KEEP HOUSEPLANTS HAPPY IN WINTER!
A li le a ention now will reap rewards in spring
Martyn Cox
Houseplants may be enjoying their biggest surge in popularity since the 1970s but one thing they don’t enjoy is indoor conditions over winter. Reduced light levels, shorter days, central heating, draughts and lower humidity combine to give them a tough time. Don’t worry! Give them some close attention and they’ll be in perfect condition to get growing in spring.
FEEDING
In winter, try a liquid feed every fourth watering
Houseplants are supplied in compost with low levels of fertiliser. In order to keep them healthy and vigorous, feed regularly during the growing season, generally from March to September. During this time, add some liquid houseplant feed every other time you water. Apart from some flowering types, most houseplants are dormant over winter, so require fewer nutrients. Either stop feeding or give them some sustenance every fourth watering.
Water plants regularly during the growing season, and less so in winter, waiting until the compost is almost dry before giving more. Ideally, water in the morning to allow splashes on leaves to dry during the day – water left on plants overnight can encourage fungal diseases.
If the compost is so dry that water runs straight through, stand the container in a bowl of water and allow it to be taken up from below. When the surface is visibly damp, remove from the bowl and place on a saucer to drain. them in the morning to reduce the risk of diseases getting a foothold on damp foliage over night.
Plants that need misting include the parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans), croton (Codiaeum variegatum), prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura), umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola) and peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii).
Among those that don’t are cacti and succulents, the fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata),
African violet (saintpaulia), Cape primrose (streptocarpus) and Piggyback plant (Tolmiea menziesii).