Guide details how to overwinter balcony perennials including pelargoniums and sundavillas

Many common balcony species, such as pelargoniums, sundavillas, coleus, and fuchsias, are perennial plants capable of surviving winter when moved indoors. Plants kept outside require shelter before cold weather sets in. While pelargoniums can tolerate light frost, growers should bring them indoors when temperatures drop to 5–8 degrees Celsius. Sensitive varieties like impatiens cannot tolerate temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius and require earlier relocation. Balcony flowers grown directly in garden ground, including fuchsias and impatiens, can also be dug up and repotted with their original soil during autumn.

For large plants facing limited storage space, gardeners can cut shoots back by one-third or one-half before moving them inside. Alternatively, growers can take 8–10 centimetre shoot cuttings from green tips in the autumn. After removing lower leaves, cuttings root in water within two to three weeks before planting into small pots kept on a windowsill. Cuttings of certain species, such as pelargoniums, can be planted directly into potting soil. Overwintering plants also require less frequent watering than during the summer growing season, with cooler temperatures calling for reduced moisture.