Gardening season in Nebraska doesn’t have to end in the fall

How to Overwinter Your Favorite Annuals

The season is coming to a close, but there’s no need to say goodbye to the annuals that performed well this year. Now is the time to start preparing cuttings for harvest and transport indoors.

Scott Evans of the Nebraska Extension in Douglas-Sarpy counties shows you how to save your favorite plants:

1. To prepare annuals, remove 3 to 5 inches of the plant stem. Cuttings should be free of insects and diseases.

2. Remove all leaves from the lower half of the stem.

3. Decide whether you want to root the plants in water or potting soil or both.

4. If you are rooting your plants in potting soil, use a fresh mix with no additives. We don’t want any water-absorbing polymers or fertilizers in the mix.

5. Prepare supplies: a seedling tray, a large dome, clean 4-inch pots, and fresh potting soil.

6. Pre-fill the pots with potting soil and water to moisten the soil.

7. Take cuttings, dip them in rooting powder and plant them in soil. Use a magic marker to make pre-formed holes for the cuttings.

8. Once the cuttings are finished, place them in a seedling tray and place the dome on top.

9. Place the tray in a bright window or under grow lights.

10. Check the soil regularly and water if necessary. Remove the dome once the cuttings have rooted.

Annual plants that are good for cuttings

Coleus: There are a range of leaf colors and textures. Take 3- to 5-inch cuttings from the tips of the plants. Leaf color will fade indoors and under grow lights. These plants root easily in water or potting soil. Beware of spider mites and mealybugs.

Waxy Begonia: Take cuttings as you would coleus, but shorten the stems to 3 inches (7.6 cm). Wax begonias may struggle indoors during the darkest parts of winter, but will recover as spring approaches.

Sweet potato vine: Take cuttings from the active parts of the plant. These plants can easily root in water or soil.

Geraniums: These semi-woody plants can actually be dug up, roots included, and stored in a brown paper bag in a frost-free location. Cuttings can be difficult to root in water and do best in soil with the help of a rooting powder. The green tips root better than stems that have been woody.

Fuchsia: This cascading annual roots well in water. Take several cuttings from the plant and root them in water. Once the cuttings are rooted, they can be separated and transplanted into individual containers.

Herbs: Basil, mint, sage, and many other plants can be rooted in water or soil. Take several cuttings and try both methods to see which works best. Herbs appreciate bright, intense light once they are rooted, and additional grow lights will be needed to keep the plants healthy.