Are your plants suffering from a lack of light inside your home in the fall and winter? We have a few tips to help you take care of them! Of course, you’ll need to do some research based on the plants you have at home, since some plants don’t tolerate being placed near a window in winter very well (because of the chill from the cold outside), or being close to radiators, which are often located near windows.
- 1. For plants that need a lot of light, try to move them as close as possible to your light sources: your windows and your patio door! For example, you could hang them, set them on the floor near a window (watch out for nearby radiators, which some plants don’t like!) or move a piece of furniture near a window to set your plants on. Also avoid blocking some of the light with curtains, sheers or blinds.
- 2. Rotate your plants each time you water them (a quarter turn) so that every side of your plants gets an equal share of light. This will keep just one side of the plant from stretching toward the light.
- 3. Despite your efforts, your plants still aren’t getting enough light? Look into artificial lighting. Using fluorescent tubes could greatly help your plants.
- 4. Avoid placing your plants too close to heat sources.
- 5. Check the humidity level in your home (or in the rooms where your plants are). In winter, the air in our homes is often very dry because of the heating. You can use a humidifier to raise the humidity level or mist your plants’ leaves with water.
- 6. Don’t water too much or too often. Wait until the surface of the soil is dry before watering, and remove any excess water that drains out.
Pssst: shopping for new houseplants? Look for plants that tolerate the conditions in our homes well in winter :)
