Winter Care for Indoor Plants
By Jos Van Hage
Saturday, November 13, 2010 03:50 AM
Over the winter months houseplants have different requirements then they do in the spring/summer.
In the spring and summer the days have many more hours of daylight then they do in the winter, and so in the spring/summer the plant is actively growing while in the winter the plant slows down in its growth.
When it slows down it does not need as much water or nutrients, and this is something that needs to be altered to keep the plant healthy.
Every plant and location is different so we just can't say to water once a week and that would be fine because perhaps that would be too much moisture. For example cacti and succulents require very little moisture as they are natively accustomed to dry growing conditions. Over the winter months they may only need to be watered only once or twice during the entire winter depending where they are in the home.
There is no set timetable as to when to water a plant, it is better to water a plant when it is needed. To determine when a plant needs water you need to look at the plant and touch the soil.
When the soil is dry to the touch give the plant a good thorough watering using room temperature water (nobody likes a cold shock) and throw out any excess water so that it is not sitting in water for any length of time. If the roots remain too wet they will rot and eventually the plant will die.
There are more plants killed from overwatering than under watering.
Some plants such as African Violets, Cyclamen, and Gloxinias prefer to soak up the water which is done by putting room temperature water in a saucer and allowing the plant to soak it up from the bottom for 10-15 minutes and then discarding the excess water.
Because the plant is not growing as actively as it did over the spring/summer it does not require as much fertilizer. Continue to fertilize with an all purpose fertilizer such as 20-20-20 but only fertilize half as often. Instead of fertilizing once a month, fertilize once every 8-10 weeks.
Dry air can also become a problem for tropical plants over the winter months. In their natural environment, tropical plants grow in a high humidity and over the winter months heating vents and outdoor dry air brings down the humidity in the home unless there is a humidifier. Dry air can also contribute to pest problems such as red spider and scales which thrive in dry air.
To bring up the humidity around plants a mini climate and be made by placing plants on rock filled saucers that are bigger than the pot. Fill the rock filled saucers with water to just below the rock surface so that the plant is not sitting in the water. Every few days the saucers will need to have water added to it because the water in the saucer will evaporate around the plant, which as it evaporates brings up the humidity around the plant. Misting plants can also bring up the humidity but this must be done several times a day to be successful.
The days not only have less daylight but the daylight is not as strong.
Plants should be turned every few days so that they receive even light. If they are not rotated they will grow towards the light and become lopsided in growth.
Another thing to watch for is plants that are placed on window sills because in the winter when temperatures get very cold the windows can become very cold and this is not good for the plant. When temperatures become very cold you will want to move the plant to another location until it warms up again.
Also keep plants away from heating vents and outside doors as they do not appreciate cold drafts, and gusts of warm dry air.
In keeping with a plants needs over the winter months your indoor houseplants should remain healthy and strong!
-Jos
Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George:
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Highway 16 West at Kimball Road
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Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road
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