Zone 5 - Can I bring an outdoor plant indoors for a while?

Question

I have a Seven Son Flowering Tree that is just a little tiny thing. I thought I planted it in a safe spot and it's happy there (planted it late last summer), but today, my landscaper nicked a small branch off with his weed trimmer. I want to protect the plant from further damage by potting it until it gets bigger, which is probably what I should have done in the first place. Can I pot it now after it's been in the ground? Also, I know we are not out of the woods as far as freezes go and I know pots aren't as warm as ground, so I was thinking of bringing it inside at night for about the next month or so. What do you think? Is this a good plan? Thanks!

Answer 1

If it were me, I'd leave it alone. If you bring it indoors, it will disrupt its natural cycle of dormancy and probably cause it more stress than simply leaving it undisturbed outdoors. It's a good idea to protect young shrubs and trees in their first winter by mulching them heavily--if you put enough around the base, you shouldn't have to trim close enough to it to damage it. To protect the plant from cold winter winds, you can erect a makeshift shelter around the plant by pushing four stakes of about the same height as the plant into the ground around it and then staple canvas or similar fabric around it. But we're getting close enough to the end of cold weather (I hope!) that this probably won't be necessary this year, although if it's still small next year you might consider it.

Answer 2

You can bring it in until the threat of frost is over for the season, but don't take it in and out. OR, if it's doing well outside now, just put something like chicken wire around it to keep the weed trimmer away and cover it at night.

Answer 3

If you do you will need to hose it down to get off any lurking bugs or they will set up housekeeping inside your home.