Give Houseplants TLC in the Winter

When winter weather won't allow outdoor gardening, then it's a good time to pamper the houseplants. The houseplants can benefit from the extra care since the colder months are hardest on them, and it helps the gardener with their winter doldrums. The dry air from indoor heating, less daylight and lack of humidity can stress houseplants.

Houseplants can be repotted in the winter if they need it. It may not be practical to repot large plants indoors, but small pots are no problem at all. Sometimes I will repot small plants over newspaper spread out on the floor. Then the mess can be rolled up and thrown away. When I repot plants, I always use a coffee filter over the drainage hole in the new pot. This allows for good drainage but keeps the soil in the pot and not in the pot's drain saucer.

If they don't need to be repotted, just refresh the potting soil. Houseplants really benefit from this simple technique. The soil will eventually lose many of the nutrients and adding a fresh layer will feed the plants without the worry of over fertilizing them. Houseplants won't grow as much in the winter so this is safe alternative. Good quality potting soil is crucial to the houseplant's health. There are good quality potting soils which are designed specifically for houseplants. The soil will be lightweight and drains easily allowing better root development. This is one of those instances where you really get what you pay for. The cheap potting soils are very heavy and don't have enough peat moss, vermiculite or perlite for drainage. They compact like a brick and promote soil fungus, poor drainage and can cause root rot. Miracle Gro has a great potting mix for houseplants, it has a time-release fertilizer in the soil and will feed the plants for about three months. Just put a little potting mix on the soil surface and then water.

It's a great idea to shower or bathe houseplants anytime of the year, but dry winter air is especially tough on houseplants. Always wait to shower plants when the soil is dry and never give a plant a shower if the container doesn't have drainage holes. Just put as many plants as will fit in the bathtub or shower stall and give them a lukewarm shower. If the plant is too large to move, then the leaves can be wiped clean with a damp sponge, cloth or paper towel. Keeping the houseplants clean will help prevent spider mites which can run rampant in the winter months due to heated interiors. I also don't recommend ever using the leaf shine products available for houseplants. They aren't good for them. Plants transpire through their leaves and the shine products can interfere with that process. This product is commonly used in florist shops. So if you get a new plant and it feels almost greasy and is very shiny, it has a leaf shine product on it. While it does look pretty, it's not healthy for the houseplants and I always wash it off.

It's better to not over water houseplants in the winter. They don't need as much due to less light in the winter months. Don't allow plants to sit in soggy soil, they will not take up as much water if the leaves are not getting adequate light. This is especially true if you live an area where gray skies become the normal in winter. If light is a serious issue, consider adding extra artificial lighting or even specialty "grow"lights designed for houseplants.

Lack of humidity can be a real issue for houseplants in the winter months, especially if the heat source is very drying, such as natural gas. There are simple ways to add more humidity to the home in winter. A typical electric humidifier or vaporizer is one way, the little tabletop water fountains near plants will release humidity in the air and grouping plants together will also help. Almost anything that will allow water to vaporize into the air will raise the humidity level near houseplants. A spray bottle to mist the houseplants will help temporarily.

Houseplants love to be groomed and they seem to respond to it! Take the time when watering houseplants to do simple pruning and keep dead leaves picked off the plant and the soil surface. Plants just seem to do so much better with occasional touching and grooming! Some plant enthusiasts swear by singing to plants, but I think touch works better! Maybe it has to do with vibrations, or something they're lacking from a natural environment, such as wind stimulation. That is not to say that houseplants can't be damaged from too much touch. A plant sitting in an area where it is constantly brushed against by people or animals can get leaf damage. But I know they don't like to be ignored and gentle pruning and cleaning will work wonders. Some varieties of houseplants have a tendency to get brown leaf edges can be trimmed with a pair of clean scissors to give a tidier look. Just a little extra care will help keep houseplants healthy through the winter months and help the gardener beat the winter blues.