How to help your indoor plants getting through winter

Many plants use this poorly lit season as a resting phase. They stop growth and bring down metabolism. Indoor plants prefer a slightly warm surrounding, while people usually like to have a very warm indoor temperature. For a lot of plants it is enough to place them further away from the heater. If you locate your plant in front of a window, you should make sure that it does not get a cold breeze. You also have to watch out that the leaves do not touch the cold window, otherwise the plant will get a thermal shock and its leaves will get brown and fall off. The root ball of your plant should neither stand at a cold nor at a too warm floor. Sensible plants will react with losing their leaves. Preventatively, you can place a piece of styrofoam, a cork tile or a plant dolly under the pot.

Houseplants will not need that much water during winter. That is why you should check the moisture of the soil before you water it.

The air gets dry because of the heater. This is uncomfortable for humans and plants. There are a few ways to make it more pleasant. One opportunity is to fill up a saucer with clay granules and water and to put this under the pot. The water evaporates and moistens the air.

Another possibility is to spray the houseplant with decalcified and tepid water a few times a week. The spray mist prevents that the plant loses a lot of humidity by covering the leaves. You should regularly brush off the dust with a damp cloth. By doing this, the photosynthesis will not be hindered.

Especially in winter, little animals such as spider mites or scale insects feel comfortable on houseplants. The pests multiply rapidly in the warm, dry, heated air. The best bet is to check leaves and soil once a week. If the leaves are sticky or show speckles, they indicate a pest infestation. In this case you should separate the plant from the others, put it in the bathtub and give it a shower. Before starting the shower, put a plastic bag around the pot so that the plant will not absorb too much water. Should you not get rid of the pests, you can buy a suitable pesticide.

• Do not water too much 
• Increase humidity 
• The plant should not be placed at a too cold/warm floor 
• Avoid cold breeze 
• Watch pest infestation
• Make sure that the plant gets enough light