How Do Different Seasons Affect Your Houseplant?
Do you feel like your mood changes based on the season? Shorter days and colder temperatures affect houseplants too. Even though they spend their lives indoors, houseplants are still impacted by the weather.
The changes may seem subtle, but they impact how you take care of your plants over time. Here’s how the seasons will affect your plants at home.
What Do Seasonal Light Changes Mean for Houseplants?
Since the Earth spins on a tilted axis, daily light exposure changes over the year.
The winter sun is further in the south, meaning it hits south-facing windows for most of the day but only hits the east and west for a few hours in the morning and evening.
The summer sun, in contrast, is further north, which means the sun doesn’t reach as far into the room around south-facing windows but better hits the east and west.
This means your plants will experience different light exposure based on their location. Depending on their growing requirements, you may want to change their placement in your house based on the season.
Adjust Your Watering Schedule
Changing temperatures affect the watering needs of plants, even indoors. Many varieties grow more slowly or even enter a state of dormancy as the temperature drops, meaning that they need less water for the following months.
As a general rule, it’s best to test the soil before watering to ensure you aren’t giving the plants more than they need. Wait to water until the soil feels dry about one and a half inches below the surface. Too much water, and you risk causing the plant to rot.
Consider Changing Humidity Requirements
Plants need moisture to grow, and there tends to be less available in the air over the winter. Furnaces dry out indoor air, which can fry plant leaves that thrive in humid environments.
Boost the relative humidity in your home by grouping houseplants close together, closing heating vents near your plants, and adding pebble trays or humidifiers near them. Even the occasional spritz with a spray bottle will help keep moisture levels high.
Stop Fertilizing
Slower growth in the winter means that plants are pulling fewer nutrients out of the soil. While you might think this is a sign to apply more fertilizer, the opposite is actually true. Refrain from fertilizing until the weather warms again, so you don’t force the plant to break dormancy too early in the growing season.