by Matt Gibson
Dormancy is your garden’s practice ofcontinuing to thrive during cold weather conditions by entering a state ofinactivity or minimal activity, saving its energy for a time when it can bebetter put to use. Even though it doesn’t look as though they’re thriving on asurface level, your perennial plants are basically hibernating and conservingenergy until more suitable weather conditions come back around, which is smart,and crucial to their survival and capability to regrow the following year.
Plants don’t just go into a dormant-like stateduring cold weather conditions, but can also enter dormancy during other timesof stress, such as extreme heat or drought. During such adverse weatherconditions, many plants, especially trees, enter a temporary dormancy, sheddingtheir leaves early to conserve the low levels of moisture that they have onhand in order to survive until conditions improve.
Why do plants go dormant in thewinter?
During dormancy, plants go inactive andconserve their energy until better weather conditions for plants presentthemselves. When this occurs, your dormant plants wake up and return tobusiness as usual. This happens naturally as seasons and weather change. Plantsare triggered into dormancy because of cold weather, less hours of sunlightexposure, shorter days, and expectations developed from previous winters andseasonal cycles.
During the winter, your dormant plants aren’tactually dead, they just suspend their growth and expansion, thus appearingdead to those that don’t understand the process. Even as the plant’s outermostleaves and ornamental foliage may die and need to be trimmed down, sometimesdown to barely anything, the roots and core of the plant are still very muchalive, just waiting for weather that is more suited for their growth andexpansion.
What happens to plants duringwinter?
The period of dormancy, where plantsdiscontinue growth, is brought upon by the dropping temperatures and shorterday lengths that come with the winter season. For plants, dormancy is more thanjust suspending growth. It’s partially about surviving during harsh weatherconditions, and partially about conserving nutrients.
Though growth stops, photosynthesis slows, andrespiration slows, that doesn’t mean that your plants are not hard at work. Thework they do during dormancy is vital to their survival, and the way they usenutrients to thrive during the upcoming growing seasons.
During dormancy, your plants break down andremake proteins to use for extra growth in the spring. Plants are also hard atwork maintaining and strengthening cell membranes, which will come in handywhen they begin to expand and multiply when the weather changes.
Do all plants go dormant in thewinter?
Nearly all plants go dormant during thewinter, whether they are outdoors in the garden or indoor houseplants. The restperiod is crucial to the plant’s survival and their ability to regrow eachyear.
Annual plants, on the other hand, don’t go dormant during the winter, for they don’t have the mechanism for going dormant and returning in the spring. Annuals are only equipped with the life-cycle of a single growing season.
Which plants go dormant inwinter?
Nearly all plants, outdoor and indoor alike, go dormant in the winter. This applies to flowers, vegetables, groundcovers, vines, bushes, shrubs, and trees. Even if you make a cold frame or lay out blankets to protect your plants in the winter, and even if you bring them indoors to store them during the cold season, they will eventually go into dormancy. The only plants that don’t go dormant during the winter are annuals, which are only capable of surviving for a single growing season, and must be replanted each year for continual enjoyment.
How do you care for dormantplants?
There are many different types of plants thatgo dormant during the winter, and each type needs a different specific form ofcare. The following instructions apply to certain tropical tender plants andhow to care for them over the winter:
For begonias, dahlias, caladiums, cannas,callas, ginger, sweet potato vines and colocasias, store the dormant tubers,bulbs, and corms in a cool, dark place during the winter and reintroduce theminto your garden in the spring when the weather becomes warm and the lastthreat of frost has passed.
For dwarf cannas, brugmansias, and bananaplants, bring indoors and keep the dormant plants in a cool, dark location.
For palms, croton, bamboo, jasmine, cordyline,phormium, allamanda, bougainvillea, hibiscus and citrus, bring them indoors andoverwinter them as houseplants. Store in a warm, sunny location, such as aheated greenhouse or sunroom.
For geraniums, coleus, and plectranthus, takeand pot up some root cuttings so that you will have some fresh new plants inthe spring.
For houseplants, the general rule is to stop feeding them but give them access to a sunny location throughout the winter, resuming regular feeding mid-spring. For a more detailed list of ways to keep houseplants happy during the winter, click here!
What triggers dormancy in aplant?
There are several weather changes that can trigger dormancy in a plant. The most common weather change that triggers dormancy is a drop in temperature. Shortened daylight hours can also be a signal to a plant that the time for dormancy is upon them.
Want to learn more about dormant plants?
ABC Science covers What Happens to Plants in Winter?
Gardening Know How covers Understanding Plant Dormancy
Gardenista covers 11 Ways to Keep Plants Happy in Winter
Jobe’s covers When Plants Go Dormant
Lifehacker covers How to Tell if Plant is Dead or Dormant
