The City Gardener: How not to kill your house plants this winter
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It doesn’t take that much to help your green friends thrive through the colder months.
It’s easy to keep house plants going in summer. Give them the right amount of water, food and light, and chances are, they’ll survive.
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(One of my most comforting quotes, from a long-ago public-television gardening expert: “Remember, plants actually want to grow.”)
But when the calendar ticks over to fall, it’s another matter. Formerly thriving plants may suddenly find it a struggle to get along inside your house (which is, after all, an unnatural habitat), and the death toll rises.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you follow a few guidelines, you (and your plants) will do just fine until spring.
Especially if they’ve been summering outside on your porch, patio or balcony, watch out for bugs, which can quickly proliferate in a warm, dry indoor environment.
Inspect both sides of every leaf and the soil surface. If you spot any tiny creepy-crawlies on or flying around the plant, or fine webs on the stems or soil, get out your Safer’s soap (it works just as well indoors and out, and won’t harm plants, people or pets) and give the plant a good soaking.
A spray bottle filled with regular dish soap and water works too. Keep an eye on things over the coming days; you may have to spray several times to get rid of the critters once and for all.
As the days grow shorter and light levels drop, many houseplants go dormant for the season, and growth slows or stops. But depending on the variety, this isn’t always the case.
If the plant is still sending out new leaves and showing signs of growth, maintain the same watering and feeding schedule you followed during the summer.
If on the other hand, it’s been a while since it’s done anything interesting (like grow a new leaf), then by all means slow (but don’t stop!) your watering, and let it get some rest.
Reduced light levels can make plants get leggy, drop leaves and grow paler or duller in colour. Make sure your windows are clean, to allow the maximum amount of sunlight to reach your plants.
Moving plants closer to the window also helps. However, be aware of the light requirements of the individual plants you are growing; some do not tolerate direct sun, even in winter. But almost all your house plants could use at least a bit more winter light.
Giving plants a nice bath provides the same brightening effect as washing your windows, and has other benefits too.
Using dish soap and water, or even just plain water, use a microfibre cloth to gently wash and rinse each leaf, top and underside, to remove dust, grime and pollution (particularly important if they’ve spent time outside).
Humidity tends to drop precipitously in winter, thanks to indoor heating and drier winter air. Avoid placing plants on or near radiators or heating vents. And especially, watch out for icy drafts from leaky windows or doors, which can harm or even kill your poor plants.
One good habit to get into is to spritz them several times a day with water from a spray bottle. But the effect only lasts for a few minutes; a more effective, if slightly more involved, remedy is to place your plants on a tray of pebbles (or fill plant saucers with pebbles), and top up the trays with water as needed. Or buy a humidifier, which may make your skin feel better too.
Fall and winter is generally not the time to repot or divide plants, unless they are really overgrown. Just keep an eye on your little green friends, maintain (but don’t overdo) your watering, and they (and you) will make it through another Canadian winter in good health.
Please feel free to write in with questions, to comment or to share your
own city gardening adventures. Write to me at marthasgarden07@gmail.com
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