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Homes & Gardens has published a four-step guide to keeping citronella plants through winter in frost-prone climates: bring them indoors as nights cool, prune them, provide bright light and water sparingly. The plant is hardy outdoors only in USDA zones 9–11, and its reputation for repelling mosquitoes is not proven.
Homes & Gardens has published a four-step guide for overwintering citronella plants indoors in climates where frost threatens them. It recommends bringing plants inside as nighttime temperatures fall, cutting them back, giving them bright light and reducing watering—advice that can help gardeners keep the tender plants for another growing season instead of replacing them each year.
The guide identifies citronella as Pelargonium citrosum, a scented-leaf pelargonium with foliage that releases a citrus-like fragrance when brushed or crushed. The plant is hardy outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9–11; gardeners in colder areas can treat it as an annual or move it indoors for winter. Plants growing in beds must be dug up and transferred to containers, while potted plants can be moved directly.
For the first step, the publication advises bringing plants inside when night temperatures approach 45°F, and before frost. A bright, cool, frost-free location is recommended, ideally held at about 45°F to 50°F. The guide suggests pruning stems by up to half with clean, sharp shears, cutting just above a leaf node, and checking for pests before the plant joins other indoor greenery.
Citronella needs a bright position, with at least six hours of light daily as the guide’s target. A grow light can supplement natural light if needed. Water less frequently indoors: the source says watering may be needed every two to four weeks, but advises checking the soil and waiting until it dries before watering again. The supplied source text ends during its watering section, so it does not include any additional instructions beyond those details.
Keeping Tender Plants Through Frost
The guidance offers gardeners in colder regions a way to preserve plants that would otherwise be damaged by frost. Overwintering can reduce the need to buy replacements each spring and allow a plant grown in a summer pot or garden bed to return the following season. The approach requires a suitable indoor spot and attention to light, temperature and moisture rather than simply moving the plant into any warm room.
The source also qualifies a common selling point: citronella’s citrus scent is thought by some to deter mosquitoes, but that effect has not been proven. Its fragrance, foliage and delicate pink flowers remain reasons to grow it, but the article does not establish it as a reliable mosquito-control measure.
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Citronella’s Cold-Weather Limits
Citronella is described in the source as a tender pelargonium, not a frost-hardy outdoor perennial in most climates. In zones 9–11 it may survive outdoors, with mulch suggested to protect roots; elsewhere, frost can severely damage or kill it. The article says extended exposure below 45°F can lead to wilting and yellowing leaves, making local night-time forecasts relevant to the timing of the move indoors.
Once inside, the plant should not be placed near radiators, air ducts or heating vents, according to the guide, because those locations can have fluctuating temperatures. The source also warns that citronella is toxic to people and pets, so indoor plants should be kept out of their reach.
“The scent is thought to deter mosquitoes, but that has never been proven.”
— Homes & Gardens guide
Mosquito Claims and Local Conditions
The source does not provide evidence that citronella plants repel mosquitoes; it explicitly says the effect has not been proven. Its winter-care advice gives temperature and light targets, but individual indoor conditions vary, and the source does not specify how often every plant will need water. The two-to-four-week interval is an estimate, not a fixed schedule. The supplied material also cuts off before the full end of the watering section, leaving any further recommendations unavailable.
Watch Forecasts Before Frost
Gardeners preparing plants for winter should monitor local night-time forecasts and move citronella indoors before frost, following the source’s 45°F trigger. After the move, they can prune, inspect for pests, choose a bright frost-free location and check soil dryness before watering. The guide does not announce a later update or provide a follow-up date; the next practical milestone is the arrival of colder autumn nights in each gardener’s area.
Key Questions
When should I bring a citronella plant indoors?
The Homes & Gardens guide advises moving it inside when nighttime temperatures begin falling to about 45°F, before frost. It says prolonged exposure below that temperature can cause wilting and yellowing, while frost may severely damage or kill the plant.
Can citronella stay outside over winter?
The source says citronella is hardy outdoors in USDA zones 9–11, where mulch may protect the roots. In colder climates, it recommends treating the plant as an annual or bringing it indoors for winter.
How much should I water citronella indoors?
Water less often during winter and let the soil dry before watering again. The guide says this may mean watering every two to four weeks, but that is an estimate rather than a universal schedule.
Does citronella plant fragrance keep mosquitoes away?
The source says the scent is thought to deter mosquitoes, but this has not been proven. It describes the plant’s citrus-like fragrance as a reason people grow it, not as confirmed mosquito protection.
Is citronella safe to keep indoors around pets?
The guide warns that citronella is toxic to humans and pets. It advises keeping indoor plants well out of reach of household animals.
Source: homesandgardens.com
