7 Cold Weather Plant Hacks

House plants do not grow much during the colder months so they need less water. Instead of automatically watering your plants, wait until they need it. Use the touch test to see when they need water. “Simply push your finger down into the soil about 1 to 3 inches, depending on pot size, to feel if the soil is damp. If you feel moisture, do not water. If it is dry, water your plants until it flows freely from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, “ Joyce Mast, the landscaper at Bloomscape told Mind Body Green. Another tip, make sure there isn’t any standing water in the pot so you don't drown your plant’s roots

Since there is less sunlight during the winter, you may have to move your house plants to a brighter spot or use plant lights according to The Spruce. The best spots are south or west facing windows because they get sun all day long. Just make sure that they do catch a draft from the windows.

Since plants are dormant during the colder seasons, you do not need to use fertilizer. Feeding them now will actually upset their growth cycle so hold off until early spring when you see new growth or the leaves start to perk off. Your plants will tell you what they need if you listen to them.

Indoor plants get dusty just like your furniture. When there is a layer of dust covering their leaves, your plants cannot manufacture food according to Gardeners World. So, dust them with a cloth or give them a plan bath in a luke-warm shower for five minutes. There are leaf cleaning products available but read the labels because they can only be used on some plants.

Plants do not do well in low humidity according to The Spruce. Since humidity drops in heated homes you may have to humidify your home for your plants to thrive. You can cluster your plants around the humidifier or keep them in your bathroom or kitchen where it is more humid. Some people keep a try of standing water near their plants or put the pots directly in the tray but make sure that your plants are not sitting in water.

If you recently moved your leafy friends in from the outside they may have brought pests in with them. So thoroughly check your plants for the signs of insect infestation including leaf holes, sticky substances and webs according to Mind Body Green. If you find them,  Mast recommends that you give your plants a shower and spray Bonide Neem Oil on them.

Winter is not the time to be repotting or trimming your plants. Give them the minimal care they need but don’t kill them with kindness. House plants, like bears, just need to hibernate in the cold.

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