Bring tender plants in once nights dip below 50°F. Aim to move them a week before the first frost, so they’ve time to adjust. Inspect each plant for pests before it comes inside. Wash the leaves or use insecticidal soap, since aphids and mites spread fast indoors. Then pot them in a loose, well-draining mix. Water thoroughly, then cut back and skip fertilizer, since cold, wet soil can rot roots. Keep going to find care tips for each plant.
Key Takeaways
- Move tender plants indoors at least a week before the first frost, once nights regularly drop below 10°C (50°F).
- Plants worth rescuing include geraniums, plumeria, fuchsia, begonias, coleus, elephant ears, succulents, aloe, mosaic vase plant, and herbs like rosemary.
- Wash leaves or use insecticidal soap or rubbing alcohol to remove aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites before bringing plants inside.
- Repot in well-draining mix with 1–2 inches around the rootball, then water thoroughly and reduce watering through winter.
- Place plants in the brightest spot, such as a south or west window, away from cold glass, and add grow lights if needed.
Bring Tender Plants Indoors Before First Frost
Don’t wait for frost to catch your tender plants off guard. You’ll want to bring indoors any plant that can’t survive freezing nights.
Start when nights regularly drop below 10°C (50°F), or sooner if your forecast shows frost risk. Move them well ahead of the first frost to avoid stress.
Pot or lift each plant with one to two inches of clearance around the rootball, then water it thoroughly.
If you’re potting up tender plants, a loose mix of compost, peat, and perlite or vermiculite gives the roots the aeration and moisture retention they need while they adjust indoors.
Let them rest outdoors for a few days. This pause reverses hardening-off, so your plants adjust without a shock.
Keep them well away from cold window glass and hot radiators.
Take Coleus Cuttings Before Frost Hits
Coleus is one of the easiest plants to save, and cuttings are the simplest way to do it.
You should take cuttings a week or two before your first frost. Snip 3–4 inch stem tips just below a node, and remove the lower leaves so they don’t rot in water.
Place them in water or moist soilless mix.
Keep them in bright, indirect light at 65–75°F, and roots should reach about 1 inch within one to three weeks.
Then pot each cutting in a 3–4 inch container. Water lightly, and move them indoors before nights regularly drop below 50°F.
If you also grow begonias, you can propagate them too, since stem cuttings work well for many trailing and fibrous-rooted varieties, while tuberous types respond better to tuber division.
Dig Up Elephant Ears and Pot Them Indoors
Elephant ears won’t survive a hard freeze, so dig them up before the cold arrives. Wait until the leaves yellow and nights stay below 50°F. Lift each tuber with a fork, and keep as much of the root system intact as you can. Trim away any soft, mushy spots so rot can’t spread.
Pot each tuber in well-draining mix, and set the top just below the surface. For container plantings, a blend of peat moss and perlite provides the drainage and light texture that tubers need. Cut back most of the top growth, since less foliage means less water loss. Even a year old tuber adapts well to a bright, warm spot indoors. Water lightly and avoid sogginess.
Let Plumeria Rest Indoors for Winter
Because plumeria can’t handle frost, you’ll want to bring them inside before nights regularly drop below 50°F (10°C).
Check each plant for pests first, and treat any you find so they don’t spread indoors.
Even plumeria that are years old can adjust to a trimmed rootball and snug pot.
Place them in a cool, bright room around 50–59°F (10–15°C).
Keep pots away from cold window glass and hot radiators, because sudden temperature swings stress the plant.
If you also grow angel trumpets, remember that container growing lets you move them indoors in winter, since most Brugmansia varieties need protection when temperatures fall below 40°F.
Water sparingly and let the soil dry almost between drinks to prevent root rot.
Stop fertilizing and let your plumeria rest until spring.
Move Geraniums Inside for Winter Blooms
Bring your geraniums inside before nights regularly drop below 10°C (50°F), and they’ll reward you with blooms all winter. Pot each plant in well-draining mix, leaving 1–2 inches around the rootball, and water it thoroughly afterward.
Choose your brightest spot, like a south or west window. Shorter days mean less light, so aim for six to eight hours of strong sun to keep flowers coming year-round. Trim leggy stems by one-third and pinch off spent blooms. Deadheading prolongs flowering with minimal effort, so make it a regular habit through the winter.
Water them less now, and skip fertilizer until spring. Let the top inch of soil dry between drinks, since soggy roots rot quickly.
Save Begonias Before Cold Sets In
Don’t let a surprise frost end your begonias’ season, because a little prep now keeps them going for years.
Every plant needs to come inside before nights regularly drop below 10°C (50°F), and that includes tubers.
Dig up tuberous begonias after the leaves die back.
Brush off the old soil, let the tubers dry for a few days, and store them somewhere cool, dry, and dark.
Aim for 4–10°C (40–50°F) all winter.
Move container and fibrous-rooted begonias inside before frost, and give them bright, indirect light.
Place them near a window where they get bright, indirect sunlight without harsh direct rays that can scorch the leaves.
Stop fertilizing, and water sparingly so the roots don’t rot.
Take backup cuttings.
Bring Hibiscus and Citrus Indoors Without Leaf Drop
Hibiscus and citrus love summer outdoors, but they’ll drop leaves fast if you move them inside too suddenly. Bring them in when nights regularly fall below 10°C (50°F). Aim for at least a week before the first expected frost, so the plants have time to adjust.
Reduce watering and keep them in a bright, sheltered spot outside for several days. Check leaves for aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites, then wash them to remove insects and dust. Treat any pests you find with insecticidal soap or by dabbing them with rubbing alcohol before the plants come inside.
Use your brightest south or east window, away from cold glass and radiators. Water less, skip feeding, and enjoy them for several years.
Keep Fuchsia Alive in a Cool, Bright Spot
Fuchsias often struggle indoors because they love cool air and strong light, and most homes offer neither in winter. Move yours inside before nights drop below 10°C (50°F).
Choose your brightest spot, ideally a cool room with indirect light, because weak winter sun makes stems stretch and turn leggy. Aim for daytime temperatures between 10 and 16°C (50–60°F) so your plant can rest.
Water less often. Let the top 1–2 cm of compost dry out first, since cold, wet soil rots roots. Excessively wet soil also increases the risk of mold and mildew and prevents proper nutrient absorption. Don’t feed it until spring.
Rest it well, just like last year, for fuller blooms next summer.
Keep Mosaic Vase Plant in Bright Light
Your mosaic vase plant (Aechmea fasciata) needs the brightest spot you can give it once it comes inside. Choose a south- or west-facing window that gets several hours of direct light.
Move it in when nights regularly fall below 10°C (50°F), so it can adjust before winter gets dim. Indoor light drops sharply in winter.
Set the pot close to the glass, but keep leaves from touching cold panes, since that can shock the plant. Rotate the pot every week or two. If daylight hours shrink further, grow lights during winter can supply the consistent light the plant needs.
A plant that looks ill probably needs more light, not more water. It’ll reward you for years.
Protect Succulents and Aloe From Winter Cold
Don’t let a cold night catch your succulents and aloe outside. Bring them indoors before nighttime temperatures drop below about 10°C (50°F), because frost can damage their soft leaves.
Choose a bright, cool spot and keep them away from cold windows. Aim for daytime temperatures around 18–21°C and nights between 10–15°C, so your plants stay comfortable and calm.
Cut back watering once your plants come inside for winter. Water only when the soil feels dry 2–3 cm down, since cold, wet soil can rot roots. Mixing horticultural lava pebbles or pumice into your potting soil improves drainage and helps prevent overwatering while the plants are indoors.
Give them strong light from a south- or west-facing window, and skip fertilizer until spring.
Keep Herbs Growing Indoors All Winter
Fresh herbs can keep growing on your windowsill all winter if you move them inside in time. Bring them in before nights regularly drop below 10°C (50°F), because cold stress makes leaves fall.
Cut leafy herbs back by two-thirds first, and leave woody ones like rosemary, bay, and oregano alone. Repot them in well-draining mix, leaving one to two inches around each rootball, and water thoroughly.
Give them your brightest spot, ideally five hours of direct sun. If light is limited, use grow lights for 14 hours a day. Water less and don’t feed them, so soil dries between waterings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Plant Before the First Frost?
You’ll want to pot your tender herbs and bring them indoors.
Basil, rosemary, bay laurel, sage, thyme, and oregano all need protection, especially if you live north of zones 8–10.
Choose herbs you cook with often, and rescue hard-to-replace plants like mature rosemary and bay first.
Give mint a wide, shallow pot, and give parsley a deeper one for its long roots.
Bright light and steady temperatures keep them thriving.
What Are 5 Plants That Grow Best in Warmer Temperatures?
Basil, sweet potato vine, lantana, hibiscus, and bougainvillea love warmth. Basil grows best between 68 and 86°F, and you’ll get the tastiest leaves when days stay above 70°F.
Sweet potato vine thrives in heat and humidity. Lantana blooms best around 75–90°F, but it stops flowering when nights regularly drop below 50°F.
Hibiscus prefers 70–85°F and drops buds in cold nights. Bougainvillea loves hot, dry weather, so don’t let it freeze.
Can Plants Survive One Night of Frost?
Yes, many plants can survive one frosty night. Hardy perennials and shrubs rated for your zone usually shrug it off, though newly planted ones suffer more.
Tender plants and succulents aren’t nearly as lucky. Temperatures below about 4°C can damage their cells for good, so you’ll want to move pots indoors when lows approach 10°C.
After frost, skip heavy watering and fertilizer, and wait to prune until new growth appears.
What to Put on Plants Before Bringing Indoors?
Spray your plants with insecticidal soap before you move them.
First, rinse the leaves with a gentle water spray, so you wash off insects and eggs hiding there.
If scale is severe, you can use a stronger product like BATS, and it works inside the plant.
Let everything dry completely before you carry it inside.
Don’t skip this step, because hitchhiking pests can quickly spread to your other houseplants.
