DIY Project of the Season: Keep Your Houseplants Healthy & Happy All Year

Even though house plants stay inside year round, they are impacted by the changing seasons outside. And, winter is the hardest time of year to keep houseplants alive. With winter comes shorter days, dryer air and cooler temps. This combination can be challenging for our indoor plant friends.

Two green-thumbs from the Princeton Hydro team – Erin Bennett and Michelle Lubnow – offer helpful tips to keep houseplants happy all winter!

Give the Soil Some TLC

Good potting soil promotes healthy roots by providing a balance of proper aeration, nutrition and moisture-holding capability. When soil doesn’t have proper drainage — and when you overwater — you risk your plant contracting root rot. Your plant will essentially drown, and fungus takes hold in the roots.

Plants need pockets of oxygen in the soil to survive, so proper drainage is critical. Consider repotting with a mix that includes perlite or orchid bark to help extra water pass through more quickly.

“Use a time-released fertilizer like Osmocote Plus for feeding your indoor plants,” says Michelle. “Add it once and enjoy the fruits of your labor for months.”

Resist the Urge to Overwater

Overwatering is one of the most common ways people kill their houseplants.

Erin says, “Don’t be afraid to touch the soil. Sometimes it’s hard to determine if the soil is dry just by looking at it. I’m a chronic over-waterer, so this trick comes in handy.”

One good way to determine the moisture level in your soil is the finger test. Stick your index finger down into the soil an inch or two. If it feels moist, you probably don’t need to water. If the top two inches feel dry, however, your plant is probably thirsty.

More helpful tips: 

• Peace lilies droop when they need water. Remember: peace lilies are toxic to cats and dogs, so be careful around furry family members.
• Crispy, yellowish, droopy leaves are signs of under-watering, but non-crispy, yellowish, droopy leaves can be a sign of overwatering.
• Use plant bulbs filled with water for those “OMG, I forgot to water the plants.”

Find Your Plant’s Happy Place

Indoor conditions during the winter can be tough on house plants that typically thrive throughout other times during the year. Lower light levels, dry air and temperature fluctuations with indoor heat can all create challenging growing conditions.

“My house gets really dry in the winter because of blown-air heat,” says Erin. “I move my moisture-loving plants like orchids and ferns into the bathroom so the shower steam will make them happy. Another solution is to place them near a humidifier or diffuser.”

During the winter months, there are also fewer daylight hours and less intensity of ultraviolet rays. Because of this, you may consider moving your plants close to the windows in order to give them more light. Keep mind, however, if the windows are drafty, your plants may get too cold.

Once you find that sweet spot, Michelle recommends keeping it there until the season shift has truly commenced: “Find your plant’s favorite place, a place where it thrives and then don’t move it; your plant will love you for it!”

For more tips on how to grow and maintain healthy indoor plants, go here: “Growing Indoor Plants with Success!”

Many thanks to Erin and Michelle for their helpful input!

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