Winter Houseplant Care Is Crucial

Proper Winter houseplant care is crucial to keep your plants vibrant and healthy. Heat and dry air along with the reduced sunlight levels during this season can be especially hard on some plants.

With this season comes the dip in temperatures that we try to remedy by adding heat.

These fluctuations can be very stressful and damaging on our plants which can lead to pest infestations.

 Humidity for Winter Houseplant Care

Be mindful of the heat that comes through the air vents or any other source.   Heat makes the air very dry, depleting the moisture, which causes low humidity.   Plants may show signs of low humidity stress, such as brown leaf tips.

The amount of water vapor in the air is the humidity which surrounds you plants. It is important for plant growth. If your house is too dry, you can use a humidity tray or a room humidifier to give your plants the extra humidity they need.

Plus, a fine misting of water several times daily and grouping plants together will create a more humid environment for them.

Waterings

Check for dryness by poking your fingers into the soil. If the soil is dry down to the roots, water.

You can also use the weight test. If the plant is heavy, do not water; on the other hand, if the plant is light weight, water and drain off excess to prevent root rot that will kill your plant.

Always use room-temperature water that has been allowed to sit out open for 24 hours. This rids the water of the harmful chlorine and the tepid water avoid shocking your plants.

Supplement Light

Winter houseplant care takes in consideration that fluctuations in light intensity can be stressful, also, and that different kinds of plants prefer different amounts of light.

Some plants, when moved from high light to low light will experience some decline. For example, the ficus will experience massive leaf drop when moved and the Croton must have adequate light in order for them to keep their distinctive, radiant colors.

You can use compact fluorescent grow lights to supplement your plants. They produce more light with the widest range of the color spectrum with less heat which avoids leaf burn. They are ideal for foliage, flowers, seedlings, and herb gardens. Plus, they are inexpensive and can be used in a regular light socket.


Locations

It is coldest around the windows during the cold weather months. If you do not have energy efficient dual pane windows, take measures to shield your plants from the cold by covering the windows with clear plastic and use thermal drapes or curtains.

Plants like the Chinese evergreen, aspidistra, dieffenbachia and ivy likes a north-facing window for the cooler temperature. African violets prefer east and west-facing windows because they like it a little warmer. Place ficus plants on the southside because they like a lot of sunlight.

Halt Feedings

Houseplants do not need to be fertilized during winter because they are dormant, which means they are resting. When plants are not in the active growth stage, they do not absorb the fertilizer. So it just stays there and builds up which could damage your plant.


Plant Maintenance

Grooming is a very important part of winter houseplant care because a clean plant can better use the available light.

Remove all dust and dead flowers. Clean small plants with a gentle spray of water and wipe down large leaves with a sponge or soft cloth. Remember healthy plants are less likely to get attacked by pests.

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