Tips for overwintering adenium indoors

freezing temps & frost will kill adenium

as temperatures fall below 50° it is time to move adenium indoors

- move in day -

remove any yellowing or dead leaves from plant and off the potting media...
dead leaves left on potting media are a haven for insect pests ....lizards, toads and frogs

spray plants with insecticidal soap until runoff ..... allow to dry ....(dry to the touch may take several hours depending on humidity)

- next -

hose off, now dry insecticidal soap (no longer effective)

- next -

water plants to saturation ....allow to drain

move plants indoors

do not water again for at least 90 days ....not even a sip

last year, as an experiment my plants went 172 days without water ..... being "dry" will hurt plants less, than being wet

plants may loose all its leaves - others may loose half its leaves - some may not loose any

monitor plants for root rot by lightly squeezing caudex at the potting mix soil line

some plant stems may shrivel / wrinkle (like a raisin) ....water lightly, less than volume of pot for stem to recover

Thanks for this info, bookmarking it for later. I've got maybe another month before nighttime temps drop enough to have to bring mine in.

I bookmarked this as well. In my area though, we don't get below 50s this early. My desert rose killers are winter time when it rains (my desert roses are grown outdoors) and then gets cold.

I will try and experiment pulling some plants out of the pots and just letting them just hang dry in the garage during winter time maybe for 90 days.

for the @GigiPlumeria

50's is a safe outdoor low temperature and just a heads-up - (at least, nothing bad will happen at around 50°) ....but any lower into the low to mid 40's - and - when wet is dangerous for adenium..... freezing will kill adeniums

deepsouth said: for the @GigiPlumeria

50's is a safe outdoor low temperature and just a heads-up - (at least, nothing bad will happen at around 50°) ....but any lower into the low to mid 40's - and - when wet is dangerous for adenium..... freezing will kill adeniums

Yes and open wounds at winter time is an opening for rot.

I jinxed myself by saying we should have another month before I have to bring it in. It was in the low 50s last night, and this coming Monday is supposed to be down to 50°. I think I'll start bringing it in at least during the night. We should have days in the 60s for at least awhile still.

there are still a lot of hot days and warm nights ahead ....near 100° this past week.....lows in the upper 50's first of next week ...

few flower buds on my arabicum ..... and taking their sweet time about it ....will post pics when they decide to open

@Bschmuck for the

@deepsouth what about light requirements during winter? Would I be fine to just put them away in my dark basement or do I need to find them a bright window? Space is extremely limited. Or should they go under grow lights?

Hopefully I don't have to overwinter with grow lights as I can pretty much leave my desert roses out all year round. they do well outside even 40s if media is kept on the dry side.

I've seen videos of desert roses being totally out of the pots bare root. Is that possible for bigger older desert roses to be kept bareroot during winter season and replanted in Spring? Or would these desert roses be too dehydrated?

@Bschmuck

light requirements ?.... depends ....

if plants begin to loose leaves - that is the signal that dormancy has begun ..
dormancy breaks (ends) - as sunlight and warmth return and new buds begin to form

If plants loose all their leaves, then being at or near any light source wont really matter ..... they can sit in a basement or moved to a northern facing window ...with very very limited water (or no water)

if plants retain leaves ...then they would benefit from either a east or west or south facing window ..... east or west windows will have sunlight for half as long as a south facing window ....

or under lights ....

white lights with a color temperature between 5500k to 6500k are the best ..... 6500k is nearest that to sunlight at 12 noon (or directly overhead ... the sun at its most intense) .... most "grow lights" have 6500k ....

my plants will end-up all over the house ...near windows and under lights ...

since I have more plants than windows or grow lights - will "rotate plants out" when ever they get watered ..... so, those plants at north windows get moved under lights - south plants get moved to east and west facing windows ....grow light plants get moved to north windows

to protect surfaces, and especially wood furniture I use glass candle plates - with glass beads at bottom

https://www.walmart.com/ip/1-P...


@GigiPlumeria

hanging bare-root plants would probably work .... have considered it myself - except, by the time the freeze comes ...most plants are well "established" in their pots ...

also have concerns - that as you say, be "too dehydrated" -

older plants can withstand most anything we throw at them - except water