In the Garden
Seven Tips for Keeping your Houseplants Healthy in Winter
From Garden Design Magazine: "Houseplants are often appreciated the most during the dead of winter, when we are indoors and long to be surrounded by lush greenery. It can be especially challenging to keep houseplants healthy during the colder months because of less-than-favorable conditions, like drying indoor heat and dwindling daylight. Below are a few tips for modifying your plant care routine to get your houseplants through the winter and ready to welcome spring:
1) Although you may be tempted to water your houseplants more frequently in winter because of the dry indoor air, most of them actually do better with longer times between watering because they are growing more slowly. Use less water and water less often. Always use room temperature water.
2) Take a break from fertilizing plants because most are semi-dormant during the winter months. Using fertilizer to stimulate growth will prevent your plants from getting the rest they need. As soon as you see signs of new growth in spring, you may fertilize.
3) Put your plants in the best light you can to compensate from the lower angle of the sun and fewer daylight hours. If your plants aren’t getting enough sunlight, you will notice them begin to stretch toward the light source. Rotate your pots a quarter turn every time you water.
4) Keep houseplants away from heating vents, radiators, fireplaces and cold drafts entering through doorways and windows. Make sure the foliage doesn’t touch the glass. Sudden blasts of hot or cold air can cause foliage damage, leaf drop and even death upon prolonged exposure.
5) Although houseplant pests can be a problem any time of the year, their populations tend to explode during the fall and winter. Spider mites, in particular, thrive in the warm, dry conditions of a heated home. Spot pests early because they can multiply rapidly and be hard to get rid of.
6) Because there’s less sunlight during the winter, it’s particularly important to keep your plant’s leaves free of dust so they can take in as much light as possible.
7) If you need to re-pot a plant, choose a new container that is no more than two inches in diameter larger than the current pot.
I hope these tips will help you to take care of your plants during the winter months. In May, you may bring them outside where they will thrive as long as you adhere to their light requirements.