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Are your plants ready for winter?

Are your plants ready for winter?

Posted on November 29 2022

 

Plant Care in Winter

It's coming… Though a little later than usual, cold days are just around the
corner; so here’s our short guide on how to prepare and care for your plants
through winter.
 

 1. Watering

With shorter days there’s less light available for your plants and what they
do receive is a lot weaker than in Summer. While they may still grow, it’ll be
significantly slower and as a result your plants definitely won’t need as much
water as they do in summer. So our tip is to go easy on the watering and let your
plants dry out a little more than usual. If you do have a schedule, stick with it and
check them weekly but always ensure the soil is dry enough before watering.
Remember, overwatering can be more dangerous for your plants than
underwatering, especially in the colder months.
 

2. Light

Many plants will struggle due to the lack of light so now is the best time for
some rearranging. Plants that were just about managing in their current spot,
perhaps in the corner of your room or in an alcove, will likely no longer receive
enough light in winter. With this in mind consider moving your plants closer to
the nearest window or into a brighter room and do what you can to reduce any
obstructions to the light they can access. Rotating your plants regularly during
winter can help ensure all of the leaves will have access to light at some point,
reducing the likelihood of your plant shedding ‘unused’ leaves.

 

 3. Dropping leaves

Even if you rotate your plants regularly, be prepared to lose a few leaves here
and there. Just like in the forests outside, your indoor jungle will still shed a
little. This is a normal cycle due to light and temperature changes, it’s not all
bad though, just say goodbye to those old leaves knowing your plant is making
space for fresh new ones in spring.

4. Humidity

As nice as it can be to have the heating on, our plants aren’t as big fans of the
dry air that comes with it so try to increase the humidity around your plants
where possible. Try keeping your plants clustered close together, that way
water evaporating from the potting soil, as well as water lost naturally through
the leaves, will raise the relative humidity level around the plants. Another trick
to try is placing your plants on a tray of pebbles and water. The pebbles keep
the plant out of the water preventing rot and as the water
evaporates it creates a more humid environment, this can also be
achieved in an outer pot that is larger than the nursery pot within.

 

5. Get Rid of the Dust

Dust attracts pests, so don’t forget to clean those leaves.  The easiest way to do
so is to periodically rinse them under the shower or simply use a wet cloth, as a
bonus your plants’ clean leaves will shine.

6. No Cold Drafts, No Hot Radiators

Houseplants tend not to like cooler temperatures, so if you have any around
drafty windows it would be a good idea to move them to a more stable
environment for the time being. This will also keep them away from the cold
drafts that most plants aren’t a fan of, which can also contribute to leaf drop.
When moving your plants to new places, watch out for the hot air coming out of
your radiators, especially if you have palms, that’s the hot dry air that they don’t like.


7. Fertiliser

Since your plants are in ‘sleeping’ mode (dormant) most of them will be happy to
have a break from fertiliser as they won’t make much use of it and it can even
build up in the soil to harmful levels. As soon as spring rolls around your plants
will be glad to be back on their favourite plant food and their growth will take off
once more!
Once you’ve checked all the boxes, make yourself a tea and relax. Until spring
there’s not much to do, in a way winter is like a vacation for us plant lovers (once
you’ve prepared for it). Now simply neglect your plants a little and prepare
yourself for the repotting season in spring.

 

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