| I had to bring in my 'princess plant' because the weather was getting too cold. It has now lost almost every leaf. (It was huge and thick and beautiful on the porch.) Should I now cut it back, let it go dormant for the winter, or what? |
| Moving plants indoors from outdoors can be a real shock to their system because the conditions are usually so different. Yellowing and dropping leaves is a typical reaction. Don't fertilize for a month or so, but continue watering at a slightly reduced level. Wait to see if some new growth starts before pruning, as cutting back at this point is also a shock. Resume fertilizing at about half strength. The plant might go dormant for a while and then new growth appear. At that time, cut back as needed. In spring, slowly acclimate your plant to moving back outdoors by putting it outside in a sheltered location for a couple hours at a time, gradually increasing the time period. In fall, do that in reverse, rather than abruptly moving from outside to inside, which will help lessen the shock. I hope this info helps! |
