6 Tips to Keeping Houseplants Alive in Winter
Do your indoor plants have the winter blues? Not to worry—our Horticulture Supervisor, Steve Hogenmiller has six tips and tricks to keeping your plants happy and healthy.
Don’t over-water | It’s the most common mistake. If the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry, then you can water. If you use tap water, let it sit for 24 hours to dissipate the chlorine and fluorine. Plus, room temperature water is much better than cold tap water.
Clean the leaves | Cleaning your plants allows for more light to penetrate the leaves for photosynthesis. All you need to do is wipe the leaves to remove dust and debris.
Allow sunlight | Indoor plants need sunlight, even in the darkest winter months. Don’t stick your dieffenbachia in the corner until May!
Avoid drafts | Keep plants away from drafty areas. If you can increase the humidity in your house to 40%, that will make a huge difference in plant growth.
Never repot | Never repot a houseplant in winter; instead, wait until spring. Don’t purchase new plants in the winter as the freezing temperatures can easily damage the foliage—even just a walk to the car.
Scout, scout, scout | Be on the lookout for pests and diseases. We recommend insecticidal soaps, oils, or alcohol on cotton swabs for insect control. Remove dead or diseased leaves off the plant and out of the pot.