It’s much easier to overwinter dormant plants rather than keeping them growing indoors. But the biggest challenge comes at the start of spring when you’re ready to wake them.
Bringing plants out of dormancy can be difficult and, if you don’t take the proper steps, they could end up dying on you.
In this post, I will give you my best tips to show you exactly how to wake up your dormant plants without damaging or killing them.
Why I Overwinter Dormant Plants
Our winters here in Minnesota are long and very cold. I have a large collection of plants that I overwinter inside the house every year. But keeping all of them thriving through these long freezing months can be a lot of work.
I am constantly fighting houseplant pest infestations. Not to mention watering all those plants during the long months can sometimes become quite the chore.
To make life a little easier for myself during the winter, there are a few types of plants that I let go dormant right in their pots. A few of my favorites are my brugmansia, plumeria, peppers and tuberous begonias.
During this rest period they require very little care, which makes keeping so much easier. And, since they drop all of their leaves, there’s no need to worry about bugs or weak and leggy growth.
I can simply store them in a dark room and water sparingly (if at all). Then in the spring I drag them out of the basement and start waking them up to help break their dormancy.
When To Bring A Plant Out Of Dormancy
It’s best to start triggering your plants to break dormancy about 2-3 months before it’s warm enough to move them back outside. This will give them plenty of time to wake up and prepare for life outdoors.
It’s not warm enough here in zone 4b until about mid-May, so I start the process sometime in late February or early March.
6 Tips For Bringing Plants Out Of Winter Dormancy
When you force plants to go into hibernation over the winter, it’s best to wake them up slowly in the spring.
If you try to force them too quickly, it can do more harm than good, and it could end up being fatal to them. Here are my tips for how to successfully bring a plant out of its dormant state.
1. Water It
The first thing you should do to trigger your plant that it’s time to wake up is to give it some water.
Give it a deep, soaking drink, and make sure all of the excess drains completely from the pot. You just want to moisten the soil, it should not be overly wet or soggy.
2. Give It Some Light
The second main trigger to break winter dormancy is light. So move your plant out of the dark and put it near a sunny window where it will get bright light.
Don’t give it direct sun yet though, because it may burn the stems or leaf buds, even if it’s indoors.
3. Repot It (Optional)
If your plant needs to be repotted, this is the perfect time to do it, and this will also help to break their dormancy faster.
Move it to a container that’s 1-2 sizes larger than the current one, and position it at the same depth as it was before.
4. Wait For New Growth
Once your plant starts to put on new growth, that means it has successfully broken its dormancy. Resume your regular watering routine, and give it a 1/4 or 1/2 strength dose of liquid fertilizer.
I recommend using a natural one, like compost tea or an organic general purpose fertilizer, as chemical brands can the roots.
5. Harden It Off
Wait until the nighttime temps are above 45°F before moving your plant back outside, and never put it directly into the full sun.
The new leaves won’t be strong enough to handle direct sunlight yet, and it could burn the stem and buds. Start by placing it in a shady spot where it is protected from the wind and rain.
Then, gradually move it to its full sun location over a few weeks, giving it plenty of time to get used to the intense rays.
6. Prune Weak Winter Growth
Any new leaves that grew during the winter will be weak and may burn off once you have moved the plant back to its full sun location – even after you harden it.
This is normal, so don’t panic. Simply prune off the weak or damaged foliage to encourage new, hardier leaves to grow.
More Posts About Overwintering Plants
- How To Overwinter Sweet Potato Vines Indoors
- How To Overwinter Coleus Plants Indoors
- Overwintering Tropical Plants Indoors
- How To Store Dahlia Bulbs For The Winter
- Dormant Cyclamen Care: When, What To Do, & How To Revive It
How do you wake up dormant plants in the spring? Share your tips in the comments below.
Kenneth E Paulsen says
my plant looks great after a period of dormancy.
how soon will blooms begin?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great to hear your plant has come out of dormancy and is growing well. The bloom time depends on the type of plant that you have.
Ginger Trigg says
How long before the mother plumeria starts putting out leaves where it was pruned?
Amy Andrychowicz says
It depends on the time of the year and the environment. During the active growing season, you should start seeing new leaves on your plumeria within a few weeks. If it’s just coming out of dormancy, then it might take a bit longer for the leaves to grow.
Collette says
Hello I live in Austin Tx. I got a Fuji apple tree last year in a pot. It’s about 4 feet tall. It was full of leafs then they all dropped and it went dormant. Winter passes and it still has not come out of dormancy. I only have 1 apple tree, could that be the issue? I plan on getting another. I just repotted the apple tree yesterday to check the roots and give fresh miracle grow soil. Roots look great. Stems are soft and not brittle. Tree is very alive. Just dormant. Should I just assume it won’t do anything this year and hope next year is different?
Amy Andrychowicz says
While you will need two trees for successful pollination and fruiting, that has nothing to do with dormancy. I would just give it a deep drink of water to moisten the soil, then put it somewhere with plenty of sunshine and warmth. If the tree is still alive, it will eventually break dormancy, sometimes they are just slow.
Janette Stevenson says
Hi there!
I left my new plumeria tree outdoors….covered with frost cloth…but no luck. The tree looks terrible!! Can I get some advice on what to do?? It’s 9b here…and it has gotten as low as 34 degrees for about 2-3 weeks. Plus lower than 40 for weeks as well.
The top branches are a little soft and the main trunk is okay….but not sure if this will survive.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Bummer, sorry to hear your plumeria is struggling during your cold snap. I would wait until the temperatures warm up to assess the damage. There’s not much you can do as long as it remains so cold outside. If the branches continue to soften after it warms up, then you’ll have to prune them off and keep only the firm, healthy growth. But again, wait until the cold weather is all gone before you do anything. Good luck!
Laura says
I think it’s time to repot my plumeria. It’s still dormant but should be waking up any minute! Any special repotting tips? My plumeria is not a big drinker, so I’m really afraid of overwatering it when I transplant it and having soil that doesn’t drain well. I do have a nice all-purpose soil that was recommended by a local exotic plant greenhouse, but I think I may still add some perlite to it.
Thank you for your super-helpful web site!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, repotting them while they’re still dormant is the best time. They need a well draining soil. Take a read through my detailed care guide to get all of your questions answered… How To Grow Plumeria Plants.
Nancy Klein says
Hi~
Our neighbors moved and gave us their plumeria plant about a month ago. It’s inside, (we live in Southern CA) and still had quite a few leaves. Over the last week, more and more leaves are turning yellow. We have barely been watering it. It’s almost the end of Feb., so is it going to have a dormant season now?
By the way, your information is super helpful! I’ve always been afraid of Plumerias, but having been gifted one, we don’t want to kill it.
Amy Andrychowicz says
As long as the stem and branches are firm and healthy, then I would say your plumeria is indeed going into dormancy. Enjoy your new plant! 🙂
Joseph says
Excellent info about plant Please subscribe Me to your newsletters
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great to hear you found this article helpful!
Di says
When is the best time to plant the sticks of plumerias I have 6 new ones from Hawaii
I have one coming out of Dormancy but it didn’t loose all the leaves I have 3
It is February 10 2019
Any help is great
Amy Andrychowicz says
Here are instructions for propagating plumeria cuttings. They don’t always drop all of their leaves during dormancy, it’s totally normal for them to keep some of the leaves during dormancy. Here’s a post I wrote with all the details about how to care for them… Plumeria Plant Care Guide
Olwyn Fleury says
I have a Plumeria that has never bloomed but has 7 or 8 leaves. It has taken me all summer to get it this point and I’d rather not have it go dormant. Some leaves are mottled due to the few coldish nights it spend on our screened in porch, but now I have it under a plant light in an east window, with a small humidifier nearby and a new leaf has opened. Is this how I should keep it growing over winter? Will this hurt it in the long run? Also how often do I water it over winter before it goes outside again in May? I live in Toronto Canada. Thanks so much!!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Winter dormancy is part of the normal lifecycle of plumerias. So, even if it doesn’t drop all of it’s leaves, it will still go into some state of dormancy. I have found that it’s much easier to work with the natural lifecycle of the plant. Dormancy doesn’t stop plumerias from flowering, so there’s no worries there. Here’s a detailed post that I wrote about how to grow and care for plumerias, which give all the details about how to grow plumerias, including dormancy and how to get them to flower, and tons more… Plumeria Plant Care Guide
June says
Hello Amy,
I have a problem with my Plumeria.
I bought it last August and it was full of leaves but no flowers.
The overwintering process went perfectly, and waking it up also gone as you’ve described, on March I brought it to light, on April it started to produce new leaves that grew up very slowly, and on June I put it in the sun behind a sunny window, I don’t have outdoor, and the watering and fertilising go regularly as well.
The problem now is the leaves are still not growing! They reach to one inch long, stay closed, and eventually they turn yellow and fall off.
It’s still producing new leaves, but I’m afraid the time is gone to see any big green things, and it will become dormant again soon.
What did go wrong?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh no, sorry to hear that your plant is struggling. I wonder if it has a bug problem. Spider mites are very common on plumeria leaves, and other pests sometimes can attack them too. Take a close look at the leaves and see if you spot any webbing or bugs. If bugs aren’t the issue, then make sure you’re not overwatering it. Take a look at my detailed plumeria plant care guide for more information and help with troubleshooting problems.
Shirley Mendez says
Hey I got some pivet shrubs shipped in dormant stage. I put them in potting soil & watered them. Got them in sun maybe half a day. Is that good or should I move them. How long should it be before I see life in them?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Humm, I’m not familiar with pivet shrubs, so I have no idea how long it will be before you can expect to see signs of life on your dormant shrubs. I would keep them out of the hot afternoon sun until they wake up and start to grow new foliage. Put them in a shady location, or a place that gets early morning and/or evening sun only. Good luck!
KATHY says
My plumerias are having trouble waking up this year. They have all sent up bloom stalks but no leaves. Looks kind of strange. Should I be worried?
Amy Andrychowicz says
No, you don’t need to be worried. Blooming plumerias it a good thing. 🙂 Sometimes they bloom before they grow leaves. The leaves will follow soon.
Joyce says
I’m still waiting for mine to come out of dormancy in July. It has leaves starting but won’t budge. I live in Az. This is a new plant, I started last summer.
Amy Andrychowicz says
What type of plant are you waiting on? It’s hard to know for sure without knowing what type of plant it is… but if it has leaves, then it’s alive so you could try potting it up, giving it fertilizer, and/or giving it more sun to help break it’s dormancy and trigger new growth.
Ash says
Awesome and Informative article. I have stored 5 Brugs in my cold dark cellar all winter long. Recently, when i pull them out I noticed two of them have wrinkled trunk and stem, where as rest are green and firm.
Not sure if the wrinkled brugs are dead ….what would you suggest ?
I am in Tornto,Canada(Zone 6b)
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks, glad you liked the article! I would still try to wake them up. Give your brugmansias a good drink of water and move them to a sunny spot. Don’t give up on them until all the others have started to grow leaves, and it’s clear they are goners. I hope they will wake up for you! 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
Hi Alison!
Great question! Don't worry, your brugmansias are fine. You don't have to force dormancy on them, you can keep them growing during the winter. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I only force mine to go dormant so I don't have to worry about caring for them all winter. Last fall, mine had aphids really bad and I didn't want to deal with them all winter. No leaves, no bugs. 🙂 Here’s a detailed post about the different ways you can overwinter brugmansia plants.
Alison says
Oh No! I have three brugs that have been sitting all winter in a south-facing window. Should I not have done that? They have been dropping a few leaves, but not all of them. I don't think they've gone dormant. They are pretty small, still just rooted cuttings that I got about a year ago. They grew hardly at all last summer, and when it got cold I brought them indoors.