During the winter season, we tend to be less productive than in any other season. We just feel like laying in our beds with our blankets on. And in the daytime, we just enjoy the warmth of the sun. Also, elderly people and children need extra care in winter. However, they are not the only one who needs more attention. If your lawn is full of plants, they also tend to be vulnerable during winter. The reduced temperature, lack of sunlight and dryness in the air are things that can affect the health of your plants. If you don’t give proper care, they can even die. If you are searching for how to take care of your houseplants during winter, this article will provide you with perfect tips.
Adjust Your Watering Routine
Watering is one of the important things to keep your plants healthy. However, as plants grow at a slow rate during winter, you don’t need to water them frequently. You can check a few inches more profound in the soil to know if it’s time to water your plants or not. Make sure you don’t depend on if the upper part of the plant is dry or not as it is not the perfect indicator. Watering your plants regularly causes roots to dry and can be life-threatening for the plant.
Monitor Humidity Level
If you have indoor plants, you need to pay a little more attention to them. Air during winter is quite dry and the use of heaters will make it even drier. Plants with thin leaves require more moisture. Therefore, make sure to place these plants where there is more moisture. You can even use humidifiers. Another clever trick is you can place a group of plants together in the same space. This will create a micro-climate around them and put evaporated water to good use.
Watch the Temperature
Houseplants usually come from tropical regions, and they can be particular about the temperature they prefer. Therefore, you should know the ideal temperature for the plants you have and keep an eye on the thermostat. You can keep them in18 to 26 degrees Celsius during the day and 10 to 18 degrees Celsius during the night. Also, don’t keep them in both cold and heated areas as this will kill the houseplants.
Follow the Sun
Sunlight is equally important as water to plants. Nevertheless, winter days are short leading to fewer hours of sunlight. Thus, you need to relocate your houseplants to a brighter spot. Don’t forget to clean your windows from both inside and outside. This will help them to enjoy better light. You should clean the leaves of the plants so that they can absorb more sunlight.
Watch for Pests
The increased heat from the heaters, lack of sunlight, and increased humidity because of humidifiers can be perfect for pests to grow. Therefore, you need to monitor your plants for any spider webs or any other problems and take immediate steps to eliminate the threat. You can also use pesticides and insecticides if the number of pests increases. However, make sure to use the right amount of these chemicals as they can harm the plants if used haphazardly.
Put Your Houseplants on a Diet
You already know that plants tend to grow slower in the winter season. This means that they don’t need any fertilizer. You can resume fertilizing only if you see signs of new growth or the green of the existing leaves. Early spring is the perfect time to restart fertilizing these plants. Feeding your plant in winter will just upset its natural cycle. You should consider winter off-season for your houseplants and let them rest.
In the winter months, your plants are going through changes. For many tropical houseplants, this is a time when they need to go dormant so that their leaves can shrivel or fall from the plant completely. One way to help keep your houseplants alive in the winter is to create a macro-environment for each plant so that it can change as needed.
Also See: Top 4 Affordable Home Renovation Ideas That Are Worth the Cost
