Currently, it’s the dead of winter here in New England. The temperatures have dropped severely, the snow is falling, and the heat is on inside. What does this mean for houseplants? Well, over the past couple months, I’ve noticed some changes in my own, and I thought I’d share some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way that has kept them from withering away as winter proceeds.
Tip 1: Beware of Drafty Windows and Dipping Temperatures
By late fall, I had noticed a few of my more tropical houseplants that sit near my big living room window had begun to lose some leaves, droop, and, overall, become a little cranky. Turns out, the quick change in temperature and a drafty window had left them feeling a bit cold for their liking. There are a couple ways that you can warm them back up, or prevent the situation altogether.
You can always add a plastic covering to your window, as to winterize and help reduce drafts. Also, if possible, you can move your houseplants. As this wasn’t possible for me, due to limited space and numerous plants, I turned up the heat and made sure that our thermostat monitor (we have Nest) sat on their plant ledge as to base the temperature needs of the room off of where they’re located. Once our house temperature settled at a steady 70 degrees, the plants perked back up. What would I do differently next year? I would put plastic over my windows in mid-fall, move the thermostat monitor at that time, and set it to at least 65 degrees. This would hopefully reduce the shock of the fall to winter temperature change.
Tip 2: Increase the Humidity
As some houseplants depend on a comfortable humidity level to thrive, it’s important to add a little more humidity to the air during the winter months when it tends to become much drier due to the season and your home’s heat. You can mist your plants more often, invest in a plant humidifier, or even a tower humidifier for you and your plants. (We feel the dryness, too!) In our home, we have an AIRCARE Pedestal 3.5 Gallon Tower Evaporative Humidifier that covers up to 2,400 square feet, which is larger than our home. It definitely helps us and our plants a TON. Before we turned it on, my plants were looking a little more dry and droopy, even with normal waterings, but since we’ve been using it consistently, they’re much happier. Especially my nerve plants!
Tip 3: Supplement their Sunlight
This tip comes as I noticed one of my houseplants’ leaves weren’t curling properly. Turns out, despite living in our home’s sunniest window, the light levels were still too low! In the winter, the sun isn’t as strong as it is during the other three seasons. Supplementation is often needed for many plants. Therefore, I invested in a couple of grow lights, which help the plants to receive the amounts of sunlight they crave, stimulating photosynthesis. While it is normal for plant growth to slow in the winter, their dormant season, some plants aren’t well suited for the change and need the supplementation of grow lights to keep healthy, never mind thrive.
Tip 4: Keep Leaves Clean
This goes along with the issue of sunlight. Have you ever noticed that your home is a little more dusty during the winter? Well, lack of circulation and closed windows can cause dust to accumulate more quickly, and plants will become dusty just like anything else. If a plant’s leaves are dusty, they aren’t able to absorb what little sunlight they would be able to get on a good day. Therefore, for plants with hairy leaves, gently brushing dust off with a soft paintbrush or plant duster, and for plants with waxy leaves, wiping them down or giving them a little “shower,” will go a long way to help them gather the light they need. I just cleaned off my Fiddle Leaf Fig’s leaves, and she has been beaming ever since.
Tip 5: Water Less
Since there is less sunlight, your houseplants aren’t in need of as much water in comparison to the warmer months. Less evaporation. Plus, many plants enjoy less water during their dormant stages, which are often during colder months. If you continue with your usual warmer-months routine, you may cause root rot.
Here’s what’s tricky: The top layer of soil will dry much faster than the soil underneath during the winter due to the dry air; therefore, a quick glance isn’t a good indicator of whether or not your plant needs to be watered. A water meter is your BEST FRIEND during the winter. One of my plants suffered a little from overwatering because it always looked so dry, but it turned out, it really wasn’t and I ended up with yellow leaves! (She’s okay now, as I’ve scaled back.)
As the seasons change, and cold weather approaches, keep these five tips in mind, and your plants will adapt better and keep healthier–promise!
