HouseplantsDiscover the right indoor plants for your home.
houseplant are often appreciated the most during the dead of winter , when we ’re cooped up indoors and long to be surrounded by plushy verdure . But just because houseplant grow inside in a controlled surround does n’t mean their tutelage needs do n’t change when the time of year do .
It can be especially challenging to keep houseplants healthy and well-chosen during the cold months because of less - than - favorable conditions , like drying indoor rut and dwindling day . Here are 10 tips for alter your plant maintenance routine to get your houseplant through the winter and ready to welcome spring .
See also : Houseplant Care : 12 Tips for Healthy Indoor Plants
pic by Tatyana Aksenova / Shutterstock .
1 . changeover outdoor works in
If you ’ve been growing your houseplants outdoors during the summertime , startle moving them indoors once nightlong temperature start up dropping below 55 ° F. To help still the conversion , acclimate your plant gradually by moving them into an unwarmed porch or service department at Nox and back outdoors during the twenty-four hours . If your plants have been enjoying a summertime in the sun , help them get used to lower indoor abstemious levels by placing them in a shady spot for a week or so . Before bringing any outside plant indoors , make certain it is pest - free by direct a confining look at the leaves , stems , and soil .
Get more gratuity formoving plants indoors .
Photo by Cristina Nakamura / Shutterstock .
2 . Cut back on watering
Although you may be tempted to irrigate your houseplants more oftentimes in wintertime because of the ironic indoor air , most of them in reality do well with longer times between watering because they are grow more slowly . Not only should you abbreviate back on the absolute frequency of watering , but also on the volume , using less water than you normally would during the active growing seasons of spring and summer .
To help you set when your plants need a potable , ascertain the soil sobriety with your finger or habituate asoil wet metre . Other signs that your flora are athirst include brown folio tips and droopy leafage .
Another tip : Always use elbow room - temperature water during your houseplant tearing sessions . Anything too fond or cold can shock your plant and damage the roots .
pic by VH - Studio / Shutterstock .
3 . Take a break from fertilizing
If you ’re a negligent houseplant grower who tend to forget about fertilizing , you ’ll really be doing your plants a favor when winter come . Because most houseplants are semi - dormant during the winter month , using fertilizer to stimulate growth will forestall your plants from getting the peach sleep they need . Just be sure to resume regular feedings in spring , as soon as you see preindication of new growth .
exposure by VI Studio / Shutterstock .
4 . Amp up the humidity
Many houseplants are aboriginal to the tropic and prefer high tier of humidity that are hard to achieve in a heated up home . Running a humidifier in the room where your plants are growing is one pick , but a simpler alternative is to range the sens in a tray or dish filled with pebbles and water . As the piddle lento evaporates , it will naturally raise the humidity around your plants . Just be careful not to submerge the underside of the pots in urine because you do n’t want to drown the root .
Many houseplant growers attempt to further the humidity by befog their plants frequently . Although this practice is unlikely to do any harm , it does small to raise the humidness for a substantial length of time . A sound solution to is to moveplants that starve high humidityfrom drier areas of your home plate into a well - lit can or kitchen . The wet evaporation from cascade and preparation activities will ply a more substantive and long - lasting humidity boost .
Photo by Erik Witkowski / Shutterstock .
5 . Put them in the best light
To compensate for the lower slant of the sun and fewer hour of daylight during the winter , you may ask to move your houseplants around to give them as much Lord’s Day exposure as possible . Plants that necessitate very brilliant light , such as succulents and cacti , will do best in a room that receives direct sunlight from a Confederate States of America - facing window . Forplants that prefer medium or lustrous collateral visible light , move them to a berth in your household within a few foot of an east- or west - face windowpane .
If your plants still seem to be struggling and register sign of clean deprivation , such as lank outgrowth and yellowing farewell , consider endue in a grow light to help make up for the lack of light during this time of yr .
Another tip : If your works are n’t getting enough sun , you may also notice that they begin to lean or stretch toward the light generator . To ensure your plants get even light vulnerability , rotate your pots a fourth - round every time you irrigate .
picture by New Africa / Shutterstock .
6 . Avoid temperature extremes
Most houseplant like the same indoor temperature we do , about 70 ° to 75 ° F during the day and slightly cooler at night ( 60 ° to 65 ° F ) . Although normal temperature fluctuations are well - tolerated by most indoor plants , sudden blasts of hot or cold airwave can cause foliage damage , leaf drop , and even death upon protract exposure .
Keep houseplant away from heating vents , radiator , combat-ready open fireplace , and cold drafts enter through doorway and windows . If your plants are rest on a windowsill , make certain the foliage does n’t touch the glass on cold day . At night , expend a windowpane shadiness or profound mantle to impede out cold drawing .
Photo by Robert Lessmann / Shutterstock .
7 . Be on the observation post for gadfly
Although houseplant pests can be a problem any time of class , their populations tend to explode during the dusk and winter . Factors lend to this seasonal surge admit infested houseplants bring indoors after spending the summertime outside , lower humidity levels , and overwatering , which is more common during the winter months .
Spider mites , in particular , thrive in the warm , wry conditions of a het up home . To distinguish a pest plague early on , before it gets out of ascendence , visit your plants closely every time you water . Once pests get established indoors , they can multiply rapidly and be severe to get rid of .
see how to place and plow the mostcommon houseplant plague .
Photo by Alie04 / Shutterstock .
8 . Dust the leaves
Because there ’s less sunshine during the winter , it ’s particularly crucial to keep your works ’s result complimentary of rubble so they can take in as much Christ Within as potential . Use whatever cleaning tools you have on helping hand , such as a mild microfiber cloth , plume duster , or break leech . For plants with downy or rough-textured foliage , such as African violet , seek using a subdued - bristly paintbrush to dust off the leaf .
Photo by Pixel - Shot / Shutterstock .
9 . defy off on repotting
Winter is not the estimable metre to repot your houseplant because you do n’t desire to stimulate new ontogenesis during their sleep menstruation . If potential , hold off on repotting until spring , ideally until March or April . If you must repot , opt a raw container that is no more than 2 inches in diam great than the current pot .
Photo by Proven Winners .
10 . Add to your houseplant collection
January 10 is Houseplant Appreciation Day , and there ’s no adept way to celebrate than to contribute a few raw colourful , florescence , orunique houseplantsto your solicitation . plant that bloom indoors in winter , such ascyclamenandChristmas cactus , are particularly pick up at this time of year . A new houseplant can also be a good reminder to give all your plants the extra TLC they ask to survive the time of year in effective wellness .
