interrogation : Can you grow citronella plants indoors ? I ’ve been observe some in my outdoor garden , but I ’d care to try evoke one as a houseplant . — Paul C.
ANSWER : Yes , citronella plants do quite well indoors . We ’ve catch everything you require to know about maintain a citronella works as a houseplant . Ready to find out how to prove citronella plants indoors ? Let ’s get protrude .
More than one industrial plant out there has the moniker of “ citronella plant , ” so let ’s take a moment to clear up up any disarray about the two different plants . This article is about the citronella geranium , Pelargonium citrosum . The entropy in this article does not hold to citronella grass plant , Cymbopogon nardus . If you ’d like to learn more about the two unlike citronella plant , you’re able to check out our articleCitronella Plant Vs . Citronella Grass .
grow citronella plants indoors is the best way to relish them year - round and keep them as part of your assembling for years to fare . Citronella plants are not frost hardy , so in most zones where they are kept alfresco , they are grown as an yearly . ( Citronella plant can only be kept outdoors year - rhythm in specific zones 9 through 11 . ) That means most gardeners will need to either raise their citronella plants indoors or bring them inside in the wintertime months if they require to enjoy their citronella plant life on a long - term basis .
When you brush the leaves of the citronella plant with your fingers , the industrial plant emits a citrusy odour , citronella rock oil , that is a natural product get it on for drive annoying mosquitoes . However , gardeners do n’t only enjoy these plants for their scent and their use as natural mosquito repellents . Citronella plant are also beautiful a flower seam , with lacy leaves and pretty blossoms tint with pink , purple , or red . The bloom even make an unexpected improver to cut flower arrangements .
How to Plant Citronella Plants Indoors
First , you ’ll need to prefer a container that ’s the right sizing for your citronella works . The container should be at least twice the breadth of the plant ’s beginning system . As a rule , as a in effect start point you should use a great pot that ’s at least 12 inches wide-eyed by 12 inches bass .
It ’s important that your citronella plants are provided with ground that drains well . For undecomposed resolution , the containers you grow your citronella plants in must have drain holes in the bottom . MacGyver solution like divulge pottery or rocks in the bottom of the container are not an in effect way of help with drainage , so the holes are important . apply a loose , rich soil or potting mix .
If you ’re found citronella outdoors but you make out your citronella plant life are destined to move indoors at some point , you may like to turn over planting your citronella plants in container . That way , once it ’s time to move them indoors , you just clean up the great deal and move it to its new location . You wo n’t require to fuss with digging up plants or finding container to move them into .
When to Move Outdoor Citronella Plants Inside
If you ’ve been growing your citronella plants alfresco , unless you ’re in zones 9 through 11 , you ’ll need to bring them indoors if you want them to last the wintertime . But how do you know when to bring your citronella plants in spite of appearance ? Just keep track of the temperature . Citronella plants thrive when the temperature is between 59 and 69 degrees Fahrenheit ( 15 to 20.6 degrees Celsius ) . That means once the temperature start out to dunk below the 59 - level sign , it ’s time to move your citronella plants indoors for the wintertime . you could bring them outdoors again in former spring , when the cold weather condition flip .
However , you do n’t need to jerk your citronella plants from the opulence and temperate mood of indoor living to the cracking out-of-doors , with its beating sun and harsh malarky . You ’ll require to usehardening off — a process that gets plant life step by step reacquainted with being out of doors so that problem like sunscald are head off .
lead off by introducing a few minute in a protected spot , like a patio or a stead tucked under an awning or between building . Then you could move the plants to a more peril field . Each day , leave the citronella plants out of doors for a lilliputian longer , like an hour or two , until they ’re spending the whole day outdoors . Then they ’re quick to be left out of doors all day long .
How to Propagate Indoor Citronella Plants
It ’s gentle to take new cuttings from an outdoor citronella flora using the layering proficiency to bring indoors for a container garden .
start up by preparing a container just as you would for growing citronella plants indoors . Place your container next to the outdoor citronella plant .
lightly flex a long shank from the outside citronella plant over to the nearby container , being careful not to break down the stem . entomb the theme , attain indisputable to get a node ( where a folio is grow ) underground . you’re able to use a rock or a landscape painting staple if you want it to keep the stem in place .
The leaf node that is presently producing the leaf is where the roots of the raw citronella plant will grow . Leave the tip of the stem that is still produce above the surface of the dirt . It ’s important to have evenly dampish soil .
It will take a few week for the new plants to put down roots in the container . ( So you ’ll want to start this process at least a few calendar week before the first forecasted Robert Frost in your area . ) Once the bury stems have put down roots , you may cut them from the outdoor plant and move the new spread citronella works indoors .
