as camellia, azalea, and Michelia figo (banana shrub); this is beneficial for their growth and flowering the following year. For some tree-stump bonsai and bonsai planted in shallow pots or small pots that like warmth and fear severe cold, winter freezing damage is likely, so after winter begins, different cold-protection measures should be taken according to their different cold hardiness. For the strongly cold-tolerant plum blossom, elm, ginkgo, five-needle pine, Sageretia (Chinese sweet plum), pomegranate and so on, they can be placed outdoors, but attention must also be paid to frost damage and freeze-cracking injury; potassium fertilizer can be appropriately increased to boost cold resistance. For the relatively cold-tolerant Serissa (snowbush), Nandina (heavenly bamboo), Podocarpus (buddhist pine) and so on, they should be moved indoors, but the indoor space does not need heating.
For the cold-intolerant Murraya paniculata (orange jasmine), Rhapis excelsa (broadleaf lady palm), Ficus (banyan), Bambusa multiplex (hedge bamboo), Bambusa ventricosa (buddha belly bamboo) and so on, they must be placed in a heated indoor space; bonsai planted in shallow pots or small pots and bonsai with poor growth should also be placed indoors and appropriately heated. Most foliage plants like high or moderate temperatures; they cannot tolerate low temperatures, otherwise freezing damage will occur, or even death. Therefore, when overwintering, foliage plants must have certain cold-protection and warmth measures taken. Different foliage plants also have different overwintering temperature requirements. Those that can tolerate temperatures below 5°C and above 2°C include: Aspidistra (cast iron plant), Rhapis excelsa (broadleaf lady palm), Cycas (sago palm), Asparagus setaceus (asparagus fern), Ficus elastica (rubber plant), Chlorophytum (spider plant), Araucaria (Norfolk Island pine) and so on; those that can tolerate temperatures above 5°C and below 10°C include: Coleus, Aloe, Cordyline (ti plant), Fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia), Monstera (Swiss cheese plant) and so on; those that need temperatures above 10°C include: Epipremnum aureum (pothos), Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen), Philodendron, Codiaeum (croton), Bromeliaceae (bromeliads) and so on.
Growers can choose suitable foliage plants according to their own conditions, so as to avoid losses.