With colder weather on its way for many households across the country, now is the time to start planning to bring your tropical houseplants indoors.
Hopefully your plant babies enjoyed some time growing and basking in the sun during the warm months. Most houseplants cannot withstand weather below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 C), so once temperatures outside start to dip, you know it’s time to prepare your indoor space.
Here are our tips and tricks for success when bringing your plants in for the winter:
1) Check For Bugs & Clean Leaves
Small insects such as aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites might be hanging out on your plants. Make sure to check for these pests and remove them before you bring your plants inside, so they don’t have a chance to infest your other houseplants. Be sure to check the top of the soil as well as the top and underside of the leaves.
PRO TIP: You can use the same Good Dirt Plant Food solution that you use to fertilize your plants to clean the leaves! By using our Plant Food to wipe your plants, not only are you cleaning them and helping them shine — you’re ensuring that they’re healthy. You’re adding a small amount of nutrition through their leaves which can only help your plants grow stronger… and stronger plants are healthier plants.
2) Fertilize Less Frequently
PRO TIP: While it is largely advised not to fertilize plants over the winter, with Good Dirt Plant Nutrition you CAN continue to fertilize your plants. Because our plant nutrition is derived from seeds for plants, you can’t overdo it and there will not be any salt build up. Most other products are salt or petroleum based, which can buildup and cause root burn or damage your plants while they are dormant.
3) Don’t Overwater
Plants that are indoors will not need as much water as plants that are outdoors. A good guideline is to only water plants when they are dry to the touch.
PRO TIP: Good Dirt doesn’t dry out like other soil. The peat in our soil is designed to be like a sponge to hold the right amount of water. If you’re unsure about when to water, a moisture meter can be a great help!
4) Create Humidity
There are a couple of options for creating humidity for your plants. Here are a few methods you can use:
- Misting Plants – while this does help your plants, it only lasts for a short amount of time and is more of a temporary fix.
- Pebble Trays – a better long-term solution is to use a pebble tray under your plants. Add a layer of moist gravel to a tray and place your plants on top huddled together. Keeping your plants close together will help to promote humidity.
- Humidifier – you can also use a humidifier to keep your plants happy and humid through the winter.
