How to Keep Indoor Plants Alive in Winter: Keep Them Healthy

Did you know that you have to take care of houseplants differently in the winter than in the summer? Let’s discuss, how to keep indoor plants alive in winter.

In the winter months, the days are a lot shorter and the light is also less bright. As a result, a houseplant receives less energy than in the spring and summer. That is why many plants go into hibernation in the colder months. As a result, it may be that no new leaves grow on the plant for a long time. Is this also the case with your houseplant? Do not immediately think that you are not taking good care of your plant. This can also just be a natural process of the plant. However, it can also be the result of improper care.

1. Move your indoor plants closer to the window in winter

The further we get into the year, the shorter the days become. That means less daylight, and more lights on. It may just be that you chose a spot with indirect light for your houseplant, but that this spot is suddenly very dark. Your houseplant will then be in the shade, which is not an ideal place for most houseplants. So make sure you take a tour of your house and move your houseplants closer to the window in the winter. Be careful of course with full sun, you also sometimes have that on a beautiful December day.

2. Water your houseplants less in the winter

You have of course taken extra good care of your houseplant all summer, and perhaps you have visited a little more often with the watering can. If you gave a sip too much, this often came up due to the hot weather. However, in the fall it is important that you do not water your plant too much. In fact, give them a lot less!

Why less water? – A houseplant still needs light and water to grow through photosynthesis. If there is less light (such as in the autumn), photosynthesis slows down, so less water is needed. Excess water remains in the pot and can cause root rot.

How do you know when to water? – Indoor plants in winter need less water. before you empty your watering can into your plant, make sure you check the potting soil. You can do this, for example, with the Plantje plug that you receive with every plant from us! Stick the stick (or a skewer) in the potting soil and see if any (wet) soil sticks to it. If so: put the watering can back but know. If not: it seems that the potting soil is dry, and your plant could use some water.

Cacti – cacti are the diehards of plants, and generally need a lot less water. That’s because they store moisture reserves in their trunk. In the fall you don’t really have to water them at all.

3. Maintain the humidity of your houseplants in winter

Do you have the heating on? The warm and often dry air doesn’t do much good for your green friends. Most houseplants come from the tropics where it is nice and humid. The heating makes the air very dry, something that is not good for your houseplants.

How do you see if your plants are affected by this? – The leaves get yellow/brown edges, yellow/brown spots, or a wrinkling leaf.

What can you do about it? – In any case, make sure that your plants are not close to the heating! Do you have a number of houseplants on the windowsill above your heating? Then move them to a spot further away. You can also choose to make the air a little more humid near the heating. For example, place bowls of water on the radiator, or hang a humidifier on it. The water will evaporate, making the air more humid. You can also spray your houseplants more often with your plant sprayer! This keeps the leaves nice and moist.

Underfloor heating – More and more people have underfloor heating. Especially in new houses, underfloor heating often gives way to a radiator. Nice and warm for our feet, but disastrous for your houseplants. The heat rises everywhere and there is no escape! Our tip? Don’t place your plant directly on the ground, but raise it a bit. 

4. Do not give houseplants plant food in winter

Plant nutrition is important to give your plant a healthy and long life. Your plant will also grow a lot faster with plant food and get new leaves. However, in the autumn your plants go into a resting position, and there is no point in giving them plant food. In addition, too many minerals may be added to the potting soil, which can damage the roots of your houseplant. When spring arrives, you can start feeding your plant again.

5. Don’t repot your houseplants in winter

Spring and summer are good times to repot your plant. It is better not to do this during autumn and winter. Repotting for your plant is like moving for yourself: it can be very stressful. No matter how careful you are, it can always happen that a root or leaf is damaged. That’s no problem in the spring when your houseplants are in the middle of the growing season. A broken leaf or root will grow back in no time. Things are different during the second half of the year. As we just told you, the growing season is over and your plant cannot recover properly. So put those large plant pots in the cupboard for a while and get back to work in the spring!

6. Watch out for pest

Small bugs, such as spiders and scale insects, like to stay on houseplants, especially in winter. The disadvantage is that in dry and warm air, pests multiply quickly. You can prevent this by checking the soil and leaves weekly. When the leaves of the houseplant feel sticky or when you discover speckles, it could mean that your plant is suffering from pests. Does your plant suffer from pests? Combat this as quickly as possible by rubbing the pests off the plant or using a pesticide.

In the winter you actually have to give less attention to your plants. They do fine with a little less water and less plant food and only need a little extra humidity and sometimes a little more light. Also make sure that the plants with those beautiful large leaves are a bit further away from the heating, so you can enjoy your plants all winter long.