Like some other states here in the US, Minnesota Winters can be exceptionally cold. So cold in fact, that you can get frostbite on your skin in less than 7-minutes of exposure to the cold. If your skin can freeze that fast, you can imagine what the cold can do to tender houseplants.
But you don’t have to allow the freezing temperatures to stop you from shopping local to buy houseplants. Instead, there are a few ways you can buy plants safely and transport them home without harming them. Here are some tips for buying houseplants during the cold Winter months.
Use a Cooler
A large insulated cooler and a couple of heat packs will allow you to transport your plants back home safely in the cold.
Use the largest cooler you can find, and only buy plants that will fit in the cooler. TIP: I like to keep a cooler and deactivated heat packs in my vehicle all Winter – you never know when the urge to buy plants will strike, but you’ll always be prepared.
- Before you start shopping for plants, place one or more activated heat packs in your cooler, and close the cooler. The heat packs will help keep the inside of the cooler warm. If you have a large cooler, I recommend using three heat packs to distribute the warmth through the cooler.
- When you arrive at the store, keep the cooler in your vehicle. The inside of the cooler will stay warm while you shop.
TIP: You could ask someone at the store if you could bring your cooler inside – just explain to them that you’re buying plants and don’t want them to freeze on the way to your vehicle. Some stores, especially garden centers and greenhouses, will understand. - After shopping for your plants and checking out, ask the cashier if you can leave your plants inside the store while you pull your vehicle up to the doors.
TIP: Bring a friend or family member with you so they can wait with your plants. - Drive your vehicle to the doors and bring your cooler inside the store to load your plants in it while in the store.
TIP: Bring a couple of towels with you in the cooler. Wrap the towels around the pots of the plants to help keep the plants upright. If you purchased a plant that is too tall to stand upright in the cooler, lay it on it’s side, propped up with one of the towels. - Once your plants are safely in the cooler, carry the cooler to your vehicle.
- When you arrive back home, just carry the cooler inside to unload your plants.
Use Large Bags
Large plastic lawn bags can protect your houseplants from the cold by keeping the heat in the bag and preventing cold air from touching the leaves. Keep a stash of bags in your vehicle so you’ll always be ready to buy plants in the Winter.
- After shopping for your plants and checking out, while you’re still in the store, place a plant into the bag pot first, then pull the bag up and over the plant. Tie the top of the bag shut to keep cold air out of the bag. Do this for each plant you purchased.
TIP: Bagging plants pot first helps keep any spilled soil inside the bag, keeping your vehicle clean. - Once your plants are bagged, carry them out to your vehicle and quickly get them inside. Keep the plants bagged until you get home.
TIP: Ask the cashier if you can leave your bagged plants inside while you pull your vehicle up to the doors. This will shorten the time the bagged plants will be exposed to the cold.
TIP: If you have empty boxes or totes, place the bagged plants inside them. This will help keep the plants upright on the drive home. - When you arrive back home, carry your bagged plants inside and unwrap them there. Save the bags for your next plant run.
Shop on ‘Warmer’ Days
Okay, so there aren’t many ‘warm’ days during Winter – it is Winter after all. But on days when the temperatures are warmer than other days, use those days to your advantage.
For example, our forecast for today is a high of 39 degrees, but the highs for the rest of the week are much colder. Looking at our 10-day forecast, today is the one day to buy plants! (You know what I’ll be doing when I finish this article).
Shop Online
Winters are long here in the northern states, and sometimes the urge to buy houseplants is even stronger during this time of year versus during the warmer months (we all want more GREEN, than WHITE, right?!). If you can’t find that plant locally, you can shop online.
Shopping for plants online during the Winter is all about heat packs and timing.
- First, check the 10-day forecast for your area. If you spot a day when the high temperature is above freezing, time your online order so your plants are in transit for delivery during the warmer days.
- Always request USPS Priority Mail shipping (which is typically 2-3 days in transit) or UPS 2-Day Air – versus a slower shipping method (such as USPS First Class Mail) or a ground shipping service. These services will cost a little bit more, but it’s a small price to pay to shorten the time your plants spend traveling.
TIP: USPS Priority Mail is usually a lot less expensive than UPS 2-Day Air, but it’s not a guaranteed service – where UPS 2-Day Air is guaranteed. - Always request the seller/shipper to include one or more heat packs with your plants. Some sellers include heat packs at no charge, others will charge you for them. Don’t skimp! Buy the heat packs – your plants will need them.
TIP: Heat packs state they last 72-hours, but in my experience, only the first 24-hours are really warm, especially in extremely cold conditions. Keep that in consideration when ordering highly cold-sensitive plants – and skip those plants during extreme cold.
TIP: Ask the seller/shipper to add extra insulation to your plant package. Plants wrapped in plastic, then in bubble wrap or packing peanuts will be better insulated from the cold than plants wrapped in paper or not wrapped at all. This is, of course, in addition to heat packs. - Having plants shipped during the cold Winter months is always a gamble. While most plants can survive the journey when packaged properly (see notes above), some plants just won’t be able to tolerate the cold – regardless of how they’re packaged. Always know the plant and its tolerance before purchasing. Some plants will just have to wait for Spring, or be purchased locally.
Additional Tips
- Moving Houseplants in the Winter – If you’re moving in the Winter and taking your houseplants with you, the tips suggested above will help you move your plants safely. You might need to buy or borrow more coolers for the move, but it will be worth it.
NOTE: Moving boxes will not work as well as coolers will. If you must use boxes instead of coolers, I recommend wrapping your plants in plastic bags, then transporting them inside the heated vehicle (versus in the trunk). If you have to leave the vehicle for a fairly short time (for example, running into a grocery store), I recommend leaving it run with the heat on (when it’s safe to do so). If you have to leave the vehicle for an extended period (for example, stay overnight in a motel), I recommend bringing the plants inside with you – they won’t survive being left in a cold vehicle unprotected for long periods. - Use a Cooler on Hot Summer Days – The cooler idea above works very well on hot Summer days, too. Just use ice packs instead of heat packs. Plants inside a cool cooler will survive the heat much better than if the plants were just left in a hot vehicle with the windows cracked.
- Once the Leaves Are Damaged You Can Still Save the Plant – If you buy houseplants in the Winter and don’t take any precautions to protect the plant while transporting it from the store to your vehicle, and then from your vehicle into your home, chances are very good the leaves on the plant will become damaged. If the leaves get too cold, they will become almost translucent and floppy. Once the leaves are damaged, they are damaged – and they will not recover. This doesn’t mean the plant itself is dead, however. Cut off the damaged leaves and put the plant in a bright, indirect light location. Water the plant as you normally would, then sit back and wait. It might take a while for the plant to come out of shock, but most houseplants will begin to grow leaves again, especially with proper nurturing. If several months go by, and you don’t notice any new growth, it might be time to throw the plant out. I say ‘might’ because I’m always up for the challenge of rehabilitating what I thought were dead plants. There’s just something so satisfying to nurture a plant back to life. If you have the patience, keep nurturing that plant and it might surprise you. 😉
NOTE: I’ve been propagating two Curly Spider Plants on our kitchen windowsill. The other day, my husband burned something on the stove, so he opened the kitchen window about 1/2-inch to let the smoke out and the fresh air in. Naturally, it was the window where the Curly Spider Plants sit, and of course, it was -9 degrees outside (that’s negative 9 degrees). He only left the window open for about 5 minutes, but when I came into the room and saw what happened, it was too late to save the plants. The leaves are all frozen, soggy, and dead, but the roots on these guys are still going strong. I’m going to wait a few weeks and see if I can get some new growth going.
Poor frozen plants
Do you have additional tips or suggestions? Share them in a comment below!
If you’re in Minnesota, here are some local places where you can buy houseplants
