Plants to Bring Indoors for the Winter

There comes a time in every plant lover’s journey when your thoughts turn to…decay. Specifically, you consider turning your home into a plant sanctuary just to keep your outdoor leafy friends around for another season. After all, you’ve showered them with love (and water) and stood by as a proud plant parent to watch them bloom. Needless to say, it can be hard to let go. 

The good news is plant experts say it is reasonable to bring outdoor plants indoors for the winter, but you do have to be choosy about which ones. Annuals, for example, are genetically programmed to bloom and die in one growing season, says Julia Omelchenko, resident botany expert at Plantum, an app that identifies plants, rocks, and other objects found in nature. “If you bring a potted annual in for the winter, it’ll finish blooming, produce seeds, and then die, completing its lifecycle.”  

In other words, it’s a fruitless endeavor, and same goes for biennials, says Eric Preston, master gardener and landscaper at TeachMe.To, an educational website. “A biennial blooms up to two times or two years then dies. That’s it.”

Instead, you’ll want to focus on frost-sensitive perennials, “as they don’t handle frost well and are grown as annuals in moderate climates,” says Omelchenko. But, you’ll also want to consider a few other factors before hauling all your plants into your living room. Here are the best tips and advice from experts on which plants to bring indoors and how to best care for them. 

What to Consider When Bringing Plants Indoors

Where you live—and how cold your winters get—is a big factor in whether you should bring your plants indoors, and which plants will thrive. Obviously if you live in a place with year-round warm temps, your plants will be happy outside. But people who live in areas with moderate to severe winters will want to rehome their plants, says Omelchenko. “With temperatures often dropping below freezing, frost-sensitive plants won’t survive outside.” Check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which can help you determine which perennial plants will thrive in a particular location.  

If you live in one of those blustery climate zones, particularly zones three to eight, you’ll want to bring vulnerable plants inside ahead of the first frost. Once inside, you’ll want to mimic their outdoor habitat as much as possible. “South-facing windowsills are perfect for light-loving plants, as they get the most sunlight during the day,” says Omelchenko, but you’ll also want to be mindful of plants that prefer cooler and more shaded areas. 

Knowing these details about your plants will help them thrive in their new indoor digs, says Brandi Eide, senior director of facilities and strategic initiatives at San Diego Botanic Garden. If you aren’t sure, the Cornell Cooperative Extension office in your area can help. The national organization works with state and city governments to offer agricultural education to local communities. “It’s a tremendous asset and is staffed with local gardening experts familiar with your zone.”

6 Common Plants to Bring Inside for the Winter

Stumped about which plants in your backyard can make the transition? Experts say these are the most common plants that thrive with a change of scenery.

Herbs

The most manageable plants to bring inside for 80% of the U.S. are herbs, says Preston. That includes basil, rosemary, chives, and mint. If your herbs are already potted, you can bring the whole pot inside. If not, make sure to transplant the herbs into a pot large enough to accommodate the root system and additional soil, says Eide.

• Tips for transporting: When bringing your herbs inside, try not to drop them or shake them around too much, says Preston. 
• Care instructions: Most herbs need a good amount of bright light, ideally a South or West facing full-sun window. If that’s not possible, you may need to provide additional plant lighting, says Eide. In terms of watering, it’s best to do so every three to four days or when the top third of the soil is dry. 

Begonias, Geraniums, and Coleus

Potted annuals, such as begonias, geraniums, and coleus, typically do well indoors, says Donna Leitner, founder and CEO of Gardenuity, an online retailer that matches you with the best plants for your growing environment.

• Tips for transporting: “Be sure to gradually transition them to indoor conditions to avoid shock,” says Leitner. For example, you may start by bringing plants inside for several hours and increase the amount of time indoors day by day. And be sure to place them in sunny spots to mimic their outdoor environment, advises Leitner.
• Care instructions: Check for pests (like scale insects, spider mites, and aphids), treat any infestations, and then place plants near windows to maintain healthy growth. You’ll also want to keep them away from a direct heat source and make sure they have good airflow. For tuberous begonias, you’ll need to dig up the bulbs after the first frost and cut off the shoots, says Omelchenko. Then, place the plants on paper in a warm, dry spot. Once dry, you’ll need to store the bulbs in a paper bag or box in your garage or basement. 

Ferns 

Tropical plants, such as hibiscus and ferns, need warmth and humidity to thrive, so they typically do well indoors, says Leitner, who brings her own ferns inside if they’ve managed to survive the hot summer in Dallas, Texas.

• Tips for transporting: While there are no special instructions for moving ferns, Leitner says she always prunes her plants and refreshes their soil before bringing them indoors.
• Care instructions: Since ferns are moisture loving, you might consider adding a humidifier in the room, says Leitner, and remember to reduce your watering schedule. “Plants naturally need less hydration when they are indoors,” she says.

Potted Citrus Trees

Potted citrus trees, such as lemon, lime, and orange, are very sensitive to low temperatures. Not only can frost damage their fruit and flowers, but it can kill the entire tree, says Omelchenko. Bringing them indoors will help them maintain healthy growth. 

• Tips for transporting: You’ll want to check your citrus trees for pests and treat any infections before bringing them indoors. If your tree is quite large, use a cart or a saucer with wheels for safe transport.
• Care instructions: These trees need eight to 12 hours of direct sunlight daily, says Omelchenko, and they need a room with fairly warm temperatures (between 64–72°F during the day and slightly cooler at night.) You’ll want to water only when the topsoil is dry, and consider misting them or using a humidifier. 

Cacti and Succulents

These plants are known for surviving severe conditions, but they do have one weakness: frost. Bringing them inside will allow them to enter a dormancy period until temps warm up again.

• Tips for transporting: Be careful not to damage the cacti’s stems and needles, and use thick gloves or special tools, such as forceps, when dealing with prickly species to protect your hands, says Omelchenko. You’ll also want to check for scale insects or mealybugs before moving cacti and succulents indoors.
• Care instructions: These bad boys need a lot of sunlight, so it’s best to place them on a south-facing windowsill where they can get a few hours of direct sun daily. In winter, these plants go dormant and need very little watering. Let the soil dry by two-thirds or even completely between waterings. Beware: overwatering will cause root rot, which is the most common succulent problem, especially in winter. “These plants tolerate overdrying much better than moisture excess,” says Omelchenko.

Canna Lily

If you consider yourself a more experienced gardener, bringing in your canna lilies for the season is an option, but it might just require a bit more work. If you don’t, low temperatures will destroy the root system of these flowers, which means they won’t come back the next season. 

• Tips for transporting: After the first frost, cut the stems, leaving about an inch above the soil. Then, carefully dig up the rootstocks and remove excess soil without washing them. Leave the plants in a dry, cool, and well-ventilated place for a few days before storing them, says Omelchenko. (And make sure not to expose them to drafts.)
• Care instructions: Place the rootstocks in cardboard boxes, ensuring they don’t touch each other, and fill the containers with dry vermiculite, peat, or sand to prevent the plants from drying out. Examine the rootstocks from time to time and discard any rotten ones. Some cannas may not survive the winter,” says Omelchenko, “but when frosts end, you can replant the surviving rootstocks outdoors.”

Don’t Freak Out If Your Plants Suddenly Look a Bit Sad

If you notice your plants are browning or drooping after bringing them inside, don’t worry. Plants need to become acclimated to indoor conditions, says Omelchenko. “Sudden changes in light, temperature, and humidity can cause yellowing, leaf drop, and other signs of stress.”

You can help your plants acclimate to indoor conditions by bringing them inside for a few hours each day over a week or two, she says. Other than that, giving them the appropriate sunlight and water—and maybe a lullaby or two—is all it really takes to keep your flora around for another season.