Caring For Houseplants In The Winter
Nov 20th, 2009 by tommy
Houseplants such as Weeping Figs and Pothos can be wonderful additions to your home’s indoor environment. Not only do they recycle the carbon dioxide that we exhale, but houseplants provide the added benefit of a nice green plant to admire during the cold winter months.
Caring for houseplants in the winter is really not that much different than in the summer. However, there are a few basic tips that you should remember in order for your houseplants to survive the cooler temperatures and lower light conditions that our homes experience during these colder months of the year.
Water Sparingly
As with outdoor plants when it is cloudy and cool, houseplants do not use as much water during the winter. You should never let your houseplants reach the permanent wilting point. But, you should allow the soil to dry out to a depth of at least one half inch before watering. Overwatering or water-logging the roots of your houseplants will restrict the air transfer in the soil. Plus, you risk fungal diseases and fungus gnats damaging your plant. When you do water, apply enough to thoroughly wet the entire soil profile.
A good tip is to take your plants to the sink for watering. If you leave your houseplants in the sink for at least 30 minutes after watering you will allow any excess to drain away.
Don’t Fertilize
When caring for houseplants in the winter I don’t like to apply any fertilizer from November through April. When you do begin fertilizing again, your houseplants will benefit from the constant small supply of nutrients you can provide each time you water by using a dilute fertilizer solution. Whether you use organic or inorganic forms of fertilizer you can apply an amount recommended on the label that is specific for constant fertilization. When in doubt simply use one quarter of the amount you use when applying one time applications.
Provide Plenty Of Light
Unless you have a sunroom or other bright location in your home you’ll find that providing extra light makes caring for houseplants in the winter easier. I like to move my plants closer to south facing windows during the winter. This helps to maximize the natural light available in your home as the sun is lower in the horizon during winter. Another option is to provide grow lights for your houseplants. This tactic can be expensive and is really not that necessary unless you are wanting specific results from your plants such as continuous flowering in some species.
Remember, caring for houseplants in the winter is not that difficult. Most plants will survive the winter in your home just fine as long as you keep these tips in mind.
Happy (Indoor) Gardening!
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