Houseplants that are 'impossible to kill'
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Although indoor plants grow in a climate-controlled environment, they can still be affected by the seasonal changes moving into winter. This includes fluctuating temperatures, a reduced amount of sunlight as well as an increased risk in overwatering. Chris Bonnett, the founder of Gardening Express, said: “This biggest issues that indoor plants face during cooler months of the year are the lack of light and chilly temperatures.
“However, making small changes like relocating the plants to a brighter spot, adjusting the watering routine and improving humidity levels can go a long way in ensuring the survival of your green friends.
“Winter is the time for rest, so in terms of watering and feeding, they’re much more low maintenance.”
Overwatering houseplants is one of their biggest killers, and it can lead to root rot as well as attracting pests.
The expert added: “Reduce watering now. Because there’s less sunlight during winter, plants are not as thirsty, so you can cut down on watering.
“Plants that required watering every week during summer, may not need to be watered only a few times per month or even less.”
To check if your houseplant needs watering, stick your finger or a pencil into the soil and if it is completely dry, it may need a top up.
Some varieties of plants thrive in humidity such as the peace lily and orchid, and it can be hard to keep humidity levels up during the winter months.
The gardening pro added: “Look into ways of increasing the humidity yourself to keep the plants healthy, as many houseplants thrive in damp, humid conditions.
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“Keep the environment humid by clustering the plants together or put a humidifier near your plants.”
Owners could also mist their plants regularly using tepid water or place a tray of wet pebbles at the bottom of their houseplants.
Plants also don’t need feeding during the colder months of the year because their growth has slowed down.
Chris said: “Give them a break until springtime when they’re ready to start growing actively again.”
Some may struggle during the winter months because of the reduced amount of daylight hours, meaning it is crucial to give them as much as possible.
This may even mean relocating them. The expert explained: “Relocate plants near windows to utilise all the natural light you can.
“Just make sure that the window isn’t draughty and is clean enough to let plenty of light through. Rotate the plants a bit every week to ensure they get even sunlight on all sides.”
To make sure they can get all the light possible, Chris also recommended dusting the leaves regularly as a build-up of dust can prevent photosynthesis.
When doing so, use a damp cloth to wipe off the dust, exposing it to maximum sunlight. If a few leaves fall off while doing this, the expert said this is perfectly normal.
Chris noted: “It’s perfectly normal for houseplants to drop some leaves as they’re adjusting to the new growing conditions.
“By shedding some leaves, they’ll have less foliage to maintain when their growth rate slows down.”
Most indoor plants thrive in regular household temperatures, so it is important to keep them in a 18 to 23 degree temperature range.
If this temperature is met, the gardening pro said houseplants should “be perfectly fine” through the cold temperatures.
Chris added: “Make sure to keep them away from both cold draughts and heat sources like radiators, ovens or fireplaces.”
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