Doesn’t Glory the Fig look fabulous? Now that the weather has dropped during the evenings, my plants were no longer safe on the porch, so I decided to take them all inside. But how does one maintain his/her plants during the Fall and Winter months? Here are some tips from the experts over at The Old Farmer’s Almanac on how to care for your plants late Fall into the Winter months:
LIGHT
Most flowering plants need to be within three feet of a sunny window.
Most plants require 12 to 16 hours of light per day. I also have to supplement lighting with these led grow lights during the winter months. They work beautifully especially for my beast of a plant; Glory the fig.
WATER
In late fall, water houseplants sparingly until the light begins to increase in the new year.
More houseplants die from overwatering than from anything else.
Water plants with room-temperature water.
Add a few drops of ammonia to one quart of water used for houseplants; it will improve foliage color and increase growth.
Water houseplants in unglazed clay pots frequently.
Frequent mistings under the leaves of houseplants will discourage spider mites.
If your houseplant leaves are dripping, even when you haven’t watered, it’s trying to rid itself of excess water (a process called “guttation”). This makes a plant vulnerable to disease-causing bacteria, so you’ll want to avoid this problem by reducing the amount of water you’re giving the plant, especially in winter months. Also, watch those drips because they contain salts, sugars, and other organics that could stain whatever it is they’re dripping on.
HUMIDITY
Most houseplants are happiest when the relative humidity is 50 percent or higher.
Group houseplants near each other to form a support group to cope with the low humidity of most winter homes.
FERTILIZER
In winter, feed sparingly; house plants will be sensitive to overfeeding at this time of year.
PESTS
To get rid of bugs in houseplants, push a clove of garlic into the plant’s soil. If the garlic sprouts and grows, just cut it back.
Spider mites are apt to thrive in warm, dry houses. Frequent misting under the leaves of houseplants will discourage them. A solution of 1 cup flour, ¼ cup buttermilk, and a gallon of cool water, applied in a mist, is a good organic deterrent.
Your houseplants may sprout bugs once brought inside your house because they no longer have outdoor predators.
Remove aphids from houseplants with a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water and add a drop of dishwashing detergent. Apply this to troubled plants with a soft brush.
WINTER MONTHS
In colder regions, houseplants that have been outside for the summer should be brought in at the end of of July. A sudden cold spell will be too much of a shock for them to survive. This is also a good time to take cuttings.
It’s also good to bring in plants before you start heating your home. This gives them a chance to adjust. Wash them thoroughly before bringing them in to rid them of any pests and eggs.
You can also dig up your rosemary, basil, tarragon, oregano, marjoram, English thyme, parsley, and chives to grow them inside as houseplants. Keep them in a cool, sunny spot, and allow the soil to dry out before watering. Snip off the leaves as needed in the kitchen, but do not strip them completely.
Divide and re-pot any pot-bound plants so they will grow well during spring and summer. Prune judiciously to create a compact, attractive specimen.
Provide extra protection to houseplants on windowsills if it is very cold. Place cardboard between the plants and the glass. Be sure the plants don’t touch the windowpanes.
As houseplants are growing more slowly in December light, cut down on watering by half until active growth resumes. Hold off on fertilizing as well.
If your plants seem a little worse for the winter, provide lots of sunlight, fresh air, and frequent bathing.
I hope my plant lovers found this information useful and here’s to healthy and thriving plants. xx
images of my home by Lea Hartman
plant tips via The Old Farmer’s Almanac
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pic 1: source, last pic: source
