As well as looking pretty and bringing the outside, inside, houseplants can help improve air quality by trapping pollutants which means we can breathe more easily. However, just as you look after yourself when the winter sets in, you need to do the same for your plants, or they won’t see the cold months out.
You might think you can carry on regardless of what’s going on outside, but that isn’t the case, so we have some easy tips to ensure your greenery stays green, even when it’s blue outside.
What plants are right for you?
Some of the best bets for winter success are succulents, yuccas, ferns, cacti and Aloe Vera plants as they can put up with varied conditions and will carry on being healthy into spring and summer. We aren’t saying don’t get anything else, but we just want you to know what you can work with and keep alive.
Look at the temperature
A good step when it comes to keeping your indoor plants alive when it’s chilly outside, is to protect them from the cold air. Insulating your doors and windows is a great way to keep your plants draft free, and this can keep bills down as well. If you tend to put your house plants on windowsills during the summer, now is the time to take them somewhere warmer, but don’t put them right next to fireplaces, radiators, or heating vents because intense heat blasts won’t be helpful.
Put your plants on a diet
Unlike our waistlines, plants don’t generally grow in the winter month so you can ease off the fertiliser and food for now. Wait until the spring and when you start to see signs of growth, new shoots and green leaves, you can feed them, but for now let them relax and rejuvenate. When it comes to water, they need some, but don’t overdo it. What you don’t want to do is let your plants sit in water as this can cause root rot, fungus, and generally leave them at risk of damage and dying. Yellow leaves and mouldy soil are signs that you are watering them too much, so just go easy on the fluids if you want them to stay alive.
Let the light shine in
Just as we love sunlight in the winter, so do plants as it keeps them strong and healthy. We would suggest you give them access to natural sunlight and also rotate them to make sure each one gets the rays and the shade they need.
Get your duster out
This isn’t a joke! Just like everything in your house, dust and dirt can build up on the leaves of your plants and this stops them from soaking up the sun we have just been talking about. You don’t need polish, but what you can do is gently clean leaves with a damp cloth every other week and this will let the light shine through and keep them healthy.
Got a tip you want to share, let us know!
Team Pure Beauty