60 Plant Dormancy
All living things have some sort of biological clock.
For humans, it’s the fatigue we feel each night declaring that it’s time to sleep (or to go “dormant”).
For plants, dormancy declares when to prepare their soft tissues for freezing temperatures, dry weather, or water and nutrient shortage.
Instead of exerting energy in an attempt to grow, they know to stop growing and conserve energy until mild weather returns. This period of arrested growth allows roots to continue developing and thriving.
During dormancy, plants stop growing and conserve energy until better cultural conditions present themselves. This happens naturally as seasons and weather changes. It can also be artificially controlled to store plants for shipping or to get them to flower for particular holidays.