Easy Steps to Keep Winter Weary Houseplants Healthy

We're not the only ones that suffer during the long winter months. The winter season can be hard on houseplants and a struggle for us to keep them healthy. But winter weary houseplants are still hard at work purifying our indoor air by providing healthy oxygen. All it takes is a little time spent on these simple steps to help keep winter weary houseplants as healthy as possible. They'll thank you not only aesthetically but it'll be easier for them to do what they do naturally.

Re-evaluate Water Needs to Keep Houseplants Healthy in Winter

The shorter days in winter months mean less daylight for our houseplants. This fact alone can be the beginning of a houseplant's decline. Be sure to check your watering schedule to see if you should reduce the amount of water needed to keep plants healthy. If the plant is not getting as much sunlight anymore, then it's not going to drink as much water. Adding water to already wet soil makes the plant susceptible to root rot. Over watering is by far the most common reason people kill their houseplants.

Houseplants in soggy soil can also cause health problems for us as well. Molds and fungus can breed in the damp soil. Mold can cause problems with indoor air quality, especially for those with allergies or asthma. Generally, houseplants need less water in winter to stay healthy.

There are always exceptions to the less-water-in-winter rule for houseplants. If a plant is fortunate enough to have plenty of winter sun or artificial plant lights or the plant is very root-bound or has a heat source near it, then check the soil in that houseplant more often.

Raise Indoor Humidity in Winter to Keep Houseplants Healthy

Speaking of heat sources, this leads to the next cause for winter weary houseplants. Lack of indoor humidity wreaks havoc on otherwise healthy houseplants. Pesky little spider mites thrive in dry indoor air and quickly become a nuisance by sucking the juices out of plant leaves. This is the problem I incur most with my houseplants in winter. I have very hot and dry gas heat in my house. It lowers the humidity and makes it hard for all of us to breathe.

There are simple ways to raise the humidity level for houseplants. Misting houseplants with water will dampen the leaves, but really only raises the humidity level temporarily. A better option is to provide a water source near the plants to allow evaporation to raise humidity naturally. Another option is to use an electric humidifier. Just be sure to change the water often and follow the manufacturer's directions for keeping the humidifier free from mold and bacteria.

Sometimes I'll just fill bowls with water and hide them in strategic locations close to the plants or put the bowls on a heating floor vent. Another simple option is to line a leak proof tray with decorative pebbles and fill with water. Put the houseplant's pot on the pebbles. Be sure the water level won't come in contact with the houseplant's soil. You don't want the plant to drink any of the water through its roots. The water in the tray will evaporate and keep the air around the plant humid. Just add water as needed to the tray. This is especially helpful for several small pots of houseplants such as African violets.

A Clean Houseplant is a Healthy Houseplant

The best way to pamper winter weary houseplants is with a bath or shower. This also helps to remove spider mites along with dust and dirt. Bath time is a good time to prune any dead leaves or branches, trim brown leaf tips and generally tidy-up the plant's appearance. Before showering the plants, remove any dead leaves from the soil surface as well. I always wait until my houseplants need to be watered and the soil is dry before giving them a shower or bath.

I use my bathtub to wash several medium-size houseplants at one time. Use an old rubber bathtub mat in the bottom to prevent scratches on the tub surface. Put a strainer over the drain to prevent soil or leaves from clogging the pipes. Clean the plants with warm water and allow the leaves to drip-dry in the tub. Large houseplants and trees can go in the shower.

For houseplants without drain holes in the pots, you'll need to take precautions to prevent the soil from getting too wet. An easy option is to cover the pot with aluminum foil to shield the soil. Foil works well because it's strong and can be molded around stems and the edge of the pot. A little water is still going to get through and that's why it best for the plant to be dry and thirsty. Turn the shower on a gentle warm spray. Be sure to clean the underside of the leaves where spider mites tend to hide.

If you can't give houseplants a bath or shower, then at least clean the leaves with a damp cloth. Don't forget to wipe the underside of the leaves where insects hide. Isopropyl alcohol can be used on cotton balls or cotton swabs to remove a mild infestation of mealy bugs or scale. I've even mixed equal parts of water and alcohol on paper towels to wipe away spider mites as well. I'm not a fan of leaf shine products on houseplants so I don't recommend using them. Instead, I recommend wiping the shine products off the leaves if you get a new plant from a florist.

Add Fresh Soil for a Healthy Houseplant

Houseplants benefit from new potting soil even if they haven't outgrown their pots. Use a good quality indoor potting soil with fertilizer already in the mix. The fresh potting soil will slowly release nutrients to the plant without fear of over fertilizing in the winter. I add a scoop or two on the plant's soil surface. If the soil level is too high to add a new layer, then scoop out the old top layer and put it in an outdoor garden.