The Big Mistake You're Making When Overwintering Plants

In the U.S., homeowners spend on average just over $500 annually on their gardens, according to Raleigh Realty. When you're shelling out half a G for gardening goods per year, you'll want to protect your investment any way you can. If you've sunk money into plants that need to be overwintered before the temperatures start dropping, you can see them through to another growing season or more by bringing them indoors.

During an exclusive interview with House Digest, Garden Editor and in-house Master Gardener, Tiffany Selvey shared, "for those who want to grow perennials that won't survive the winter in their hardiness zone, planting them in containers can be a great idea. You just need an area like an unheated garage or basement that stays above freezing but below about 50 degrees Fahrenheit so the plant will go dormant during this season."

Once you've moved your potted perennials to the ideal place for safe hibernation, your job isn't over. Just because they're taking a long winter's nap doesn't mean they don't still have needs in order to survive until spring. Selvey reminds us that even though your plants are sleeping, they're still going to be thirsty throughout their dormancy, so don't make the mistake of forgetting to water them.

When you're overwintering your potted plants indoors, you're replicating outdoor winter conditions in an USDA zone where the plant would survive naturally. "Keeping the plant dormant indoors over the winter means it won't need extra sunlight or nutrients to stay alive, it just needs to be kept safe from freezing temperatures," Selvey explains during her exclusive interview with House Digest.

During this time, the plant isn't working hard to create new growth, or even to maintain any foliage at all. Because of this, extra sunlight and feeding isn't necessary. The leaves and stems of perennials die back as they go into sleep mode, which can make it hard to know if your plant is dead or just dormant. When a plant doesn't have to maintain foliage, it's able to conserve energy just for the roots. Checking the condition of the roots can confirm that your plant is dormant, not dying — if they are light in color, flexible, and generally look healthy, you'll know your plant is just taking a break.

When your perennials spend the winter in spots we don't typically visit during the cold months, they risk falling off our radar. "One of the biggest mistakes you can make during this time, however, is forgetting to water your plants," Selvey warns in her exclusive interview with House Digest.

Before putting your plants to bed, make doubly sure that their pots have good drainage. "While you never want the plant soil to stay soggy, it should be consistently moist, so water any time it's dry 1 inch below the surface. This could be as infrequently as once a month since there's not hot weather causing evaporation." She cautions us that to be safe, you should monitor your plant once a week or so. Setting a weekly reminder on your phone's calendar is a smart way to ensure that your plants get the moisture they need. Adding an inch or 2 of mulch around the base of the plant can help the soil maintain moisture during this rest period, as well.