Avoid these 6 winter houseplant care mistakes!…
In winter, we can give our garden plants a few weeks’ rest. But that doesn’t mean we should also leave our houseplants to one side.
The garden is on a break, but we shouldn’t invest our surplus energy in houseplants, because they too need a rest in winter. grannytricks reveals six mistakes that houseplants absolutely must avoid in winter.
1 mistake: houseplants are placed against cold windows in winter
Just like us, houseplants can get cold in winter. A common mistake, especially for reasons of space, that occurs when caring for houseplants, is poor placement. When it’s cold outside, houseplants should not be placed directly against glass. If the delicate leaves touch the cold glass, the plant can suffer serious damage. However, it’s enough to move the plant a little – just enough so that there is no longer any direct contact between the leaf and the window pane.
2 mistake: Poor watering of houseplants in winter
Indoor plants also slow down in winter. This means they consume less energy and use less water. In winter, you should always avoid the mistake of over-watering your houseplants, otherwise the roots may rot. If you don’t act quickly, the plant can die in the worst case. In winter, houseplants should be watered once or twice a fortnight. It’s best to do a finger test first.
Watering water temperatures are also important. In winter, tap water should never be freezing cold. Plants can suffer frostbite if the water is too cold.
3 mistake: fertilizing
Since houseplants also rest in winter, there’s no need to give them fertilizer. The first fertilizer should only be given in spring. There are several signs that a plant may be over-fertilized, which you can read about here.
4 mistake: the plant is exposed to draughts
Exotic and tropical plants, in particular, don’t tolerate draughts well enough in the warm season. In winter, they are even less so. When aerating in winter, always make sure to move plants from an open window to another location for the duration of the aeration.
5 mistake: dry air in winter
Non-native plants, in particular, need a certain amount of humidity in the air for optimum growing conditions. In winter, we often make the mistake of thinking that the air is too dry for houseplants. They are usually placed above the heater, in the warmth, and the air quickly becomes dry when the heater is turned up to full blast. You can help your plants by moistening their leaves once a day with a spray bottle.
6 mistake: exposing plants to apartment dust
Plants need light to develop optimally. But light is scarce during the cold months. That’s why you need to regularly remove dust from your plants at this time of year. A layer of dust on the leaves needlessly prevents the plant from absorbing light. From time to time, you can also treat your plants to a real wellness program and shower them. You can read here exactly how to do this and what the benefits are.
