Management of Vinca roseus during winter

Catharanthus roseus is a perennial herbaceous flower , also known as daily spring and four-season plum. It has a unique flower shape, bright colors, and a very long flowering period, making it very ornamental. Now that winter has arrived, how should we manage Catharanthus roseus over the winter? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Temperature control

Since vinca roseus cannot tolerate severe cold, warming measures are essential when caring for it in winter. It is recommended to move vinca indoors and control the temperature above 10℃. If the indoor temperature is still low, you can put on a plastic bag to keep it warm.

2. Increase lighting

Catharanthus roseus is a sun-loving plant that prefers an environment with plenty of light. Therefore, in winter, vinca should be placed in a place close to sunlight, such as a balcony or near a window, and it is best to give it more than 6-8 hours of light a day.

3. Watering tips

In winter, vinca roseus has less demand for water and fertilizer. Generally, it only needs to be watered once a week, and watering should be done at noon when the temperature is higher. In addition, when watering, you should also pay attention to the water temperature, which should be similar to the indoor temperature to avoid the water temperature being too low and affecting the growth of the root system.

4. Reduce fertilization

In winter, the growth of vinca slows down and its demand for fertilizer and water also decreases. Generally, a long-term base fertilizer can be applied before winter, and then some phosphorus and potassium fertilizers can be applied appropriately to ensure that vinca has sufficient nutrients to survive the winter.

5. Prune branches and leaves

In order to enable vinca to safely survive the winter, attention should be paid to pruning, cutting off diseased and weak branches, dead branches, overlapping branches, etc., so that nutrients are more concentrated on the growth of the plant, which is also conducive to a smooth wintering.

6. Ventilation to prevent diseases

Due to the high indoor humidity in winter, diseases are easily caused. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain good ventilation conditions. When it is warm at noon on sunny days, you can open the windows appropriately to ventilate in order to enhance air circulation and reduce the growth of germs. If necessary, some fungicides and insecticides can be used for prevention and treatment.

In general, vinca roseus is a plant that likes warmth and sunlight. It is not cold-resistant and needs special care and management in winter to survive the winter safely. Therefore, flower lovers must pay attention to the above wintering management points to ensure more vigorous flowering in the spring of the following year.