Winter can be one of the easiest times to accidentally kill your houseplants. Lower light levels, dry air and temperature fluctuations with indoor heat can all create challenging growing conditions. Without switching up your care routine, your best intentions — such as keeping the soil moist — can cause houseplants to decline or give up altogether.
These eight tips can help you change up your care routine over winter and set up your houseplants to thrive until spring.
1. Dial Back Water
Most houseplants, with a few exceptions, go dormant in winter and need far less water than they do the rest of the year. How frequently you need to water depends on the plant type, temperature and dryness of your indoor environment and plant’s placement (mainly, how far it is from a radiator or other heating unit). Allowing the soil to dry out between waterings can help prevent root rot.
A good rule of thumb for dormant plants is to allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings and wait until the pot, when lifted, feels relatively lightweight. (This means there’s no heavy, soggy soil at the bottom.) You may be able to wait from two weeks up to a month between waterings, depending on the temperature and humidity level of the room.