The cosy season has started! Nothings beats sitting by the heating with hot chocolate during those cold winter days. But not everybody loves the cold or when the heating is glowing, your green houseplants for example. Taking care of your plants is also different during the winter than during summer. Are you curious about how you help your plants survive the winter? We will give you some tips.
1. Be carefull with the heating
Baby, it’s cold outside! To heat up your room, you probably turn on the heater. But your plants do not like it as much as you do. Because of the warm, dry air of your heating, your plants will dry out. Therefore, it is better to not place your plant above or close to a heating.
In case you have underfloor heating, this also applies to you. Because plants also don’t like underfloor heating. It is better to place your plants on tables or cupboards, instead of on the floor. And remember; there are always exceptions; I’m looking at you, cacti.
2. Spraying, spraying, spraying
Putting on the heating results in a lower humidity level at your house. Many plants originate from a tropical environment and are used to a high level of humidity. It is hard to satisfy your plants during winter, but not impossible! Pull that plant sprayer out of the closet, fill it with water and spray your plants. You can’t spray too many times during winter. But be careful, because not all plants like a shower. The Begonia-family is probably the best known example. Check which plant you could spray with water.
3. Reduce watering your plants
Did you know plants go dormant in winter? They use less energy during this period and therefore less water evaporates. This is the reason your plants need less water during winter. If you keep giving the same amount of water as during summer, your plant will drown. But how do you know if your plant needs water? To measure this, put your finger deep in the soil. If the soil is dry, you could give your plant water.
4. Stop giving nutriotion during winter
When plants go dormant, they need less nutrition. Therefore it is not necessary to give them nutrition during winter. Maybe you think; nah, a little bit of nutrition does not harm my plants. But think again, because too many nutrition could lead to damage tot he roots of your wonderfull plant. And you do not want this to happen, right?
5. Check if you plants get enough light
That one spot with perfect indirect sunlight during summer might turn into a shade spot during winter. This probably means you have to move the plant that you placed there in the summer. Keep an eye on your plants! A few yellow leaves is no reason to panic, but are many leaves turning yellow? You probably need to check if your plant gets enough light.
