It’s getting cold in my neck of the woods…in fact, just last night I slept with the window open to enjoy the rain. Come to find out, temperatures hit below freezing and I woke up with a very cold-shocked houseplant! Though it was my fault for leaving the window open, this little incident reminded me that it was time to prepare houseplants for winter. Here’s how to prepare houseplants for winter so they still look gorgeous, even if its colder and darker.
Shift Plants To New Locations
Come winter, every plant in your home will receive less light, and that’s pure because now, there’s less light to go around. Shift around your plants so that they sit in new locations. My southern-facing windows get mighty crowded in the wintertime, but in a window like this, you can ensure that your plants are getting enough sunlight. Remember to put plants as close to the window as possible without scorching their leaves.
If necessary, you may need to add an artificial grow light into your house to substitute more light. I recommend this 100 watt grow light from Amazon, it’s been the thing that has kept my banana tree alive so far!
Keep Plants Away From Drafty Areas
Houseplants like the temperatures around 65-75 degrees all year long. However, in the winter, this can be difficult because sometimes homes can be really drafty. Take care to weed out the areas in your home that are most drafty, and keep your plants away from those areas. You might also want to remove your plants from the windowsills overnight. It can get really chilly by the windows at night in the wintertime.
Increase Humidity
In the wintertime, homes become even less humid than usual. It has to do with all of the hot, artificial air being pumped through the vents. Typically, houseplants like humidity levels around 40-50 percent. During the wintertime, many homes only sit at around 10 percent. To prevent your leaves from drying out due to dry air (or coming down with spider mites) I recommend increasing humidity wherever possible. To do so, plug a humidifier in next to your plants, boil water for them every day, or mist their leaves in the morning. Believe it or not, incorrect humidity levels are often the cause of houseplant deaths.
Water Less
Because your plants are receiving less sun, they’re growing less, so they need more water. Many houseplants die of root rot in the winter months, because of overwatering. To prevent overwatering, wait until the soil has completely dried out before watering. This guide will help you determine when that is.
