WINTER DOS AND DON'TS HOUSEPLANTS

Winter houseplant care is not complicated, but there are a few essential tips to follow to keep your plants alive until spring arrives

- MADISON MOULTON

Shorter days and lower temperatures are nature's way of telling us to slow down and this applies to our plants too. Houseplants respond to the seasons like other plants do (albeit much less dramatically). They may not become completely 'dormant', but growth does slow, and your care should change accordingly.

If you don't want your houseplants to die on you this winter, follow these dos and don'ts.

Do: Increase sunlight exposure

The position of the sun changes throughout the year. In winter.

the sun is not only lower, but it rises later and sets much earlier. For your plants, this means far less sunlight exposure during the day, potentially resulting in growth problems. Plants need sunlight for photosynthesis, and too little of it will cause discolouration and stunted growth. Houseplants near bright windows should be happy, but consider moving any plants in low light areas to a sunny spot in your home during winter. They will even appreciate some gentle, direct sun in the mornings, provided the light is not so harsh that it scorches the leaves.

Don't: Fertilise

Plant growth naturally slows down as temperatures dip in winter. But some houseplant owners may assume this lack of growth is the result of insufficient nutrients and add fertiliser to resolve the problem.

Unfortunately, this will end up doing more harm than good.

Your houseplants will benefit from a short fertiliser break in winter to limit salt build up in the soil and prevent the development of tender growth that is far more vulnerable to cold damage. Provided the soil is not breaking down, skip the fertiliser during winter and start up again just before spring.

Do: Keep plants warm