WINTER HOUSEPLANT CARE GUIDE
Winters in Indiana can be tough on us and our houseplants, too! As the days get colder and darker and the air gets drier, we need to take extra steps to keep our plants thriving. Follow our guide for winter houseplant care so you and your houseplants can stay happy and healthy.
How Do You Protect Indoor Plants in the Winter?
While you may be an excellent plant parent during most of the year, houseplants face extra challenges during the winter months. You’ll need to adapt your houseplant care strategy to be winter-weather friendly. Water, humidity, light, and location are significant factors in protecting indoor plants during winter.
Water Less Frequently
While our houseplants need water to live, overwatering is one way to kill them quickly, especially during winter. There is less access to light, so they grow more slowly. Do a finger test and only water your houseplants if the soil is dry 1-2 inches down. To avoid shock, use room temperature water.
When the plant is dried out, give it a good, thorough watering. Small sips of water frequently can harm or kill your plant during winter. Just be sure to let the plant drain well after a good soak.
Avoid Fertilizing and Let Plants Rest
Your plants have done plenty of work during the warm months, so let them make like a bear and hibernate! Unless your plants are the winter-flowering variety, they will slow down growth or go dormant. Since the plant is resting, don’t fertilize it.
Fertilizing a houseplant during winter can weaken it and make it vulnerable to infestation and root rot. During winter, leave major pruning until the warmer months, but you can remove any dead or yellowing leaves.
Turn Up The Humidity
While we’re all trying to stay warm inside, the forced air in our homes can dry out and make humidity-loving plants sick. Choose a mister, humidifier, or create a pebble tray to increase humidity around your plants. As mentioned, grouping your plants together can help plants create and share the humidity in their own little bubble.
Keep Plants Cozy
Just like we keep an eye on the thermostat during winter to keep our toes warm, we need to keep our houseplants at just the right temperature. A hot draft from a fireplace, heater, or furnace can dry out your plants, leaving them parched and crispy. A cold draft from an open window or near an exterior door can put the plant into shock.
Many of our favorite houseplants come from tropical areas and won’t survive a cold gust of Indiana winter wind! Take care of your houseplants in winter by choosing a spot with no drafts, away from vents, and clustered together to increase humidity.
Leave Houseplants Alone
There’s plenty to do indoors during winter, but repotting your plants is not one of them. Repot your plants during spring or summer when the plant is awake. Repotting a dormant plant can disturb its natural cycles. Let it sleep!
Maximize Sunlight
Sunlight is in high demand during winter. The shorter days in winter can make it challenging to care for and get your houseplants enough sunlight. There are a few tricks to boost your houseplant’s access to light.
Use a grow light: Investing in a grow light is well worth it. You can place a grow light anywhere and put your neediest plants under it to keep them warm and cozy during winter. Reuse this grow light in the future for seedlings and any low-light area in your home where you’d like some greenery.
Rotate, rotate, rotate: You can help your houseplants get better access to light with frequent ¼ rotations. This way, your houseplant’s leaves can take turns soaking up and distributing that tasty sunlight throughout—leading to healthier and fuller growth.
Wash your windows: Add window washing to your chore list! Removing dirt and debris from your windows will help sunlight come through brighter and less filtered.
Give your houseplants a fighting chance this winter! If you want to learn more about Indianapolis houseplant winter care, visit us! At Dammann’s, we’re always here to help.