Protecting heat-loving herbs through the short days and cold temperatures of winter is a smart move that results in the return of healthy, vibrant plants in spring. Learn which plants to bring indoors and which can stay outside with the right protection. In a few simple steps, learn how to winterize your herb garden.
The post How to Winterize Your Herb Garden appeared first on Gardener's Path.
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(as of Nov 18, 2025 19:43:52 UTC – Details)
Product description
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Ashley Smith, who is uninsured, has relied on Maine Family Planning for her health care for years. She’s pictured at the girls’ summer camp near her home where she works, in addition to other jobs.
Greta Rybus for NPR
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Greta Rybus for NPR
When Ashley Smith arrived to testify before the Maine Legislature during a committee hearing last spring, she was terrified. “I was shaking like a leaf in the wind,” she says.
She told lawmakers that she was there in support of Maine Family Planning, a 50-year-old network of reproductive health clinics where Smith is a patient.
State lawmakers were considering how to make up a funding shortfall from Washington, D.C. where Republicans in Congress aimed to cut off federal funding to clinics that provide abortion.
Smith told the committee that she doesn’t have health insurance and that Maine Family Planning’s nonprofit clinics were her only source of health care.
“In the last four years I’ve received care there, not once did I have an abortion,” Smith testified. “I did, however, have access to STD and STI (sexually transmitted disease and infection) testing, referrals for thyroid testing and blood panels, pap smears, breast examinations, referrals for mammograms, and a premenstrual dysphoric disorder diagnosis. The last two I listed saved my life,” she said.
Smith, who’s 36, says she was inspired to testify and write an op-ed, because she’s worried about what would happen if Maine Family Planning had to close in the face of deep federal funding cuts. “I can’t imagine what would happen to our communities if we lost such a keystone — that’s what really fueled my fire,” she says.
Maine Family Planning did get a year of additional funding from the state, but it also lost Medicaid revenue for one year with the passage of President Trump’s tax and spending bill — a 20% hit to the organization’s funding.
In Maine, abortion is legal and widely supported by the electorate. In a poll released by the Pew Research Center this summer, 72% of Mainers say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The state legislature has moved to expand access to abortion care since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade three years ago.
Now, the Trump administration and congressional Republicans are using federal funding as a lever to restrict abortion access in states, like Maine, where it is legal and protected by state law.
Republicans and anti-abortion rights activists have long sought to end Medicaid dollars flowing to Planned Parenthood for any reason, arguing that federal reimbursement even for unrelated services indirectly supports abortion in clinics that specialize in reproductive health. In July, they were finally able to accomplish that goal.
Maine Family Planning operates 18 clinics around the state, including this one in Augusta, Maine. It provides primary care in addition to a full range of reproductive health care.
Greta Rybus for NPR
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Greta Rybus for NPR
The provision in the law blocks federal Medicaid funds from being paid to reproductive health nonprofits that receive more than $800,000 in Medicaid payments in a year. It took effect when the bill was signed by President Trump on July 4. (Republican senators changed the timeline from a decade to a single year of defunding to comply with Senate rules.)
Very few organizations fit the $800,000+ description. Planned Parenthood is one of them, another is Health Imperatives in Massachusetts, and so is Maine Family Planning.
About half of Maine Family Planning’s patients are on Medicaid. The organization is no longer reimbursed for their visits.
That’s about $2 million gone, says George Hill, Maine Family Planning’s president and CEO.
“That’s difficult. You have to make some difficult decisions,” he says. “Either you generate more revenue, or you cut costs.”
On Oct. 1, the organization let patients know they would be ending primary care services at the end of the month at three clinics in the far reaches of the state: Houlton, Presque Isle and Ellsworth. That change affected nearly 1,000 patients, including patients on Medicaid and those with private insurance.
George Hill, Maine Family Planning’s president and CEO has worked in health care for almost 40 years. “We have a mission,” explains Hill, “to make sure that the full range of sexual and reproductive health care is available to as many patients as possible.”
Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR
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Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR
“The day that our portal message went out [to patients], the phones just started ringing off the hook,” says clinical services director Melissa Gray. “It was the same message over and over again: ‘Where am I going to go? You folks have helped me with things that nobody else had helped me with, I never felt like you were judging me. I don’t want a different provider, I want to keep seeing you.’
“It was really heartbreaking and a hard couple of days for staff,” she says.
Gray and her team spent all of October trying to connect those patients to new doctors, and making sure they were set up with enough refills of medications to last them when there were long waits before they could be seen by the new practice. Maine has a health care provider shortage, which made that task harder, she says. “There already weren’t enough providers — we were getting new patient requests all the time,” she says. “Now there’s less.”
The goal of scaling back primary care was to try to preserve family planning for longer. All 18 of their family planning clinics around the state are still open. “We have a mission,” explains Hill. “And our mission is to make sure that the full range of sexual and reproductive health care is available to as many patients as possible.”
They’re still seeing Medicaid patients for sexual and reproductive health without getting paid for it.
One of their clinics is in Thomaston, Maine, a small town along the coast. Vanessa Shields-Haas is the nurse practitioner there. The clinic is bright and friendly, with colorful “condom art” on a bulletin board in the waiting room.
The rotating seasonal scenes in the waiting room at the Maine Family Planning clinic in Thomaston are crafted from colored condoms. “I think they’re fun,” nurse practitioner Vanessa Shields-Haas says. “Patients love them.”
Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR
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Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR
Shields-Haas is infuriated by the funding cuts to Maine Family Planning and what they mean for her patients.
“A lot of my patients — maybe they’re working at a hotel or they’re waiting tables, they’re serving lobster rolls to hungry tourists, starting oyster farms,” she says. “These are people that are working really hard.”
She does a lot for them: fertility treatments, biopsies, prescription refills, even vasectomies. And she’s continued to do all those things for her patients covered by Medicaid without getting reimbursed.
“We haven’t been turning them away,” she says. “I fill out the billing sheets and we stack them up in the event that we could be reimbursed possibly in the future.”
Vanessa Shields-Haas has been providing medical care for patients covered by Medicaid without getting reimbursed. “We haven’t been turning them away,” she says.
Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR
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Selena Simmons-Duffin/NPR
She says patients are confused by what’s happening, and many have sent her messages asking if they can still go to her for care. She assures them that they can, although she worries about the future.
“Unfortunately, decision-makers in Washington are having such a profound impact on what we can and can’t do,” she says. “Not being able to be reimbursed for the visits is really crippling, financially.”
For George Hill, political interference in sexual and reproductive health care is nothing new. “I’ve been in the field since 1987, so close to 40 years, [through] several different presidential administrations that have been hostile to the care that we now provide,” he says. “This is — by volume and velocity — probably the worst that we have seen.”
Just weeks after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law, Maine Family Planning filed a lawsuit to challenge the provision that blocks them from getting Medicaid funding.
“The lawsuit was filed essentially because Maine Family Planning says this is unfair and it’s wrong and it’s unconstitutional to be singling out and targeting certain providers based on this animus against abortion,” says Autumn Katz, interim director of litigation at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents the organization in its lawsuit.
The federal government defended the provision in a court filing, arguing that it promotes Congress’ “goal of reducing abortion” and suggesting Maine Family Planning could get its funding back if it stopped providing abortion.
(Planned Parenthood filed a separate lawsuit and was able to secure an injunction. In Maine, the injunction request was denied and so the provision is in effect while the lawsuit works its way through the courts.)
Anti-abortion efforts at the federal level may not stop with the Medicaid law.
Another 20% of Maine Family Planning’s budget comes from the federal government through Title X — a decades-old grant program that enables the clinics to see uninsured patients. In October, the Trump administration fired the whole team that works on that program. Those firings were reversed in mid-November as part of the deal to end the shutdown, but the administration could try to end the program in another way.
Hill says he isn’t sure what’s going to happen next with the lawsuit and Medicaid, or Title X, but he says they’re not giving up. The state law that patient Ashley Smith advocated for provides short term funding from the state to help fill the budget gap. Hill says they’re exploring new potential partnerships and new ways to raise revenue they haven’t tried before.
He quotes Rep. Pat Schroeder, the late Democratic lawmaker from Colorado: “You can’t roll up your sleeves and get to work if you’re wringing your hands,” he says. “We’re going to continue to do the work. We’re not going to stop.”
Hi there GPODers!
I hope we find you happy and warm on this November day. Yesterday, I mentioned I would have some more images for you from my wedding/honeymoon in Costa Rica back in 2021 so that is what you will find below. We were in Costa Rica in August during the rainy season but really only faced a couple of days of drizzle and got stuck in one downpour. I’ve shared images from our trip to Costa Rica before, specifically of the Monteverde Orchid Garden. This post will focus mostly on foliage we found in Costa Rica in and around the cloud forests.
We began our trip in La Fortuna at the base of the Arenal volcano, then made our way to Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast before finishing in the cloud forests of Monteverde. Every place we visited was beautiful and fascinating in its own way, but La Fortuna will always hold a special place in my heart. Not only is it where we got married, but the volcano itself felt astonishingly majestic—its presence in the landscape was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
This spot might just be my favorite place we visited. The photo was taken at Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa outside La Fortuna—and honestly, it almost looks too beautiful to be real. The entire resort feels that way. Built around volcanically heated springs that cascade down the hillside, Tabacón is a maze of plant-lined pathways leading to a series of naturally warm pools, each one fed by its own waterfall. In this shot you can see:
Costa Rica’s cloud forests are famous for their astonishing plant diversity, and Monteverde is no exception. During a treetop excursion— crossing suspension bridges and ziplines through the canopy — we saw firsthand how life layers itself in these misty heights. In this photo, every surface is alive: the host tree (species unknown!) is draped in mosses, epiphytes, and ferns, while philodendrons, monsteras, and anthuriums climb and compete for space and light. Epiphytes are plants that grow on top of another without taking nutrients from that plant. Species such as bromeliads, orchids, and many ferns are epiphytes. Epi means “upon” or “on top of’ and phyte means “plant”.
Here we see a large-leaved aroid, possibly Philodendron giganteum, climbing up a tree. Cloud forest trees are often draped in hemi-epiphytic aroids. A hemi-epiphyte is a plant that spends only part of its life as an epiphyte, shifting between growing on other plants and rooting in the soil. Species such as philodendrons and monsteras use this strategy to reach better light in the canopy while still accessing nutrients from the forest floor when possible.
Looking down from the walkway, you get a clear view of the lower canopy—a perfect study in how powerful texture can be in garden design. The giant tree fern (Cyatheaceae sp.) spreads its lacy fronds above the soft, needle-like foliage that resembles a Caribbean pine (a best guess—feel free to correct me if you recognize it). Around them, the broad, paddle-shaped leaves of banana (Musa sp.?) and the palmate foliage of Cecropia add even more contrast and visual interest. Do you recognize any other of the plants in this shot?
Clusia trees are abundant in cloud forests and can be epiphytic when young. Monteverde has several species, including Clusia alata, C. palmana, and C. minor.
This close up is of a plant in the Cecropia species — likely Cecropia insignis or Cecropia obtusifolia. Cecropia is one of the most iconic Neotropical trees. The features are textbook large palmately lobed, silver-backed leaves, central clusters of long, fingerlike catkin-like inflorescences, hairy red/brown bracts at the petiole base. Cecropia trees are keystone species in Costa Rica — home to Azteca ants and many epiphytes.
Another example of the diversity viewable in even the smallest of spaes. Here, this is a tree fern frond (Cyatheaceae sp.) is covered by mosses, lichens, and possibly small filmy ferns.
This is a cultivated banana (Musa × paradisiaca / Musa acuminata group), which is common in Costa Rican gardens, farms, and smallholdings. A mature banana bunch can be seen towards the top of the tree, and below it, the large purple inflorescence bract (the banana flower or “banana heart”) hangs down.
This amazing looking plant is Heliconia rostrata, known commonly as Hanging Lobster Claw or False Bird of Paradise.
Utilizing tropical plants in your garden design is one of the best ways to ensure a unique-look to your landscape. We have some wonderful articles on how best to achieve this look, no matter what your winter is like. Check out some of those articles, linked below. Tomorrow, we’ll be headed back to North America! Thank you for taking this trip with me. I hope someday I’ll be able to return to Costa Rica, there is no shortage of things to see and learn about there.
Read More:
Make a Big Impact in a small Urban Space with Bold Tropical Plants
Bring It In! Overwintering Tender Perennials and Tropicals
How to Effectively Use Tropical Plants in Cool Climates
Design a Tropical Garden Look with Cannas, Bananas, and Elephant Ears
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with #FineGardening!
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Fine Gardening Recommended Products
SHOWA Atlas 370B Nitrile Palm Coating Gloves, Black, Medium (Pack of 12 Pairs)
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(as of Nov 18, 2025 07:43:16 UTC – Details)
From the brand
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(as of Nov 17, 2025 19:32:52 UTC – Details)
Product description
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Rita Orr, 94, and her daughter Janice Rogers sit across a small table from each other to play Bingo.
Ashley Milne-Tyte
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Ashley Milne-Tyte
A few years ago, Janice Rogers of Belchertown, Mass., made a decision many adult children dread. Her mother, Rita, was then 91, living alone in her mobile home, and her health was going downhill.
“I didn’t feel I could take care of my mom, which is an awful thing to say,” says Rogers. “I felt I needed to ‘put’ her somewhere.”
Since then her mom, now 94, has developed dementia. But the first facility Rogers chose didn’t work out. The place her mom lives now is known as a continuing care retirement community, or CCRC, called Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing in Springfield, Mass. CCRCs offer multiple levels of care, from independent living to assisted living to memory care to a skilled nursing unit. According to Lisa McCracken, head of research and analytics at NIC — the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care — the number of memory care units in the U.S. has grown 62% in the last decade. But this community is unusual: it doesn’t have a memory care unit. It’s part of a movement to make living with dementia less segregated and more integrated.
Rita Orr, Rogers’ mother, lives in the skilled nursing wing these days. She can walk around the facility as much or as little as she likes — including going outside. Which is fine with her daughter.
“She sees freedom, but she’s OK,” Rogers says. “To have a locked door? That wouldn’t go well with her.”
Lori Todd, executive director of Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing, says people sometimes try to leave locked memory care units for the very reason that they feel confined. Here, she says, they want those with dementia to live the best life they can, in community.
Lori Todd, executive director of Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing, says including those with dementia in the wider community is “a much more dignified way of caring for people.”
Ashley Milne-Tyte
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Ashley Milne-Tyte
“What we do is meet them where they are, and work with the other residents to teach them how to be good neighbors” to those living with dementia, says Todd. “So we’re not isolating them, just as we wouldn’t isolate people that all had congestive heart failure or diabetes.”
Todd says they train staff and residents on how to interact with someone with dementia — like how to talk to someone who is looking for a spouse who has died, or how to calm a person if they’re upset. It often involves redirecting them or including them in a new activity. She says the staff observes residents with dementia carefully to decide whether they are OK to go outside unaccompanied or if they need an aide to be with them.
If this approach to dementia care sounds unusual, it is. Todd says theirs is a small but growing movement. “It’s really picking up,” she says. “It’s just a so much more dignified way of caring for people.”
It’s a way that involves residents as well as staff. Ann McIntosh has lived here for 16 years and is grateful for the dementia training she’s received. The key to communicating with a neighbor with dementia, she says, is to meet the person in their world, not yank them back to the present.
“When somebody wants to go see their husband, whom I know died five years ago, I say, ‘Yeah, let’s go see what we can find,'” McIntosh says. Then as they walk down the hall, she says, the person with dementia may spot a group of people and want to join in. “So it solved the problem, because they don’t remember what it was they started with,” she says. “And just simply being able to keep them involved makes me feel better, because we’re all part of the same community.”
Fellow resident Helene Houston agrees, saying the dementia training program “has made it so that dementia is not so scary for people.” It’s also made her feel really good about the place she calls home.
Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing residents Helene and Whiting Houston volunteer some of their time to work with residents who have dementia.
Ashley Milne-Tyte
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Ashley Milne-Tyte
She and her husband volunteer their time in a program for fellow residents with dementia called SAIDO learning, which originated in Japan. “We do brain exercises with them,” says Houston, exercises that use both math and English. They are delighted when they see a person’s cognition improve as a result of coming to class on a regular basis.
Brenda Mendoza is life enrichment and memory care director here. She says training for the staff is mandatory. For residents, it’s voluntary. And a lot of residents do have questions about this way of doing things. Mendoza says she’ll often meet with them one-on-one “and talk a little bit about why we do it, and what’s the benefit? And how would you feel? And putting yourself in their shoes. Like, that’s how I want to be treated if I’m ever here.”
Brenda Mendoza, life enrichment and memory care director at Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing, trains staff and residents on how to communicate with residents who have dementia.
Ashley Milne-Tyte
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Ashley Milne-Tyte
Mendoza says when it comes to handling behaviors such as aggression or agitation, which are often associated with dementia, “behavior is an unmet need.” She says she and the staff work hard to find out what is causing the behavior. Is the person scared, hungry, in pain, or missing their family?
“It’s just, how do we figure out what did they love or enjoy doing? Let me try to engage them in what they used to do,” she says.
But the thought of being without a locked memory care unit is off-putting to some who worry about safety. Arnie Beresh is a former podiatric surgeon who was diagnosed with dementia at 62. “I describe it like hitting a wall doing about 200 miles an hour,” he says.
That was 10 years ago. Beresh has worked to slow the progression of his disease by eating well, exercising and staying socially engaged. His brain works best in the morning, he says, but by afternoon, “I’m running out of gas.”
He lives at home with his wife in Michigan, but he knows he could live elsewhere at some point. “I believe in locked memory care units,” he says. “And my reason for that is I believe it is more of a safety factor for the patient with dementia.”
Many family members of people with dementia agree and feel a locked door is the best way to ensure their loved doesn’t leave the facility and endanger themselves. Kirsten Jacobs gets that. She’s with Leading Age, a network of organizations that serves older adults.
“I think it’s super important to acknowledge that instinct of wanting to protect our loved ones,” she says. “But what do we lose … when we focus solely on one type of safety, without acknowledging the richness that can come from a life that allows for some freedom and flexibility and autonomy?”
Jacobs says if you go back a few decades to a common practice in nursing homes, “we used to tie people up, and that was in the name of safety. We learned that wasn’t the safest approach, and now that’s not a model that we follow.”
She points to a movement that began in the late 1980s called “Untie the Elderly,” which sprang up to discourage the use of restraints in nursing homes and other health care settings.
She adds that there’s another, practical reason for a more inclusive approach to dementia care. “We cannot build enough bricks and mortar … separate memory care communities to meet the needs of those living with dementia,” she says. “So we have to be more expansive in our thinking.”
Joanna Fix, a longtime psychology professor, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her late 40s. She’s now 57. She is adamantly opposed to locked memory care units.
“One of the problems I see is the people that make the decision about memory care are the family members,” she says, whereas she’s the one living with the disease. She would like more people to educate themselves about what it means to have this condition, and engage accordingly.
“It’s a choice for people with healthy brains to decide how do they want to interact with those of us living with dementia,” she says.
Arnie Beresh and his cat, Coner. Beresh has been living with dementia for 10 years.
Beresh family
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Beresh family
Arnie Beresh feels the same way. He says no matter where people with dementia live, “the major thing is, we still need to be treated as a person.”
Because even if the disease is advanced, he says, the person is still there.
Winter is around the corner and extreme drop in temperature can freeze your plants.
Simple winter caring tips can make big difference between healthy spring growth and heart-breaking losses.
During winter most plants under dormancy, mean they slow down growth. But, not protecting them from frost can completely kill the plant.
Whether you’re having a lushy outdoor plant or indoor flowering plants, they must be saved from frost.
Frost forms when temperatures fall to 32F or below, causing ice crystals to develop on plant surfaces and inside plant cells.
This freezing can rupture cell walls, leaving foliage wilted, blackened, and sometimes beyond recovery.
While some plants naturally tolerate frost, many common garden favorites and indoor plants need extra protection to survive winter’s chill.
The good news?
With proper preparation and the right techniques, you can help your plants sail through even the coldest months. From simple covers to strategic watering, these proven methods will keep your garden thriving until spring returns.
Indoor plants may be safe from frost, but winter still brings challenges like low humidity, shorter days, and cold drafts near windows.
These conditions can slow growth and leave plants vulnerable to pests.
Winterizing indoor plants means adjusting care to match their slower growth rate. Move them away from drafty windows and heater vents.
Reduce watering, as most houseplants use less moisture in winter, and pause fertilizing until spring.
Boost humidity with pebble trays, humidifiers, or by grouping plants together.
If your plants need bright light, consider adding grow lights to compensate for shorter days.
Winterizing outdoor plants should begin long before the first frost arrives.
Start by assessing your garden in early fall, identifying which plants are frost-tender and which can tolerate cold.
Remove dead or diseased debris, as it can harbor pests and diseases over winter. Allow perennials to naturally die back; their fading foliage adds an extra layer of insulation for the roots.
Next, spread a 2–4-inch layer of organic mulch around the base of plants, extending it to the drip line.
Mulch stabilizes soil temperatures and helps prevent freeze–thaw cycles that can damage roots.
For tender shrubs or perennials, wrap them in burlap or set up protective structures before the first freeze. Water your plants deeply before the ground freezes—well-hydrated roots handle cold stress far better.
Frost blankets and row covers are lightweight, breathable fabrics designed to shield plants from frost while allowing light and moisture to pass through.
By trapping the warmth that rises from the soil, these covers can keep the plant environment 4–8°F warmer than the outside air.
Drape covers over plants in the late afternoon before temperatures fall. Ensure the material reaches the ground and secure the edges with rocks, stakes, or soil.
Keep the fabric from touching foliage by using hoops, stakes, or frames so tender leaves don’t freeze where the cover touches them.
Remove the covers during the day once temperatures rise above freezing to prevent overheating and restore full sunlight.
Row covers can be kept on hardy, cool-season crops like spinach and lettuce throughout winter since they still let in enough light for growth.
Also Read: 14 Forst Tolerant Vegetables to Extended Growing Season
Watering before a freeze may feel counterintuitive, but moist soil retains heat far better than dry soil. As the soil slowly releases warmth overnight, it helps protect plants from frost damage.
Water your plants thoroughly the day before an expected frost, soaking the root zone several inches deep.
Avoid wetting the foliage, since damp leaves freeze more easily. Aim to water in the morning or early afternoon so the soil can absorb the moisture before nightfall.
Never water plants when the ground is already frozen—this can injure roots. Once temperatures rise again, resume normal watering practices.
Mulching is one of the most reliable ways to protect plant roots during winter. A thick mulch layer acts like a natural blanket, stabilizing soil temperatures and preventing freeze–thaw cycles that can push plants out of the ground.
For perennials that fully die back, you can add a thicker 6–8 inch layer of loose mulch, such as leaves or straw, once the ground freezes. Remove or thin the mulch gradually in spring as temperatures rise.
Check this: 17 Perennials that Bloom in Fall and Winter
Cold winds intensify frost damage by stripping heat from plants and soil. Windbreaks help block these winds while retaining warmth around sensitive plants.
You can also use cold frames, cloches, or even repurposed boxes for smaller plants. For long-term protection, consider planting evergreen hedges or installing permanent fencing that doubles as a windbreak.
Container plants are highly vulnerable to frost because their roots are surrounded by cold air on all sides. Their limited soil volume freezes quickly, which can kill the roots even if the top of the plant survives.
For large pots that can’t be moved, insulate them with burlap, bubble wrap, or blankets. Elevate pots on bricks or pot feet to improve drainage and slow freezing.
Supplemental heat can make a huge difference during severe cold snaps. Old-style incandescent Christmas lights (not LEDs) emit gentle heat that can protect plants when combined with frost covers.
Keep them safely distanced from plants and never leave them running unattended.
For long-term or high-value plants, consider using thermostatically controlled soil heating cables for consistent root warmth.
Also Read: 19 Herbs to Grow Indoors in Winter
Proper fall pruning helps plants survive winter, but timing is key. Avoid heavy pruning in late summer or fall, as this triggers tender new growth that won’t withstand frost.
Instead, remove only dead, diseased, or damaged stems in fall.
Choosing plants suited to your climate is the most reliable frost protection strategy. Check your USDA hardiness zone and select plants rated at least one zone colder for extra security.
Always read plant tags or catalog descriptions for hardiness ratings. Pay attention to microclimates in your yard—areas near buildings may stay warmer, while exposed low spots may be colder.
Before cold weather arrives, harden off plants by gradually exposing them to cooler temperatures for 7–10 days.
Frost protection often depends on good timing. Keep a close eye on weather forecasts during fall and early spring. Frost usually occurs on clear, calm nights when heat radiates away from the ground.
Create a frost protection plan ahead of time so you’re not scrambling. Keep frost blankets and materials handy, and know exactly which plants need covering. During cold spells, you may need to cover and uncover plants for several nights in a row.
Also Read: 21 Stunning Flowers to Plant this Winter for a Colorful Garden
Protecting plants from frost and freeze damage is all about preparation, technique, and timing. By using these nine strategies—whether it’s frost blankets, strategic watering, mulching, or choosing hardy varieties—you’ll greatly increase your plants’ chances of thriving through winter.
Remember, each plant has unique cold tolerance levels. Prepare early, stay alert during temperature swings, and adjust your approach based on the needs of your garden. With the right care, your plants can not only survive the cold months but emerge strong and vibrant when spring returns.
Whether you’re protecting tender indoor plants, winter vegetables, or cherished perennials, these frost protection techniques offer a complete toolkit for confident winter gardening.
Khaja Moinuddin, a computer science graduate, finds joy in gardening and homesteading. Join him on this blog as he shares his experiences in homesteading, gardening, and composting
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To make a massive statement in a small space, the Japanese maple is one of the best options out there.
Dwarf types can fit into a pretty tiny spot, but their impact in the garden is anything but small.
You aren’t limited to weeping types, either.
There are upright growers and even one cultivar that you can train over arbors or espalier. You are limited, as they say, only by your imagination. Oh, and probably your budget, of course.
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If your goal is to grow a Japanese maple tree in a pot, a dwarf option is ideal.
But even just a little spot in the garden will be well-served by one of the following varieties:
What is a dwarf Japanese maple? There’s no official limit, but in this roundup we’ll stick with those that stay under 10 feet tall at maturity.
All of the trees on this list grow well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8 unless noted otherwise.
‘Crimson Queen’ seems to make everybody’s “best of” list and it’s no wonder – she’s hard to beat.
The dramatically weeping, compact shape requires no pruning to maintain.
‘Crimson Queen’ is a fairly slow grower, so you won’t have to fight to keep her petite either. Once mature, after about 20 years, she’ll be about 10 feet wide and tall.
The cascading form of this A. palmatum cultivar is pretty all on its own, but the red foliage is incredibly striking.
The extremely palmate leaves are heavily serrated, making them look like thin strips of red lace.
To bring this royal wonder home, hail a two- to three-foot-tall tree from Nature Hills Nursery.
Find more info about caring for ‘Crimson Queen’ here.
Noted Japanese maple breeder Skeeter Rod discovered ‘Elizabeth,’ which he named for his wife, as a mutation. Thank goodness he did. This A. palmatum cultivar is an ever-evolving stunner.
In the spring, the leaves are bright red before changing to lime green and red in the summer. By fall, ‘Elizabeth’ changes her outfit once again to a vibrant scarlet.
A truly compact, slow-growing, upright option, she grows to about five feet tall and three feet wide in about 10 years.
You can find plants in one- and three-gallon containers available from Maple Ridge Nursery.
It can be a challenge to find dwarf Japanese maples (or any Japanese maples) that thrive in Zone 4b, but ‘Fireball’ seemingly creates its own heat.
It was discovered as a witches’-broom, or a genetic mutation marked by unusual growth, on a tree in New Jersey.
If you’re unfamiliar with Japanese maple types, witches’-brooms feature a middle lobe that is shorter than the surrounding lobes.
The bright red leaves on this plant have five lobes with a shorter middle lobe. Slow growing with an upright habit, this cultivar will reach just five feet tall and three feet wide in about 15 years.
To pick up this unique beauty, head on over to Maple Ridge Nursery to choose from plants in one- and three-gallon containers.
This tree lives up to its name with twisting, turning branches that almost resemble a contorted filbert (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’) only with classic Japanese maple foliage.
At most, it will grow to seven feet tall and up to 12 feet wide, with a gracefully arching habit.
In the spring and summer, the leaves are bright green trimmed in burgundy. By fall, they turn bright orange with hints of red and yellow.
Gyrate your way to Maple Ridge Nursery to find a dance partner of your own.
A. palmatum var. dissectum, ‘Inaba Shidare’ is striking. The foliage is bright, bold red and each leaf is massive, with each one spanning six inches wide or more.
But the leaves don’t just produce a solid mass of color. Each one is deeply lobed and highly serrated, resembling massive strips of red lace. It’s delicate and arresting, all at once.
A lovely weeping cultivar, ‘Inaba Shidare’ grows to about eight feet tall and up to twice as wide. It’s also fairly quick growing, so you don’t have to wait long for the full show.
Make this cultivar yours by grabbing one at Maple Ridge Nursery.
A weeping, cascading type that grows to just eight feet tall and five feet wide, A. palmatum var. dissectum ‘Jeddeloh Orange’ will always draw comments.
The lacy, serrated leaves start the year with a pleasant orange hue before shifting to green with orange highlights in the summer.
It changes color once again in the fall, transitioning to brilliant orange-gold.
Nature Hills Nursery carries this tree, which reaches eight feet tall and six feet wide at maturity, so you can add some orange delight to your yard.
This Japanese maple cultivar, sometimes written as ‘Karasu Gawa,’ puts on an extremely dramatic show for such a tiny specimen.
Reaching a height under eight feet when mature, the early spring foliage is pink but transitions to white during the spring.
Not every leaf will become totally white, however. You’ll see speckles and streaks of white on a pink base, depending on the sun exposure. Some leaves develop green speckles as well.
By the fall, the entire leaf turns bright red, sometimes with green margins.
There are some drawbacks to be aware of with this Oregon-bred beauty. It burns in full sunlight and it only grows in Zones 5b to 8, or possibly in 9 with protection from the afternoon sun.
This means it’s just a bit temperamental, but it’s well worth the effort for the impressive show it puts on throughout three seasons.
Nab this upright A. palmatum at Nature Hills Nursery.
Providing a weeping constellation of leaves, ‘Orion’ grows just four feet tall and seven feet wide within about 15 years.
While the deeply lobed, heavily serrated leaves have a beautiful shape, it’s the color that will have you seeing stars.
In the spring, this huntsman’s cloak is solid, bright red.
By summer, the leaves have red margins and orange and copper-green veins. Come fall, the tree changes again with the seasons, transitioning to solid, bright orange.
You can find trees in one- and three-gallon containers available at Maple Ridge Nursery, so you can add this one to your own tree constellation.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a Japanese maple with more finely cut, delicate leaves.
Each leaf is heavily serrated and extremely thin, like red threads dangling in the breeze on a weeping tree. Within about 15 years, this variety reaches four feet tall and five feet wide.
Unlike some red maples, this one doesn’t lose its vibrant color in partial shade.
Need a little lace in your life? Grab a tree in a one- or three-gallon container from Maple Ridge Nursery.
‘Bloodgood’ is one of the most popular Japanese maples in North America, but it isn’t a dwarf tree.
‘Rhode Island Red,’ however, takes all the things we love about ‘Bloodgood’ and smooshes it down into a perfectly reduced size.
It leafs out in crimson red before settling into burgundy during the summer. And then it transitions back to bright red in the fall.
The tree itself is about six feet tall with particularly large leaves.
While most dwarf A. palmatum cultivars have heavily serrated leaves, this one looks like a more traditional maple with its simple palmate foliage.
If you love ‘Bloodgood’ but want something a bit more petite, bring home a ‘Rhode Island Red’ from Japanese Maples and Evergreens, available for purchase via Amazon.
‘Ryusen’ is one of my favorites of all the Japanese maples, dwarf or otherwise.
It’s incredibly unique, and for a tree that is so distinctive that even many gardening newbies can identify it, that’s saying a ton.
While the green palmate leaves are beautiful and all, it’s the growth habit that makes it stand out.
This A. palmatum grows to about eight feet tall but only spreads a few feet wide, and the branches start by growing up for a bit before gracefully arching down.
This creates a waterfall effect that is dramatic left to its own devices, but you can actually train it over an arbor or feature it as an espalier as well.
As if that wasn’t enough, the foliage turns a soft reddish-orange in the fall, making it all the more lovely.
Make this distinctive option a part of your garden by nabbing one from Japanese Maple and Evergreens on Amazon.
Bred from a witch’s broom found on the classic, ever-popular A. palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ by Skeeter Rod, ‘Skeeter’s Broom’ has a narrow, upright growth habit.
The foliage is extremely bushy and dense, and starts out red in the spring before becoming purple in the summer and changing to a brighter red again in the fall.
This cultivar tops out at a petite six or so feet but it never expands more than three or four feet wide.
Want to sweep up this stunner and bring it home to your garden? Head to Nature Hills Nursery to grab a two- to three-foot tree in a #2 container.
Some plants truly live up to their name, and ‘Spring Delight’ is one of them.
If you look forward to the joy of vibrant spring color each year, you need to add this A. palmatum var. dissectum to your garden.
Once the warmer spring weather comes to town, the leaf buds open to reveal stunning neon green foliage tipped in bright crimson. In the fall, the leaves transition to yellow and orange.
The tree itself has a graceful, weeping habit that highlights the unique coloring.
You can find trees available in one- and three-gallon containers from Maple Ridge Nursery.
Japanese maples are known for shining brightest in the spring and fall, and most varieties fade to a more subdued, if just as lovely, color in the heat of the summer.
These plants are happiest when it’s chilly, after all. But ‘Summer Gold’ is at its peak when the days are long.
In the spring, this A. palmatum cultivar’s leaves are green with a red border. By summer, they transition to a vibrant yellow-gold.
That’s special enough as it is, but this tree doesn’t burn or fade in the heat either – even if it’s growing in full sun! If you know these plants, then you know that’s rare for a golden leaf type.
In the fall, the leaves turn bright, flaming reddish-orange on a tree that stays under eight feet tall, usually closer to six.
Oh yeah, and did we mention this is an upright type? That’s hard to find in dwarf cultivars!
Pick up a tree at Maple Ridge Nursery. Choose from one- or three-gallon containers.
Good old ‘Tamukeyama’ is extremely popular, and deservedly so. It’s heat tolerant, vigorous, and hardy.
During the spring and summer, the leaves are burgundy before shifting to bright crimson in the fall. It’s a weeping type that stays under eight feet tall. No wonder it has been a mainstay for centuries!
If you want to join the storied club, purchase one for your garden at Fast Growing Trees. They carry two- to three- or three- to four-foot-tall trees.
‘Viridis’ is the cultivar that first made me take notice of Japanese maples.
It’s a truly head-turning option that features a cascading form which tops out at about five feet tall and wide, with bright chartreuse leaves.
In the fall, the heavily serrated palmate leaves turn golden-yellow and orange.
If you like the types that have leaves so finely serrated and palmate that they look like lace, you absolutely can’t go wrong with ‘Viridis.’
The leaves are so delicate, they almost look out of focus or like running green water at first glance. Utterly magical.
If you want to nab a practically mature three- to four-foot-tall tree to plant in a pot or grow in your garden, visit Fast Growing Trees.
‘Waterfall’ has been known to grow up to 12 feet tall after a long, long time. But at 10 years, most have reached just five feet at most.
Its growth habit lives up to the name, and It has a pendulous, weeping form made up of large green leaves that turn orange in the fall.
If you’re looking for a good container option, this one can’t be beaten. Keeping ‘Waterfall’ in a container will also constrict its size.
If all this has you looking around for the nearest place to nab one for yourself, head to Fast Growing Trees to pick up a two- to three-foot-tall tree.
Dwarf Japanese maples are small in stature but huge in impact. It’s hard to think of many plants that pack so much into such a small package.
Whether you pair them with other species or let them shine all on their own, these petite wonders will draw all the attention.
So what do you think? Are you leaning towards a laceleaf? Do you prefer red or green? Are you looking for something upright or weeping? Share your plans in the comment section below.
Then, continue your Japanese maple journey with the following guides:
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