Overwintering

Unless you live in an ultra-mild tropical or coastal climate, you probably have at least a few favorite plants that don’t make it through the winter.  It’s worth it to dig these up and re-plant them in the spring.  In fact, you may end up with bigger, healthier plants if you do.

First, trim back any dead or diseased foliage and get the plant down to a manageable size.

If you can, give it a week or two to recover from its haircut, and then dig out as much of the root ball as possible.

Place the roots into a clean plastic or clay pot, and fill with Happy Frog Potting Soil. Water well.

Remember that you may not need to bring the plants indoors.  It might be enough to move them to a sheltered area near the house that isn’t as affected by frost, and keep burlap or floating row covers nearby to wrap them up on especially cold nights.

If you do bring them indoors, make sure that they have a good light source, and don’t worry if they drop some leaves. Most plants will go through an adjustment period as they get used to the climate inside your house.

In spring, give the plants some time to adjust before you replant them.  Set the pots out during the day, and bring them back in at night for a week or so. Then plant them carefully, trying not to disturb the root ball, and feed with a gentle organic fertilizer like Big Bloom Liquid Plant Food.  It’s especially good for helping stressed plants adapt to new conditions.