During dormancy, plants stop growing and conserve energy until better cultural conditions present themselves. This happens naturally as seasons and weather changes. And it can also be artificially controlled to store plants for shipping or to get them to flower for particular holidays. Tulip and daffodil bulbs, for example, can be artificially chilled to send them into dormancy, then brought out of dormancy at the desired time to force them into bloom when required, such as for Valentine’s Day potted plants or Easter lily displays. For perennial plants in the ground, there is a potential danger if a plant breaks dormancy too soon. Many a perennial has been lost for the growing season when an unseasonably warm spell causes the plant to break dormancy and send up green growth, which is then killed when the weather returns to cold. To prevent this, it’s recommended that the ground be kept covered with mulch in the spring, to prevent the dramatic thaw-freeze cycles that can cause this problem.
