Gardener demonstrates hack to keep your favorite plants alive through winter: 'Did you grow a pepper variety that you loved this year?'

Crops and freezing weather don't typically mix, but one TikToker has a hack to help gardeners during those harsh winter months.

Gardener Jennifer (@hookandgarden_) shared a video showing how to protect pepper plants when those freezing temperatures arrive. It's a process called overwintering. 

@hookandgarden_ #overwintering #veggiegarden #backyardgarden #howto #gardentipsandtricks #gardentok ♬ original sound - HookandGarden

The scoop

In the video, Jennifer asks a simple question: "Did you grow a pepper variety that you loved this year?" If so, overwintering will help sustain the pepper plant during less-than-ideal conditions.

The TikToker demonstrates the overwintering process step-by-step. First, gather the right equipment. You'll likely need gloves, a garden spade, pruning shears, buckets, and fresh compost.

Next, harvest all remaining peppers on the plant. Using a spade, make a circle around the root base. Then, twist and pull the plant out of the ground. Shake off any extra dirt and rinse the roots off with water.

Trim the roots using pruning shears and place the plant in a bucket. Cover the plant with fresh compost and prune it heavily. Finally, find a warm area to store it — and your pepper plant is officially ready to survive through the winter. 

How it's helping

Overwintering is a cost-effective hack. As noted by Sustainable America, keeping a plant alive through the cold season helps avoid the trouble of paying for a replacement plant every year.

In general, gardening helps keep money in your wallet. Investing in crops can save you hundreds of dollars per year on produce. There's also the positive environmental impact, as gardening minimizes waste and reduces pollution.

If you don't want to garden alone, consider making it a group activity. Researchers found that community gardening is beneficial to mental health. According to one study, people who participated in community gardening had a higher level of optimism.

How often will you be gardening this summer? Every day At least once a week At least once a month I don't garden Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

There's an impact on your physical health too. A different study revealed that people who garden tend to move more and consume more fiber daily.  

What everyone's saying

Jennifer's TikTok about overwintering has thousands of views and hundreds of likes. The video garnered enough interest to prompt several follow-up questions about the gardening hack.

A couple of commenters asked about keeping the plants hydrated during the winter. "Water them as per usual," Jennifer responded.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.