Everything you need to know about Winter plant care
Indoor plants can be affected by the harsh temperature changes that come along with winter. This guide for winter plant care will help you to adjust your plant care routine to keep your plants healthy all year round.
Winter Plant Care Tips
The season of festivities, a new start and cold January nights! Looking after your plants in winter can be challenging. A lack of light and cold temperatures can cause your plants to enter a dormant stage, where they can go into survival mode and shed leaves in order to preserve essential functions.
7 Winter Plant Care Tips
1. Water Sparingly
Water much less than other seasons, and always check the soil before watering, only water when the topsoil is dry. If you turn the heating up very high in your home, you may need to check more often.
2. As much light as possible
Pretty much all your plants will thank you for as much light as possible - that means being close to a window, preferably south-facing; the weaker winter sun will tend not to damage your plants so they can cope with direct sunshine.
3. Clean Plant Leaves
In order to allow as much light as possible to be absorbed by your plant's photosynthetic cells, the plant's leaves must be clean. A layer of dust on the surface of the leaves can block sunlight from penetrating the leaves for absorption.
4. Temperature
Different plants will favour different temperatures, however, keep the room temperature above at least 12-15 degrees for any tropical plants as temperatures below this can cause problems for your plants.
5. Pruning
Remove any dead plant matter on the top soil, new growth may be leggy so don't be afraid to prune.
6. No fertiliser and no repotting
Fertiliser should only be used during the spring and summer as this is the period where plants will be growing. Repotting should only be done during this time too, you should avoid repotting when the plant's growth phase has slowed.
7. Expect Leaf loss
Don't be afraid if there is some leaf loss, Spring is around the corner, with all the new growth opportunities it has to offer.
Best Indoor Plants to Buy During Winter
1. Aloe Vera
An Aloe Vera Plant, if looked after well during the year, is likely to flower during the winter months.
2. Snake Plant
A Snake Plant thrives in sunlight and shade, this low maintenance plant rarely needs repotting and prefers dry air- the perfect plant for beginners!
3. Jade Plant
A Jade Plant copes easily with varying room temperatures and needs little watering during the winter months.
