Indoor plant care changes with the seasons.

 

In the spring and summer, houseplants are growing and need to be watered and fertilized regularly.

 

Over the fall and winter months, houseplants slow down in their growth habits and so do their needs.

 

Overwatering kills more plants than under watering. You cannot water plants on a weekly schedule. Plants should only be given water when they need it. Do the touch test. If the soil is dry to the touch the plant can use a thorough watering using room temperature water and then allow the soil to go dry to the touch again before re-watering.

 

Knowing the plants water requirements is also helpful. Some plants such as cacti, and succulents need very little water so over the winter months they may need to be watered once every 4-6 weeks.

 

Fertilizing plants is important but when a plant is not actively growing it does not need as much fertilizer. During the growing months, houseplants are fertilized on a monthly basis with a well balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20. Over the fall/ winter months,  cut back on the fertilizer by only fertilizing every 8-10 weeks, still using the 20-20-20.

 

The environment in homes also changes during the winter months. Humidity tends to be low and this can be a problem for many tropical plants that in nature grow in lush tropical areas.

 

Humidity can be raised around plants by placing the plant on a pebble tray, filled with water. Choose saucers that have a larger diameter than the pot size of the plant. Fill the tray with pebbles or tiny rocks and then add just enough water, so that the water is slightly lower then the top layer of pebbles. This is important as you do not want the plants roots to be sitting in water. Place the plant on top of the pebbles in the pebble tray. As the water from the tray rises and evaporates it raises the humidity around the plant. You can choose to use bigger pebble trays and place several plants on one tray.

 

Not all plants need a high humidity. Plants that are found in dry arid conditions such as cacti, and succulents do very well in low humidity, and warm homes. This might be something to consider when choosing plants for your home if you are looking for something very low maintenance.

 

The amount of natural light also changes with the season, as the days get shorter. Plants will grow towards the light, which make them uneven if they are left in the same position for long periods of time. It is a good idea to rotate the plant every few days so that all parts of the plant will receive equal amounts of light.

 

Check the plant’s location.  

Keep plants away from hot air vents, and outside doors. Sudden temperature changes can harm a plant.

 

Pests and disease can also become a problem for indoor plants. Check plants for spider mites, aphids, scales, mealy bug, fungus gnats, and whitefly regularly. If you can catch any problem quickly it will be much easier to control. There are organic products available such as ‘End All’ and ‘Insecticidal Soap’ that will help eliminate insect problems, or you may have to go to something stronger if the problem persists.

 

This is the time of year to get last year’s poinsettia back into bloom. Poinsettias are short day plants and will need a shortened amount of light to get them to bloom. This is done by placing the poinsettia in a dark room, closet, or cover it with a black garbage bag for 14 hours every night and place it in the light for 8 hours every day. Do this until the bracts (upper leaves) begin to turn colour, (around 10 weeks) and then the plant is kept in a sunny window and treated as a houseplant.