During the winter months, all tropicals and houseplants should be brought into the house. They are unable to withstand freezing temperatures. Ideally, each plant should be placed in a greenhouse or an area of your home where it is both light and warm.
As opposed to when a tropical plant is outside in the summer sun, you only need to water your tropicals about once a week throughout the winter. You can trim the plant as needed to maintain the size you desire. Most tropical plants will not bloom through the winter months due to shorter days. Do not be alarmed if your plants starts to lose its leaves. This is a typical response with a tropical plant goes dormant.
Another method to wintering is to store the plant in a cool, dark place such as a basement. Once the plant has been dug from the ground, trim it back to about 8-10 inches. It is also a good idea to wash the plant and soil well to remove any stowaways from the garden! Fertilization is not necessary during this time.
Soil should be kept on the dry side while a plant is inside. New shoots will begin to form in early Spring. This is the time to bring the plant out into a sunnier location and periodically pinch back the shoots to keep it looking bushy once it blooms.
Before moving the plant back outdoors, it should be repotted and fertilized. Wait until the chances of frost have passed before placing it outdoors.
