The two essential requirements are that you choose the annuals most successful for moving inside and that you have a sunny window with southern exposure. Remember, our annual geraniums are perennials in the tropics; so a sunny window is critical. Don’t forget; you may have a sunny window downstairs in your cellar. Annuals that do well indoors during the winter are limited to Coleus, Impatiens (including New Guinea), Nasturtium, Pansy Petunia, Verbena, Wax Begonia, Lantana, and Geraniums, with Coleus and Geraniums being the easiest. Gardening is about experimenting so try any annual you’d like. You don’t have to fret if they don’t survive; that was their fate come frost anyway.

The annuals listed below can make good houseplants. If they are in the ground, you can dig them up, re-pot them, (make sure you bring indoors before the frost), and place in a sunny window. You can bring in Geraniums and just cut them back; but for other annuals, such as Coleus, it’s better if you begin by taking stem cuttings from the plant. For stem cuttings; first, water your annual plant well a few hours before cutting, then cut a few stems about 2 inches long. Place cuttings in sand, vermiculite, or perlite. Keep plants moist, fertilize at ½ strength, transplant them to individual pots when roots are about two inches long, and put them in a window with southern exposure. Don’t let them dry out.

Here’s a short list of annuals that are easy to grow indoors:

• Alyssum – Dig up, re-pot, bring inside, and place in a sunny window.
• Nasturtium – Take stem cuttings and root in sand, vermiculite, or perlite.
• Pansy – Dig up and bring inside. Needs sun, yet a cool area of the house.
• Petunia – Dig up, re-pot, bring inside, and place in a sunny window, or try stem cuttings and root.
• Coleus – Take stem cuttings and root in sand, vermiculite, or perlite.
• Verbena – Dig up, re-pot, bring inside, and place in a sunny window.
• Wax begonia – Dig up, re-pot, bring inside, and place in a sunny window, or try stem cuttings and root.
• Geraniums – Dig up, re-pot, bring inside, cut it back half way, and place in a sunny window.
• Impatiens – Take stem cuttings and root them in sand, vermiculite, or perlite.
• Lantana – Dig up, repot, bring inside, and place in a sunny window.