One of my pet peeves is watching people take plants outside in the dead of winter unwrapped and exposed. I usually see this occurring at big box and grocery stores. These places sell a ton of houseplants, so why don’t they have paper sleeves to put them in? I guess that is why we should always shop at an independent garden center first, if possible. They almost always have paper sleeves and know how to treat their houseplants right. Most houseplants hail from the tropics and have no desire to be exposed even for a moment to freezing temperatures. If those temperatures are accompanied by windy conditions, all the worse for the plants. If you buy a houseplant in the colder months, make sure it is wrapped well in PAPER, not plastic, unless paper isn’t available. Plastic is better than nothing at all. When I am at a grocery store and a plant jumps into my cart, I use two paper grocery bags and cover the plant completely.

Make sure your plant is wrapped safely in a paper sleeve

Make sure your car is warm when you put your plant inside. Don’t buy a plant and then run 10 errands, leaving your plant in the cold. If you have to run errands, make sure your plant purchase is at the last stop before going home. Get your plants home and into the warmth as soon as possible. Keeping your plant protected from the cold is the best way to ensure it stays healthy and happy when you get it home.

Make sure it is wrapped up tight

Do you make sure your plants are wrapped in the cold? Have you ever taken a plant out in the cold, thinking it would be okay, only to have it die after getting it home?