The Ultimate Winter Houseplant Care Guide

Brrrrr! Those winter breezes are appearing, and thoughts of putting the heating on are getting more frequent - winter is soon approaching. As we settle down to hibernate, so do our houseplants, and there's plenty we can do to ensure they stay healthy and ready to grow again come spring. Grab some hot cocoa and a blanket, and read on to learn all about wintering with your plants. As the twinkle of Christmas is already in the air, we also want to give you all the know-how to gift houseplants confidently this holiday season!

From Plant Shop’s Care Team
Hi! It’s Phoebe here from Plant Shop’s care team. Below I’ve put together all the tips and tricks I’ve learnt from my time at the Plant Shop, as well as from my own experience keeping houseplants throughout winter!

Caring for Your Houseplants in Winter

Watering

Especially if this is your first winter with houseplants, the most important thing to consider is your watering schedule. As the days get shorter and colder, damp soil dries more slowly. Now, this will depend on your house and heating, which we'll get into more later, but a general rule of thumb is to check the soil before watering. Check on your plants weekly, if the soil is still damp, simply leave it for another week to dry out more.

In my experience, for plants that I would typically water weekly in the summer, I water once a fortnight in winter. This is because my house gets quite cold during the winter, even with the heating on. The most common way we kill our houseplants is by overwatering them, so to avoid this, I let my plants dry out a little longer than normal. If your plant is sat in soggy soil, and you experience a cold snap in your home, this can lead to shock. Similar to if you were standing outside in the cold in wet clothes as opposed to dry ones - which one would make us feel unwell? Thankfully, plants are sturdy little things, so if you keep this in mind and change your watering schedule, you’ll do just fine!

Heating & Drafts

If you're lucky enough to have good central heating, your experience might be quite the opposite! If your house stays warm and dry throughout winter, you might find that your water schedule needs to increase rather than decrease. This is to keep up with how fast the soil is drying. In the shop, we have a timed heater to keep the plants warm in the colder months. I've noticed that the plants closer to the heater will need watering a lot more frequently. Despite the colder weather, this is why it's important to still check on your plants weekly.

Because many houseplants are native to tropical and humid regions, they can struggle with the dry air created by central heating. You may notice browning edges or curling leaves. These are signs your plant's environment is too dry. Before you turn your heating on this winter, walk around your house and see if any of your plants are next to a radiator or fireplace, and see if you can find a different spot for them. While you do this, you should also check you don't have any plants next to drafty doors, open windows, or unheated rooms. Houseplants like consistent conditions, so moving them to a better spot for the winter might be best.

Humidity & Humidifiers

If you use a dehumidifier throughout the winter, it's important to switch up your watering schedule. Naturally, dehumidifiers will suck moisture out of the air, as well as the moisture in your plant's soil. Hardy plants might need to be watered a little more frequently, whereas fussier plants might be better suited to a room away from the dehumidifier.

If you have a dry home and want your plants to thrive, consider investing in a humidifier. The moisture from a regularly running humidifier will emulate their natural habitat, and keep them happy in a dry room. Noted, even though they will love the extra moisture in the air, you'll still need to water your plants regularly. This same advice goes for plants that live in your bathroom. 🛀

Light

Houseplants need light to thrive, and shorter days can require a change in routine. Plants that receive less light have a slower rate of photosynthesis, which means they absorb less water and transpire less too. So - we're not going to suggest you move all your plants to the window, but, keep an eye on your plants to see if they struggle with less light. Plants don't like change, so it's sometimes best to leave it where it is. Because your houseplants are receiving less light, naturally they will grow less throughout the colder months. You might notice your plants stop growing completely. Don’t panic, as long as your plant looks healthy, this is very normal.

If you think your plant is suffering from lower light, then consider finding a brighter spot for it. Alternatively, you can introduce grow lights into your space! You can buy grow lights that can be mounted near your plant - these mimic the spectrum of light they'd normally receive from sunlight. You don't have to compromise on aesthetics too, as you can get grow light bulbs. Disguised as a regular lamp, you can keep your plants growing all year round!

Pruning & Repotting

If you’ve owned houseplants through the warmer months, you’ll know they need maintenance as they grow new leaves and roots. As your plant’s growth slows down in the winter, so will its care needs. However, there will still be an opportunity to prune and support your houseplants during this time.

Generally, we recommend that you don’t repot your plants in winter. Repotting can be a stressful process for your plants, and the added cold can shock and kill your plant’s roots. This is why it’s important to care for your plants at the end of summer/start of autumn to prepare them for winter. If you don’t think your plant can wait until spring to be repotted, then make sure you do it inside and keep your plant in a stable environment.

Many houseplants have flowering seasons, and some can flower at different times of the year. If you notice your plant’s flowers are dying, that is usually natural for their life cycle and you can simply prune the dead flowers away. If you notice any yellow or browning leaves, you can prune them off as well. Discoloured leaves can be a sign your plant is distressed, so it’s a good time to check if you can change its watering schedule, light, or humidity to help your plant thrive.

Gifting Houseplants in Winter

Houseplants make for the perfect gift to show someone you care, and winter is a great opportunity to gift holiday staples like Poinsettia, Christmas Cacti, and Begonia. Unlike some outdoor plants, houseplants survive all year round, so there’s no need to disregard houseplants when writing up your Christmas shopping list! Our team are always available to talk you through a gift decision and ease your mind when it comes to caring for the gift before the big day.

When to Buy Your Gift

The holidays can be tough, especially when you want to buy your gifts in advance or need to be able to hide them. Thankfully, the Plant Shop team are experts at how you can still gift plants this Christmas!

The main thing to remember is that houseplants are hardy. When you buy a plant from Plant Shop, we make sure it has sufficient water and it’s in good condition. This means your gift won’t need any attention for at least a week before gifting on the big day. If you’d like to buy your present sooner, you can follow our website’s care instructions to care for it in the meantime. Most houseplants can handle drying out a little, so there is no need to stress.

If you need to hide your gift, we recommend finding a spot that still gets natural light. We know it’s not as concealed as a closed cupboard, but behind a curtain will keep it secret and thriving. If you already have a grow light, you could also keep one running in a cupboard!

Gifts Delivered to Their Door

Have a loved one who lives in Greater Manchester? You can order their gift to be delivered straight to their door. Gift wrapped and delivered on your select delivery day - we’ll handle your gift with care. Plant deliveries are a great option for family and friends who don’t live close by.

Easy Gifting

Struggling to pick out a houseplant? Maybe you don’t know what they already have, need something you can wrap up fully, or don’t know what their house is like. Our favourite gifting combo is a decorative pot with a gift voucher - this way they can choose their own plant, but thanks to you! Alternatively, you can opt for plant care items (watering can/plant food/grow kits) or terrariums for something a bit different + no care necessary.

Experiences

Want something plant-related that isn’t a plant? We always recommend looking at local workshops or services that you can gift instead. Perhaps a repotting service for their out-of-control Monstera? Or book tickets to Make Your Own Terrarium! There are many ways to make your gifts go further this winter.

Browse Our Easy Care Houseplants

Hope you and your plants stay cosy this winter!

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Words by Phoebe Ingram.