Winter is coming ! And no , I ’m not tattle about a big - budget TV show with firedrake and direwolves . I ’m talking about that rimy , chilly time of twelvemonth when you just want to practice bundling up in a thousand blanket and quash leaving the house until April .
But opine who does n’t have the luxury of snuggling up with a cup of hot chocolate ? Your houseplants . Those green , leafy roommates that wordlessly judge your over - watering habits .
In fact , they need a little extra TLC to make it through the cold months . So , buckle up , works parents ! Let ’s dive into the human beings of winter houseplant concern and verify your indoor jungle stays succulent and happy until spring .
1. Light, Light, Baby
First things first , we need to talk about light . Winter ’s short days and lower slant of sun are not doing your plant any favour . It ’s like the Sunday all of a sudden decided to take a part - fourth dimension job , and your plant are suffering for it .
Just like how we gorge on vitamin D supplement in winter , your plants are hunger some rays . The battle is substantial .
But do n’t worry , this is fixable . Start by move your plants nigher to windows where they can pluck up as much light as possible . northward - facing windows ? Yeah , they ’re about as utile as a chocolate teapot in wintertime .
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take aim for east or south - confront window or else . You might even necessitate to rearrange your entire living room , but it ’s all in the name of keeping those works glad , right ? If you do n’t have enough natural lighting , or if the weather idol are being especially gloomy , consider investing in a grow light .
believe of it as the houseplant variant of afford them a spa solar day with some ultraviolet radiation military action . They ’ll bonk it , and you ’ll get to finger like the hero of your own indoor hobo camp saga .
2. Don’t Overwater – Your Plants Aren’t Thirsty Right Now
You know that tendency we all have to overcompensate during the colder months ? Like how we pledge three cup of chocolate before 10 a.m. because “ it ’s dark and I ’m tired ! ”
Well , that ’s kind of what happens when you overwater your industrial plant in wintertime . It feel like they demand more attention , but in realism , they ’re just fine with a little less .
plant go dormant in winter , which is a fancy way of saying they ’re pick out a short sleep and do n’t call for as much piss as they do during their more participating months .
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Overwatering can conduct to etymon rot , which is basically the industrial plant adaptation of your spoiled hangover — sad , droopy , and in pauperization of serious retrieval time .
So how do you avoid this tragic fate ? round-eyed . permit the top column inch or two of the soil dry out before you irrigate again . lodge your finger in there like you ’re testing the cake hitter . If it ’s dry , it ’s sentence to water . If it ’s still moist , step by from the tearing can .
Also , fillip bakshish : ensure your dope have drainage hole . plant do n’t like sitting in stagnant piss any more than you enjoy sitting in wet socks . Gross .
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3. Humidity: It’s Like Plant Perfume
Let ’s talk about humidity , the unsung hoagy of plant life caution . When wintertime rolls in , we crank up the heat , and suddenly the air in your home is drier than a stand - up comic ’s sarcastic punchline .
Your plants ? Not a fan . They ’re used to a more tropic vibe , and the lack of wet in the breeze during wintertime is the combining weight of giving them a spoilt hair day for months on end .
To combat this , you want to get originative . You could empower in a humidifier , which is great for both you and your flora ( incentive : no more arouse up with a ironical throat ! ) . But if you ’re not quite quick to make that jumping , you could go low - tech .
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Group your works together to produce a slight humidity bubble , or put them on a tray with pebbles and water .
The evaporating water will help oneself increase the humidity around your plant , kind of like giving them their own personal health spa handling . Ah , the things we do for our leafy Friend .
Oh , and if you ’re feeling especially fancy , give them a misting now and then . Not too much — this is n’t a rain forest , after all — but a light mist can help simulate a more humid environment .
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Plus , it ’s kind of sport to pretend you ’re a benevolent flora deity , bestowing the endowment of mist upon your kingdom .
4. Temperature: Keep It Cozy, Not Roasty
Picture this : you ’re draw in up on the couch , tear - watch your favourite show , and you ’ve got the heat turn up to max stratum because winter is out there trying to freeze everything in its path .
But before you crank the thermoregulator even higher , think of your plants . They like it warm , but not too warm . And sudden temperature changes ? Oh , they hate that .
Keep your plants forth from drafty window , doors , or heating plant vent . The last thing they need is to be blasted with cold air one minute and then roasted by a heater the next .
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It ’s the plant equivalent of being on a rollercoaster , and they ’d much rather have a steady , well-to-do temperature . direct for a consistent grasp between 65 ° F and 75 ° F during the day , and have it put down slenderly at Nox .
recall of it as creating a informal microclimate for your plants — something that ’s warm , but not like you ’re trying to blackguard marshmallows indoors .
5. Dust Off Those Leaves
Winter is the perfect metre to beguile up on all those thing you ’ve been signify to do — like organizing your closet , or in this instance , dusting off your plant leaf . Yes , plant leaves get moth-eaten , and no , they do n’t have tiny Swiffer sirocco coat of arms to clean house themselves .
Dust buildup can block the sunshine from gain your plants ’ parting , which is already in light supplying during wintertime . So snap up a soft cloth ( or a damp newspaper towel if you ’re in a pinch ) and gently wipe down those leave .
Your works will appreciate the effort , and you ’ll finger like you ’ve accomplished something rich without leaving the house . Plus , it ’s kind of relaxing . Like giving your industrial plant a little massage . Do n’t judge me — try it .
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6. Slow Down on Fertilizer – It’s Winter Break
Okay , so we ’ve covered watering and light , but what about feeding your plants ? Here ’s the mass : just like how we care to take it easy during the cold months , your plants are n’t looking to be ingurgitate with fertilizer .
They ’re not in a growing spurt right now ; they ’re more similar in a winter hibernation manner .
hale them to eat more ( in plant term , that ’s fertiliser ) when they ’re not actively originate is like someone push seconds on you when you ’re already full . Unnecessary , and a little annoying .
In universal , it ’s best to cut back on fertilizing your industrial plant during winter . If you usually feed them once a month , stretch it out to every two or three month .
Or , better yet , take a faulting until outpouring . Your plants wo n’t mind , and it gives you one less matter to worry about while you ’re busy sipping hot cocoa and neglect the C. P. Snow piling up outdoors .
7. Repotting? Not Right Now
If you ’re one of those overzealous industrial plant parent who loves repotting at every chance , I have some newsworthiness for you . wintertime isnotthe prison term to be switching up your industrial plant ’ home .
Think of it like this : your plants are cool down ( literally ) and do n’t require to distribute with the tot up tenseness of actuate to a new mountain when they ’re just trying to make it the winter . It ’s like being asked to move apartment in the midriff of a blizzard . tough pass .
Repotting is best done during the grow time of year , which typically starts in spring . That ’s when your plants are feeling excite , quick for new adventures , and can handle the modulation more smoothly .
So , if you ’ve been eyeing that Modern terracotta skunk , just wait a few more months . Your plant life will thank you for it .
With these seven essential baksheesh , your plants will make it through the inhuman month like the live footling greenish warriors they are .
And when spring roll around , they ’ll be quick to fly high once more , all thanks to your expert winter care . Who cognise keeping a lot of houseplant awake in winter could feel so heroical ?
Just remember , they ’re counting on you to get them through this wintry time of year . And let ’s be true — you’re perish to need their oxygen and in effect vibes when the winter blues shoot .
