Indoor Gardening Tips For Winter Months

It can be tricky enough to care for indoor plants but in winter it is even harder because there is less light. As well, the humidity levels both inside and outside your house are naturally lower. Plus, you probably keep your house cooler in the winter than the summer months. So, how can you keep your indoor plants healthy during the winter even though they are getting less light, humidity and heat? Here are some tips to help you keep your indoor plants looking great.

Check Humidity Levels

Tropical plants love humidity. Unfortunately, the humidity levels fall during the winter because there is less humidity outside. To make matters worse, the heat from your furnace dries out the air inside your house. Therefore, it is up to you to help restore this balance. Start by checking the actual humidity levels in your house – digital thermostats often show the humidity level on them. The humidity level in your house should be about 30% during the winter. To add humidity, you can use humidifiers, mist your plants and leave open containers filled with water near your plants.

Sunlight

Everyone knows that winter months means less sunlight. We feel it and so do our plants. Make sure that your plants are receiving the maximum light possible during the winter. If you need to, move your plant to another room, which receives more light. If you can't do that, you can always place a grow light near your plant. Make sure to follow the directions included with the grow light to get the best results.

Don't Repot In Winter

When you a repot a plant to a bigger pot, it encourages them to grow. However, during winter, plants enter a period of reduced growth. By repotting in the winter, you are forcing the plant to grow when it shouldn't be and that will compromise the health of the plant. If you can, wait until the spring or summer months to repot your plant. It'll be much healthier because the plant will receive the extra sunlight it needs for growing and will therefore live longer.

Water Once A Week

Over watering is the main reason that house plants die and under watering comes in at a close second place. Indoor plants only need to be watered once a week, as long as it is a thorough watering. Tip: To figure out if your plants need to be watered, place your finger about two inches down into the soil. If the soil is dry, then the plant needs to be watered.

Dust Plant Leaves

It may sound strange, but dust can actually block the amount of sunlight that the leaves of a plant receive. As well, dust will block the amount of air that a plant can "breathe" in. Since plants remove carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen, this also affects your health. The solution therefore, is to gently dust your plant once a month with a clean, damp cloth. You will be surprised at the amount of dust that comes off the leaves.

 

 

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