Winter plants and flowers for the home and outdoors with abundant flowering

Flowers

Beautiful indoor flowers have long been an essential attribute in apartments and homes. Plants complement interiors beautifully, create a cozy atmosphere, and enrich the air with oxygen. Thanks to the vast variety of varieties, everyone can find the most suitable option—climbers, cacti, and ferns. But there are also winter flowers that will delight with their vibrant blooms even during the cold season.

Poinsettia - a Christmas beauty

This winter flower is extremely popular among gardeners. Beautiful buds open around Christmas. Decorative upper leaves can be bright yellow, red, white, or orange. Poinsettias are considered heat-loving plants, but are extremely sensitive to even the slightest chill. Sudden temperature changes are dangerous for the flower. Hypothermia and sudden exposure to warm air cause foliage to drop. If the flower is purchased in winter, it will become ill immediately after transportation.

The owner of such a plant should protect it from freezing (when moving, the pot should be carefully wrapped in a thick layer of paper). The poinsettia should be placed in a warm, well-lit area with moderately humid air.

Charming tropical orchid

This flower is capable of offering truly beautiful and graceful buds year-round. However, peak blooming occurs from November to March. Depending on the growth form Orchids can be classified into two groups:

monopodial;
sympodial.

The first variety retains its apical tuft throughout its life, due to which the orchid does not have any restrictions in growth. monopodial flowers There are different types (for example: phalaenopsis (It has a rosette shape, while vanilla has a liana shape.) The leaves are almost always gathered in a rosette at the very top of the stem, as this is the slowest growing point. Shoots and inflorescences arise from lateral buds in the leaf axils.

It's worth noting that the stem of a sympodial orchid grows faster, but upon reaching a certain size, the topmost bud either transforms into a distinct inflorescence or dies. This shoot will no longer be able to grow, as a new shoot will begin to form at its base. During this process, not only lateral but also apical inflorescences form, originating from buds at the base of the shoot. This is why all sympodial orchid stems have a slight thickening and are transformed into so-called bulbs (stem tubers).

Healthy!

If an orchid has no tubers at all, all the nutrients and moisture accumulate in the succulent stems and leaves.

With the onset of the growing season, the aboveground growth of each variety follows a unique pattern. Sympodial species develop rapidly, continually forming new lateral shoots. Monopodial varieties have elongated stems, and new leaves form at the very top. When the growing season ends, orchids enter a dormant state. During this period, all tissues of young shoots and leaves become rigid and dense.

Unpretentious indoor azalea

This plant is well known to many gardeners who grow it in their gardens. However, indoor plants are no less attractive, delighting with their vibrant buds in winter. Hybrid varieties of Indian or Japanese azaleas are commonly grown indoors. Winter blooms can be grafted into neat, compact plants. Open buds are most often colored soft pink, white, or red. Sometimes, azaleas with light fringes can be found.

To ensure these winter plants bloom well, they should be placed in a cool area of the room. The soil should be kept constantly moist. Extreme care should be taken to avoid accidentally overheating, drying out, or overwatering the plant, as this can cause it to drop leaves and stop blooming. Any dried flower buds should be promptly removed. Once the active flowering period is over, the shoots can be slightly pruned to maintain a good habit. From early April through August, the plant should be fertilized with special fertilizers.

Advice!

When the warm days of May arrive, the flower can be moved into the garden.

An unusual Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

The main task when growing such a flower — Position it correctly relative to the main light sources. This will encourage the plant to produce flowers more frequently. If done correctly, the Kalanchoe will bloom from late fall until summer. The plant thrives on a windowsill, as it tolerates direct sunlight well. Daylight hours should be no more than four hours.

Delicate Saintpaulia

Some houseplant varieties can bloom profusely throughout the winter, but only with proper care. Saintpaulias require moderate watering and adequate light. It's important to keep the soil slightly moist, but not wet. If the plant receives too much water, its leaves will become limp and dull, which can lead to rot.

The main rule - It is forbidden to water the violet if the soil is not completely dry yetIn cold, damp soil, the roots deteriorate quickly, causing the plant to die within a few days. If the situation isn't severe, you can try re-rooting the plant. Saintpaulias should be protected from the cold, and if the pot is located on a north-facing window, place some insulating material underneath.

Fertilizers should be used with caution: if the plant is kept without lighting, reduce the frequency and concentration of nutrients. Typically, one feeding per month is sufficient. Use specialized fertilizers with a minimum nitrogen content. Fertilizers from Dutch manufacturers produce excellent results. Violets do not grow well in large containers; pots with a diameter of 10 cm are considered ideal. Experienced florists use a soil based on high-moor peat with vermiculite and perlite.

Charming Hippeastrum

This flower variety is considered an ornamental plant. It blooms during the cold season (mostly around Christmas). During the initial stage, the bulb produces a stem with flowers, and only then do the petals emerge. The bloomed buds are very attractive and unusual.

Winter flowers, whose names are strikingly diverse, are increasingly being used in modern interiors. Depending on the variety, they can have different shapes and shades. Hippeastrum thrives in a sunny, warm location. For the bulbs to form new flowers, their tips should receive direct sunlight. When planting, the tubers should be slightly above the soil.

Care instructions

To ensure your plant delights you with its freshness and beauty, you need to know the basic care rules. During cold weather, flowers are most vulnerable to adverse factors. That's why experienced florists have developed a comprehensive list of gardening techniques for caring for indoor plants.

Watering and replanting

With the arrival of cold weather, the usual soil moisture regime undergoes significant changes. If the room is constantly hot, the soil will dry out much faster, requiring more frequent watering. If the pot is placed on a cold windowsill, the soil can remain damp for quite a long time. It's important to carefully inspect the soil before watering to avoid causing root rot.

If the plant shows no signs of active growth, it's best to avoid fertilizing it during the winter. Unabsorbed mineral salts will salinize the soil, making it unsuitable for root development. When the plant is growing year-round, fertilizer should be applied, but in lower concentrations. If the plant is newly acquired, it will already be stressed, making any fertilizers simply inappropriate.

Advice!

It's best not to replant flowers in winter. Root division and cuttings can cause the plant to die.

Reproduction and diseases

Except in emergency situations, it's best to refrain from propagation until spring. Pruning and pinching are considered contraindicated for all plants. Flowers tolerate these manipulations best in March and April.

During winter, houseplants may develop bacterial or fungal rot. For the latter, a drop in temperature is considered favorable. This allows pathogenic microflora to develop rapidly, increasing the risk of root rot. This problem is common in cacti and succulents, as well as in Euphorbiaceae and Asclepias. As a preventative measure, experts recommend moderate watering. Succulents should only be moistened once every 2-3 weeks. Lithops and cacti should not be watered in winter.

PestsAlready in the fall, various insects that thrive in dry indoor air become rapidly active. Mealybugs and mites pose a particular threat. The most effective products are Neoron and Aktara. During the cold season, flower pests become noticeable even to the inexperienced, as plants virtually stop growing while the insects continue to reproduce.

Artificial lightingThe optimal distance between the flower pot and a fluorescent lamp is 20 cm. Standard incandescent lamps are simply insufficient. Artificial lighting is not essential for growing cacti and succulents. However, for tropical herbaceous plants, this type of care is essential.

Winter garden outside

Such flowerbeds are often called beds of beautifully dying plants. Many garden plants, after entering a dormant stage, can surprise with unusual "dried" arrangements. They are versatile and multifaceted, as each season has its own surprises. These plants possess a subtle yet inimitable beauty.

Planting ornamental or coniferous shrubs in winter flowerbeds allows you to create unusual "skeletal" accents in your garden's design. But herbaceous perennials always attract the most attention. Depending on which plant characteristics are emphasized, All winter flowerbed representatives are divided into several categories: