As temperatures begin to dip, garden experts are advising homeowners to act swiftly to protect their delicate plants from potential winter damage.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has issued timely guidance on the ideal conditions for wintering a variety of popular plants, particularly those vulnerable to colder temperatures.
For those who rely on heated conservatories to keep their plants thriving, a few steps taken now can be the difference between lush, healthy growth come spring—or irreversible winter damage.
For plants like Begonia, Brugmansia, Colocasia, Gardenia, and Pelargonium, a heated conservatory can offer the warmth and light necessary for winter survival, with ideal daytime temperatures of 15-20ºC.
The RHS said it is important to maintain some heating overnight as well, ensuring temperatures don’t drop too drastically, which could shock and harm these tender species.
Plants such as Fuchsia and orchids, which also struggle in colder, dimly lit areas, benefit significantly from the steady warmth and light a conservatory offers during winter.
For plants that tolerate cooler conditions, an intermediate conservatory with daytime temperatures around 10ºC can provide a suitable winter environment.
This temperature range is recommended for Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Plectranthus, and Plumbago, while others such as Bougainvillea, Citrus, Clivia, Stephanotis, and Tibouchina can also thrive if watering is kept to a minimum.
The RHS advises keeping the environment around 5-7ºC for specific climbing plants, like Jasminum polyanthum, Rhodochiton atrosanguineus, and Sollya heterophylla, as well as for tender plants from the garden, including Echium, Salvia, and southern hemisphere species such as Callistemon and Grevillea.
More exotic plants, such as bananas, palms, and tree ferns, which are especially sensitive to frost, need even warmer environments to make it through the winter unscathed.
Agave, Echeveria, and bulb varieties like Freesia and Nerine sarniensis also need protection from frost but require dry conditions to thrive indoors.
More fragile plants should be moved indoors early in the autumn, before overnight temperatures consistently fall below 12-15ºC.
While the timing may vary by location—in southern England, it may not be necessary until November—keeping a close eye on local weather is key.
“When temperatures dip below 12-15ºC, it’s time to bring plants in,” the RHS advised, as even a brief frost exposure can cause damage.
