The gentian tree, also known as gentian bush or potato tree, is a popular ornamental plant outdoors and in your own four walls due to its violet and deep blue flowers from April to October. The shrub is a nightshade plant that is not very easy to care for and is sensitive. Overwintering is particularly important for Solanum rantonnetii, as it is not hardy and cannot survive the cold season without the right protection.
preparation
Before you overwinter the gentian tree, you have to pay attention to a variety of factors, as you cannot just put the plant indoors. The type of attitude is particularly important when the shrub is overwintered. That means, did you plant the plant in the garden together with the pot or is it in the bucket all year round, for example on the balcony? Or did you even come up with the idea of planting the shrub in the bed without a planter? You should note the following points:
type of attitude
Bucket attitude
This type of attitude proves to be ideal for overwintering Solanum rantonnetii. Since you have to put the plant in a sheltered place over the winter, you can easily move the bucket and do not have to do any more work beforehand.
Keeping outdoors in buckets
It is recommended that you only plant gentian trees in tubs in the ground if you want to place the shrub in a bed. Since you have to move the plant for the winter as described above, it is necessary to get the pot out of the ground beforehand. For this reason, you should choose a bucket that has a rim that is easy to grasp. This makes it easier for you to get it out of the ground.
Kept outdoors without a bucket
If you have decided on this form of husbandry, you must replant the crop before winter pot. This is necessary because the plant itself dies with winter protection because the roots simply freeze through. For the substrate you will need:
- garden or bucket soil
- should be of high quality
- fresh
- already pre-fertilized
- Mix in compost (rotted).
- Optionally incorporate coconut fibers
Now you have to carefully dig the gentian tree out of the ground so as not to damage the roots. This can take a while as the plant sprouts quite quickly. Then put the plant in the fresh substrate and it is already potted for the winter. After the winter you can put the plant back in the ground if it is not too much work for you. Remember to pot plants before the first frost or they will inevitably die.
To cut
Pruning the gentian tree before wintering is another point to think about. There is no need to prune in the fall unless you forget to prune before new growth comes in the spring. The problem: cutting before winter means there will be weaker flowering in the following year and should therefore only be carried out if the gentian tree is growing too sprawling. Prune the plant carefully with a pair of sharp pruning shears. However, leave as much length as possible so that the gentian tree does not suffer too much from the cut. Other preparations are not required.
tip: don't worry if you are looking for a potato tree on the market and it is offered under the botanical name Lycianthes rantonnetii. This term is a synonym of Solanum rantonnetii, as the species used to belong to the nightshade (bot. Solanum) and not to the Lycianthes as it is today, which means that you do not have to specially adapt the wintering period.
Overwintering the gentian tree: instructions
Now that you've taken care of the preparations for overwintering the gentian tree, it's time to get your specimen through the winter. Follow these instructions:
time
The best time for overwintering Lycianthes rantonnetii is from one constant outside temperature of 10 °C. From this point on, the nights in particular will be too cold and the potato tree will quickly suffer from the cool temperatures. If the thermometer shows only 10 °C, place the shrub in a suitable room in your house. This is definitely necessary when it is only 7 °C, as these temperatures are already close to freezing. The winter quarters should be as follows:
- Temperature: 7°C - 10°C
- must never fall below 7 °C
- protected from drafts
- but must be able to be ventilated
- Light requirement: bright
Staircases, conservatories that are not too warm, hallways with lots of light and even basement rooms are well suited as locations over the winter. These should then have windows.
light requirement
The light requirement of the plant in particular should not be underestimated. Although it is possible to overwinter the gentian tree in a dark room, this has a negative effect on the flowering. If it is too dark, the plant loses its leaves and has to sprout them in the new year before flowering, which means that the flowering period begins later.
Fertilize
Solanum rantonnetii is not fertilized over the winter. During the cold season, the nightshade plant goes into a hibernation and doesn't drive any further. Therefore, no additional nutrients are needed.
pour
The plant continues to be watered over the winter, only in smaller quantities. Make sure that the substrate is always slightly moist and the root ball never dry out. When watering, be careful no chalky water to use. Better suited:
- filter water
- stale tap water
- rainwater
The water is allowed when pouring never cold being. Therefore, you should always leave it at room temperature for a while to increase the temperature.
airing
Periodically ventilate the site. This prevents infestation by pests caused by bad air and prolonged drought. Above all spider mites are targeting the plant. But other insects also like to feast on the gentian tree:
- aphids
- Whiteflies (whitefly)
For this reason, you should check the plant for pest infestation as often as possible. In the early stages, it is possible to fight them with classic home remedies without any problems.
winter out
As soon as your specimen has survived the winter, you can definitely put it out again in May after the ice saints. Just make sure it's overnight no frost there is more and the gentian tree can enjoy the fresh outside air again.
tip: if you live in the mild wine-growing regions of Central Europe and Germany such as the Palatinate, on the Moselle or in Baden, you can easily leave the gentian bush in the pot directly in the bed. However, you should wrap the plant with a garden fleece and distribute a layer of straw and brushwood so that it receives appropriate winter protection.