When to Bring in Your Container Plants There obviously is no hard and fast rule about when to relocate your container and tub plants to their winter quarters. The weather varies from year to year and from region to region. As a general rule all tropical plants should be taken in when the temperature sinks to 45 F. For most types of plants 32 F is an absolute minimum. Below this the water in the leaf cells freezes. The cells burst and leave behind black leaves and shoots, which never recover. Robust Mediterranean plants can easily tolerate a little frost before they are brought in. An overview of overwintering requirements of specific plants is provided in the chart below. To be prepared for a sudden temperature drop, clean up and prepare your overwintering areas early. Plants are unforgiving: Just one night of temperatures that are too low can be too much for exotic species such as bananas, coffee, or hibiscus. Make sure the overwintering area is as bright as possible, especially for evergreen species such as citrus, or palms. For these plants to have a winter rest period, temperature must be below 50 F. Better yet is a temperature slightly below 40 F. Examine plants carefully for pests and diseases before bringing them in. You should do your utmost to avoid introducing these pests into your winter quarters. Also remove any wilted or old leaves before bring your plants in because these can harbor pests or they can be the locus of bacterial and fungal infections. Make this job as easy on yourself as possible and treat your back with care. Enlist someone else’s help in carrying larger containers. On flat surfaces, carts and dollies ease the removal of plants. When you have to negotiate steps, you can slide plants down or push them up on boards. Optimal Overwintering Conditions for Container Plants Name Temp to Bring in Light Required Winter Temp. Agapanthus 32 F bright 40-65 F Agave (Agave americana) 25 F bright 25-65 F Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia) 37 F bright or dark 37-58 F Banana (Musa, Ensete) 45 F bright 50-65 F Bird of Paradise 37 F very bright 37-65 F (Strelitzia) Blue Potato Bush 37 F bright or dark 37-53 F (Lycianthes or Solanum) Bougainvillea 40 F bright 40-50 F Camelia 18 F bright 32-53 F Citrus 37 F very bright 37-53 F Daisy (shrub) 40 F very bright 40-53 F (Argyranthemum) Date Palm (Phoenix ) 40 F bright 40-65 F Fig (Ficus carica) 18 F bright or dark 40-50 F Fuchsia 37 F bright or dark 40-50 F Hibiscus 46 F bright 50-65 F Jasmine 37 F bright 37-53 F (Jasminum officianale) Oleander 32 F bright 37-53 F (Nerium oleander) Olive (Olea europaea) 22 F very bright 32-53 F Passionflower (blue) 22 F bright 32-58 F (P. caerulea) Plumbago 32 F bright or dark 48-53 F Pomegranate 37 F bright or dark 37-53 F (Punica granatum) Princess Flower 40 F very bright 40-60 F (Tibouchina urvilleana ) This article has been translated and adapted by Paula Szilard from one that appeared in the October 2005 issue of Mein Schoener Garten (pp. 68-69), Germany’s premier garden magazine.

When to Bring in Your Container Plants

There obviously is no hard and fast rule about when to relocate your container and tub plants to their winter quarters. The weather varies from year to year and from region to region.

As a general rule all tropical plants should be taken in when the temperature sinks to 45 F. For most types of plants 32 F is an absolute minimum. Below this the water in the leaf cells freezes. The cells burst and leave behind black leaves and shoots, which never recover. Robust Mediterranean plants can easily tolerate a little frost before they are brought in. An overview of overwintering requirements of specific plants is provided in the chart below. To be prepared for a sudden temperature drop, clean up and prepare your overwintering areas early. Plants are unforgiving: Just one night of temperatures that are too low can be too much for exotic species such as bananas, coffee, or hibiscus.

Make sure the overwintering area is as bright as possible, especially for evergreen species such as citrus, or palms. For these plants to have a winter rest period, temperature must be below 50 F. Better yet is a temperature slightly below 40 F.

Examine plants carefully for pests and diseases before bringing them in. You should do your utmost to avoid introducing these pests into your winter quarters. Also remove any wilted or old leaves before bring your plants in because these can harbor pests or they can be the locus of bacterial and fungal infections.

Make this job as easy on yourself as possible and treat your back with care. Enlist someone else’s help in carrying larger containers. On flat surfaces, carts and dollies ease the removal of plants. When you have to negotiate steps, you can slide plants down or push them up on boards.

Optimal Overwintering Conditions for Container Plants

Name Temp to Bring inLight RequiredWinter Temp.

Agapanthus 32 Fbright40-65 F

Agave (Agave americana) 25 Fbright25-65 F

Angel’s Trumpet

(Brugmansia) 37 Fbright or dark37-58 F

Banana (Musa, Ensete) 45 Fbright50-65 F

Bird of Paradise 37 Fvery bright37-65 F

(Strelitzia)

Blue Potato Bush 37 F bright or dark 37-53 F

(Lycianthes or Solanum)

Bougainvillea 40 Fbright40-50 F

Camelia 18 Fbright32-53 F

Citrus 37 Fvery bright37-53 F

Daisy (shrub) 40 F very bright40-53 F

(Argyranthemum)

Date Palm (Phoenix ) 40 Fbright40-65 F

Fig (Ficus carica) 18 Fbright or dark 40-50 F

Fuchsia 37 Fbright or dark 40-50 F

Hibiscus 46 Fbright50-65 F

Jasmine 37 Fbright37-53 F

(Jasminum officianale)

Oleander 32 Fbright37-53 F

(Nerium oleander)

Olive (Olea europaea) 22 Fvery bright32-53 F

Passionflower (blue) 22 Fbright32-58 F

(P. caerulea)

Plumbago 32 Fbright or dark 48-53 F

Pomegranate 37 Fbright or dark37-53 F

(Punica granatum)

Princess Flower 40 Fvery bright40-60 F

(Tibouchina urvilleana )

This article has been translated and adapted by Paula Szilard from one that appeared in the October 2005 issue of Mein Schoener Garten (pp. 68-69), Germany’s premier garden magazine.