INDOOR PLANTS NEED CAREFUL WINTER CARE
Having a little trouble with your houseplants over the winter? You are not alone.
Ann Cassidy of Botany Bay Landscape Services is an expert on indoor plants. Cassidy, her husband Randy McDougall and their son Brent create some amazing plant installations and provide plant maintenance for a wide range of clients. Why is winter such a tough time for indoor plants?
“The quality and duration of light at this time of year is a challenge,” Cassidy says. “Right from late September until early February, the short hours of daylight and the cloudy weather make it more difficult for plants to grow and thrive.”
Cassidy suggests moving plants nearer windows, opening drapes wide, and raising plants on plant stands to capture all the available light. She recommends doing anything you can, including installing grow lights if needed.
“Plants do need a little down time at night, so if you can match our normal hours of sunlight, so much the better,” she says. “Watering is another big issue
... when plants slow down their growth patterns, they really do need less water.
“Use smaller watering cans with indoor plants and run the water over your hand first to make sure it’s close to room temperature. Cold water shocks and sets plants back. The trick is to water the entire soil surface, not just one spot. Try to get the plant evenly moist. All you should be doing at this time of year is replacing the water used last week.” How often should you water?
“Checking once a week during the winter months is about right. I do it on a particular day each week, like a Friday, so it becomes a routine check. The key is to water a plant according to its location. If it’s in a sunny, bright window, obviously it’s going to need more water than a plant in a cooler east location. The higher the floor you live on in an apartment building, the better the light and the more water a plant will need.”
When a plant is not doing well, there’s a tendency to repot it.
“Don’t,” Cassidy says. “Plants are happier in a tight container where their roots are at the outside edge of a pot. In too big a pot, roots struggle. If your plants are very root-bound, then, and only then, shift pot sizes — but to a pot that is only slightly larger. Repot at the end of March or in April, when the growth cycle really begins.” Avoid cheap, heavy potting soils.
“Make sure you use a good quality, sterilized, well-draining mix,” Cassidy says. “We like a mix with a bit of clean sand. Don’t be afraid to use closed containers. About 85 per cent of the containers we use have closed bottoms with no drainage. It’s a bit of an art to get the watering right, but I want folks to know you can grow indoor plants in closed containers.”
“Cleaning the leaves of your plants is essential at this time year so they can go through their photosynthetic process. Dust is the main culprit. We use Dr. Bronner’s cleaning solution, which you can find in health food stores. It has a nice peppermint fragrance. Wiping the leaves down with a tissue and warm water will help, or even using a mild detergent like Ivory Snow.” What about fertilizing?
“Since we are watering less, we fertilize less as well. We use a rather old but amazing product called Superthrive … it works very well for us, but if it’s hard to find, 20-20-20 is fine or we like Schultz plant food, which is very easy to use. Be sure to water first, or at least make sure your plants are moist before you feed. Once we’re into longer days, again in April, you can ramp up your feedings,” Cassidy says.
“For the long-term health of your plants, make sure you put a mark on your pots and every couple of weeks, give them a quarter-turn. This will ensure the leaves all around your plant are exposed to as much light as possible.” What plants should you buy?
“Don’t buy a plant because you love it, buy a plant to suit the location in your home. You purchase furniture for a specific spot — do the same for plants. I like snake plants (sansevieria) for their structure and resilience. Dracaenas are great, particularly
Plants are happier in a tight container where their roots are at the outside edge of a pot. In too big a pot, roots struggle.
Janet Craig and Marginata,” Cassidy says. “Peace lilies always do well, and split-leafed philodendrons are making a comeback. I love rhapis palms and, of course, the classic kentia palm. These are the Mercedes of palms — they are expensive, but they stand the test of time. Bamboo and reed palms are pretty good too, but we call these less expensive varieties party palms — they’re here for a good time, not a long time.
“Don’t forget about anthuriums. Not only do they tolerate lower light conditions, but they also produce beautiful tropical flowers. For higher light locations, I love calatheas with their colourful foliage, particularly the rattlesnake variety. Lucky bamboos are very much in, and the popular zam plant (zamioculcas) is great too. I know fiddle-leaf figs are popular, but they grow very large. I prefer the smaller leafed varieties. Tillandsias (air plants) are all the rage right now, and once settled in, they are incredibly easy.”