Overwintering guide
How to overwinter milk thistle
Winter watering
If you do keep it going indoors, water sparingly — just enough that the compost never dries out completely — and do not feed until growth restarts in spring.
The mistake that kills milk thistle in winter
Leaving milk thistle outside over winter expecting it back in spring. As an annual it will not return — seed or cuttings are the only way to carry it forward.
More milk thistle care
Overwintering milk thistle — FAQ
Does milk thistle need to come indoors for winter?
Milk Thistle is grown as an annual — it is frost-tender and naturally finishes at the end of the season, whatever your zone. In most climates milk thistle is grown as an annual, so there is usually nothing to overwinter — the plant completes its life cycle and dies back with the first frosts. If you want to carry it over, lift it before the first frost and grow it on in the brightest window you have, or take cuttings; otherwise collect seed and start fresh in spring, which is what most growers do.
When should I move milk thistle for winter?
Lift or take cuttings before the first frost — or let it finish and save seed.
How often should I water milk thistle in winter?
If you do keep it going indoors, water sparingly — just enough that the compost never dries out completely — and do not feed until growth restarts in spring.
What kills milk thistle over winter?
Leaving milk thistle outside over winter expecting it back in spring. As an annual it will not return — seed or cuttings are the only way to carry it forward.