Most perennial plants go into a state of dormancy, or winter rest, as a result of the cold temperatures and shorter daylight hours of winter. These sleeping plants lose their stems and leaves and are dormant, not dead! They will re-grow from their roots with the arrival of spring.
Importantly, perennials use winter dormancy to keep everything in order.
There are many external factors that let perennial plants (that survive from year to year) know when the dormancy period is at hand. Some of the environmental changes that trigger dormancy include changes in the length of the days, changes in temperature and periods of drought.
Perennial Flowers: Most perennial plants do not suffer frost damage and do not need to be covered. Frost sensitive perennials include Hostas and Bleeding Hearts. They should be covered to protect their foliage and flowers. Cover any blooming or budded up perennials.
Keep the base of plants free of dead leaves and debris particularly before frost. Keep watering until the ground freezes. This is the most important factor for how plants weather the winter. Apply a layer of mulch or mulched leaves in late fall.
In most cases, plants don't go dormant. They just try their best to conserve their energy. This can mean no new growth at all – they're just trying to preserve what they already have. But sometimes get winter growth, and it can be a little sad.
Dormant plants need less frequent watering than those in active growth. (If planting in a low desert region, a watering once every 2 weeks may be needed if day temperatures are hot.) Check under the mulch. If the soil feels dry, then water lightly.
The typical traits going into dormancy include wilting, dropping leaves, and even looking utterly dead for some plants. For others, it may just mean not putting out any new growth over the winter. Dormancy can be caused by seasonal changes or environmental stress.
Many factors influence the reliable return or the final farewell of perennials, depending on each plant's ability to withstand overly harsh conditions such as draught (Yes, draught happens in winter just as it does in summer.), insect infestation, late heavy frost, consistently below-normal temperatures for a lengthy ...
Perennials. Perennial plants are those with a lifespan that lasts at least three years, though they can live significantly longer as well. Perennial foliage may die back during the winter months but will regrow from dormant roots the next season.
At any time during the warm season it is okay to cut back dead or ugly foliage. When winter has arrived, and your perennials have either died back or stopped growing, you can remove all dead foliage. Then apply an inch or two of compost or mulch around plants. Leaves work great for mulch as well.
Mulching perennial plants offers many benefits. A well-decomposed compost applied as a mulch will provide much-needed plant nutrients, possibly eliminating the need to feed the plants. Mulch is used to moderate soil temperatures, help retain soil moisture, and suppress weeds.
Store Your Perennials Indoors
An unheated garage, shed, or basement with a temperature range between 30 and 40 degrees can provide a perfect environment for overwintering perennials. Dormant plants should be brought inside and watered periodically whenever the temperature is above 40 degrees.
I once had a house with an attached unheated garage that worked well. In another house I used a minimally heated outbuilding, and now I have a basement. Light is not a factor for dormant plants, though weak winter light won't hurt them.
Applying fertilizer in the wrong season can cause increased tender new growth that can be damaged, especially if applied in cold weather in late fall or in winter. So it is best to stop fertilizing during dormant seasons. Additionally, in zones that can be in danger of a late freeze, it's best to wait until mid-spring.
ANSWER: You should not fertilize plants that would normally go dormant here during the winter. This includes all hardy trees, shrubs, ground covers, lawns and most perennials. Plants that are expected to grow during the winter, however, may be fertilized now.
Simply put, plants go into dormancy because during the winter there is too little natural light to support active growth. You can avoid this by using grow lights, but that is not recommended. Plants really do need a time of rest. Most plants shut down for winter, as if to say, “we're closed”.
According to Costa Farms horticulturist, Justin Hancock, there are some misperceptions about winter dormancy and houseplants. “Houseplants don't actually go dormant like a lot of people think,” he says. They do, however, react to the climatic changes in your home. Your home is dryer in the winter.
Chilling and endo-dormancy normally prevent plants from beginning growth during warm spells in the middle of the winter. Not all hours above freezing are equal. Temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit (5 to 10 degrees Celsius) are most effective.
Also, do not cut back hardy perennials like garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), and Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum). Leave the foliage. It's important to protect the root crowns over winter.
It's common to think that everything should be chopped down to the ground in the fall, but some perennials actually need their foliage to protect new shoots through the winter. Other varieties offer up important habitat for local wildlife and some perennials provide height and interest through the winter months.
2. Perennials and shrubs that are in your zone or one colder can be overwintered in an unheated garage, buried in the ground, or transplanted. 3. Perennials and shrubs in containers will need water through the winter but should not be kept wet.