Prep Houseplants For Winter

Prep houseplants for winter

- Anne Swithinbank

Q My houseplants have looked great all summer, but they tend to suffer in winter with poor growth and brown leaf tips. How can I keep them healthy into the colder months this time round?

Penny Fothergill, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

A Winter can be tough on houseplants and they all react differently to the problems of diminishing light, variable temperatures and dry air. So act now to nip potential problems in the bud and keep plants looking healthy.

Any still standing outdoors after a summer holiday in fresh air had better come in before temperatures plummet. My cymbidium orchids sit out from June to September, experiencing cooler night temperatures to help them set flower buds. Look for slugs hitching a lift under pots. Unlike tropical moth orchids, cymbidiums prefer temperatures below 60ºF (15ºC).