Houseplants will need some special care in the winter to keep them healthy. Gardeners should be aware of changes in light and temperature affecting indoor plants and do the following:

• When buying houseplants in winter, be sure to wrap them up well for the trip home; this prevents the foliage from freezing and protects tropicals from drafts which can shock the plant
• Give houseplants as much light as possible as days grow shorter; plants may need a different position in your home in the winter than they enjoy in the warmer months
• Hold off on fertilizing indoor plants until spring, when they begin more active growth
• Provide houseplants with increased humidity; mist often or place the houseplant over a tray of moist pebbles
• Continue to plant prepared bulbs for indoor forcing
• As houseplants grow more slowly in winter, increase the time between waterings. Some plants need much less water in winter.
• On frigid nights, protect indoor plants from freezing; move them away from the glass or cover glass with thick newspaper or cardboard
• Clean leaves of large and smooth-leaved houseplants like dracaeana, philodendron, ficus etc.; a dust covering will impede the necessary processes of respiration and photosythesis

If you are not sure what the best winter care routine is for your type of houseplant, please ask us! You can email us at Plantinfo@NYBG.org and we would be happy to help.

Courtesy of the NYBG Plant Information Service