Cold Weather Shipping

Though the weather outside is getting frightful 🥶, your garden can still be delightful ☀️. Our baby-sized plants 🌱 make it easy to cozy up this fall and winter whether you plan to grow them inside or just keep them safe from the cold. Now if that isn’t hygge, we don’t know what is. Read on to learn more about how we guarantee your plants will arrive alive!

We ship all throughout the year. If it’s 35 degrees Fahrenheit or above, we guarantee your order will arrive alive. Just make sure you track your package closely and retrieve it as soon as possible so it’s not chillin’ (pun entirely intended) in a freezing mailbox 📫 for an extended time period. We have sent thousands of plants safely to their destinations. However, please let us know if there are any problems with your order after arrival by sending us a message with a picture of your plants within 48 hours. We can’t guarantee your plants will continue to thrive 48 hours after they arrive at your house, so please let us know of any problems or concerns promptly.

If temperatures are below 35, you can ask us to hold your order in the order notes at checkout. If the temperature plummets between placing the order and it being fulfilled, you can always email us. We can hold orders for a few days, weeks, or even until next season. Any plants shipped in temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit are shipped at your own risk and are not guaranteed.

Have more questions? Check out our frequently asked cold-weather questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it too cold to grow this in my area?

The short answer is No! From houseplants to landscape greenery, our baby-sized starters are convenient to bring indoors during cold weather, so you can grow anything you want whether its final destination is intended to be in your home or if it just needs a temporary shelter from the bleak winter.

Your plant may be able to withstand the amount of cold in your area and there is an easy way to find out. The USDA has created a Plant Hardiness Zone Map that green thumb enthusiasts, like yourself, rely on for seeing which plants are most likely to succeed in their neck of the woods, based on average minimum temperatures. Find out your zone by entering your zipcode on the USDA’s site. Each of our product pages includes the hardiness zone, so you can easily see if the plant’s zone number matches your area’s zone. If a plant grows outside your zone, you can still grow it; just pot it in a container and bring it indoors during cold weather or provide other winter protection, such as mulching or covering.

Should I check the temperature forecast before I order?

Yes, definitely! If it’s 35 Fahrenheit or above, we guarantee your order will arrive alive. Any plants shipped in temperatures below 35 are shipped at your own risk and are not guaranteed.

We don’t advise or guarantee shipping in freezing or below-freezing temperatures. Please ensure lows do not go under 35 when you order. If the temperatures are low, just email us and we will be happy to hold your order. Also, make sure you track your package closely and retrieve it from the cold outdoors as soon as it arrives to increase chances of success.

Can you hold my order?

Absolutely! If temperatures are below 35 degrees Fahrenheit, just email us give us the date you would like to hold your order until. We can hold it for a few days, weeks, or even until next season. 

Do you ship with heat packs? 

We do not ship with heat packs because we have not found them to be the most effective solution, but we do insulate packages bound for cold destinations.

Why did my plant arrive with no leaves?

Fall sweater weather, the scent of cinnamon brooms, and the flavor of pumpkin spice emanating from the kitchen signal the beautiful autumn leaves 🍁 we all love turning from green to a crispy orange and yellow; we know that although the leaves have fallen, the trees are still alive and well; they’re just hibernating (in plant terms, going dormant) until the spring season brings a wellspring of new life.

Our plants are greenhouse-grown in the heart of Central Florida, so many of our plants are still actively growing throughout the cold season. A few plants, like gingers, figs, and elephant ears go dormant, so they aren’t as prolific and may even lose all their leaves. This is totally normal and actually very healthy for plants. Like hibernation, it is an important part of the growing cycle when plants are strengthening their root systems instead of focusing on creating new growth. They are still healthy, viable plants that will begin growing new leaves in spring when there is more light and warmer temperatures during the day and night. 

How do I know my plant is dormant and not dead?

It can be tricky to tell, especially because it takes a whole season or two for a plant to awaken from dormancy. Patience is the best test so your plant can remain undisturbed while strengthening its roots; but if you’re really antsy, you can do a couple quick tests to reassure yourself: Very gently give the stem a tiny push and if it doesn’t snap in half, then it’s probably alive and well. You can also check to see if there is green under the stem by making a very tiny scratch with your finger. 

When will my plant come out of dormancy?

Spring is a wonderful time when all the world is turning green again. However, the first sign of Spring doesn’t necessarily mean the plant will come out of dormancy since there may still be cold temperatures at night and each individual plant has its own timetable. Some are late bloomers. Sometimes it can be mid to late April for plants to come out of dormancy. And in colder climates, it will take possibly into May/June. It takes a combination of care, longer days, and warmer temperatures. Before you know it, that plant you were sure was dead as a doornail will spring into new life!