PREPARE HOUSEPLANTS FOR WINTER
Hints and tips on keeping them in good shape
AS the days shorten and light levels fall, most houseplants enter their winter dormancy. This means you can stop feeding them and reduce their water levels. Wait until their compost is dry to the touch and their pot feels lighter when lifted before adding more water.
The exceptions are ferns and citruses that do best if their compost is kept slightly damp. Citruses also need feeding all year round.
Water from below and stand plants on damp gravel to raise levels of humidity. This is especially important in a room with central heating, which often creates a dry atmosphere.
I put a bottle cap filled with almond oil on top of the compost in each pot to eliminate fungus gnats. They breed in compost, but are attracted to the sweet almond oil and drown in it.
Move plants closer to windows but make sure they aren’t in any draughts. Avoid placing them on windowsills, which will turn into frost pockets when you close the curtains on chilly nights.
Make sure your windows are clean, to optimise reduced light levels, and wipe dust and debris off the plants’ leaves to aid photosynthesis.
If any of your indoor plants have enjoyed a summer vacation in the garden, they should really be back indoors by now. Check foliage and compost for pests and disease and treat them accordingly.
You should also acclimatise them to warmer, drier conditions and lower light levels indoors by bringing them inside for slightly longer each day over the space of a week.