7 Tips to Get #Free #Vinca #Flowers! #containergardening

We live in Zone 7, which gets very cold in the Winter. We would not expect for tropical plants to survive the Winter, and grow back in the Spring. However, we have perfected our method to encourage tropical plants to survive the cold Winter, and come back in the Spring!

We give the tiny Vinca seedlings a light sprinkling of organic fertilizer to give them a boost!

About 6 weeks later, we have healthy white and magenta Vinca blooming! We fertilized with organic fertilizer Espoma FT4 4-Pound Flower-tone 3-4-5 blossom booster Plant Food. We make sure the plants stay hydrated by watering every few days.

Here a 7 tips to get free Vinca every year:

1. After the first hard frost, when the temperature goes below 32 degrees, do not cut back the plant. Leaves and stems provide nutrients to the plant during the fall/winter months, so keep the dormant foliage throughout the fall/winter months.
2. In early spring, fertilize lightly with an organic fertilizer. Our favorite is Espoma FT4 4-Pound Flower-tone 3-4-5 blossom booster Plant Food.
3. Make sure the soil stays moist. To learn more about watering plants, click here.
4. Keep an eye on the pot/container. You are looking for the first sign of plant growth. You will notice tiny, oval-shaped leaves with a pointy end. The color of the tiny leaves will be dark green with veins. They can be mistaken for weeds, so don’t pull them until you are sure! Most likely, they are Vinca.
5. After you notice the plants growing, you can cut back or gently remove the dead foliage/stems.
6. Continue to fertilize lightly every few weeks. To learn more about fertilizing annuals, click here
7. As the plants grow, they will begin to look more like Vinca. Follow these tips year after year and you will never have to buy Vinca again!

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A photo posted by itsgardeningtime (@itsgardeningtime) on Jul 22, 2016 at 5:36pm PDT

For beginner gardeners, Vinca is a good choice because they are easy to grow and maintain.

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A photo posted by itsgardeningtime (@itsgardeningtime) on Aug 21, 2016 at 8:20am PDT

To learn 3 Reasons to Grow Vinca, click here. Check your local Home Depot, Lowe’s, online Burpee Gardening, or eBay for their selection of Vinca! To see more low-maintenance plants, watch our Low-Maintenance Gardening Playlist! To learn how to plant, fertilize and prune your way to a gorgeous garden, subscribe to our YouTube channel!