Many of your indoor plants may be going through a period of winter dormancy if you’ve seen limited growth throughout the colder months. The full growth you know and love will return once the weather begins to warm up, therefore plants that go through this phase should be taken care of rather than thrown out.
You can compare the appearance of winter dormancy with times of stress by having one or more of these houseplants in your collection. This can help you determine whether a plant is too far gone versus when it is going through a normal cycle:
- Queen of marble pothos
- Asian evergreen
- Philodendron
- a. l. v.
- Viper plant
- fig fiddle leaf
- The delicious monstera
And this is only the start. Due to the natural course of things, most houseplants will go into some sort of winter dormancy, whether it be slow growth or leaf drop. You won’t have any trouble keeping your plant babies alive until the following growing season if you are careful about your regimen for caring for them in the winter.
What kinds of plants hibernate?
Due to the harsh weather and reduced daylight hours of winter, the majority of perennial plants enter a condition of dormancy, or winter rest. These latent, rather than dead, plants lose their stems and leaves when they remain dormant. When spring finally arrives, they’ll start to grow again from their roots.
Like individuals, plants come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Different plants enjoy different types of growing environments, and some are transported in their dormant stage in the spring while others will awaken from their winter hibernation. Before shipping, we carefully examine dormant plants to make sure their roots and crowns are strong and prepared to sprout.
Please take care when handling dormant plants.
When the plants arrive, you probably won’t notice any top growth.
That is typical and not cause for alarm.
The most accurate approach to determine whether a plant is dormant is to examine the root system. As demonstrated here with a Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) plant, search for thin, sturdy roots. To ensure that these plants flourish in your garden, adhere to the guidelines listed below.
How can you recognize a dormant plant?
There are fortunately a few techniques to tell whether a plant is dormant or dead. You can apply a test known as the snap-scratch test to trees and bushes. It’s as easy as it sounds to take this test. Simply attempt to break a branch from the tree or bush. The branch is dead if it snaps easily and has a gray or brown inside. The branch is still alive if it is malleable, resists breaking off readily, or displays fleshy green and/or white interiors.
If the branch doesn’t break at all, you can use a knife or your fingernail to remove a little portion of the bark and examine the fleshy green or white hue that lies beneath. When conducting this test, cut out the dead branches because it is conceivable for certain branches on trees and shrubs to die over the winter while other branches on the plant remain alive.
To determine whether perennials or some shrubs are dormant or dead, more intrusive investigations may be necessary. Digging up the plants and looking at the roots is the best technique to check these plants. Replant the plant and give it extra time if the roots appear to be fleshy and healthy. Discard the plant if the roots are dry and brittle, mushy, or otherwise clearly dead.
Each and every thing has its time. Just because we are prepared to begin our gardening season does not imply that our plants are. Sometimes, all we need to do is wait it out and let nature take its course.
Do all plants go dormant in the
However, because they lack the mechanism to hibernate and emerge in the spring, annual plants don’t hibernate over the winter. Annuals have a life cycle that is limited to one growth season.
Which plants go dormant in
In the winter, almost all plants—both indoor and outdoor—go dormant. This holds true for plants like trees, bushes, vines, bushes, vegetables, groundcovers, and flowers. Even if you build a cold frame, spread blankets, move your plants indoors to store them for the winter, or otherwise shelter them from the elements, they will eventually become dormant. Only annuals, which can only survive for one growing season and must be replanted every year to continue providing enjoyment, do not go dormant over the winter.
What triggers dormancy in a
Numerous climatic variations might cause a plant to go into dormancy. A dip in temperature is the most frequent climatic shift that initiates dormancy. A plant may potentially use shorter daylight hours as a cue that dormancy is about to begin.
Why are my houseplants deteriorating in the winter?
The easiest time of year to kill a houseplant is definitely during the winter. Houseplants are put to the test by harsh growing conditions like low light levels, dry air, shorter days, and frigid temperatures.
Making care routine adjustments to accommodate seasonal growing circumstances is the key to ensuring that plants survive the winter. Review the fundamentals to provide your indoor plants with the best care during winter.
Winter causes the sun to set later in the day, which results in a 50% reduction in light levels near windows. During the winter, indoor plants that thrive near a sunny eastern or northern window during the summer may require a southern or western exposure. Similarly, plants near windows in the west or south that require filtered light in the summer might be able to endure direct sunlight in the winter.
To aid plants in adjusting to shifting light conditions:
- If it’s possible, move plants nearer to the windows.
- Window cleaning will maximize light transmission.
- For the winter, move plants to new areas next to windows with more light.
- Cleanse plants to allow leaves to utilize the light that is available to the fullest.
- Add synthetic lighting. Fluorescent lights are sufficient. They generate less heat and are less expensive than conventional grow lights. For best results, place bulbs 4–12 inches away from plants.
Tropical plants, which make up the majority of indoor plants, like daytime temperatures of 65 to 75 F and nighttime temperatures of around 10 F lower. Low temperatures (below 50F) can be problematic for many plants.
In order to make the thermostats more comfortable for you, keep in mind that your plants also require some thought.
- Keep plants away from heat sources and cold gusts.
- Maintain a few inches of space between plants and external windows.
- Plants should be moved away from windows at nightfall in cold climates if windows freeze over at night. Additionally, you may tuck a thick shade or another insulating item between the plants and the glass.
In the cold, homes might only provide 5–10% relative humidity. Houseplants prefer 40–50%. Brown leaf tips and the presence of pests like Spider Mites are indicators that plants are being stressed by low humidity. Learn how to increase the humidity around plants in simple methods.
Overwatering is the most frequent issue that indoor plants encounter throughout the winter. 95% of indoor plants require the soil to almost totally dry out before watering. How do you determine whether plants need water?
- Don’t only test a small area of the soil’s surface. When the root zone is dry, plants require moisture. Insert your finger up to two inches into the ground. Water the soil if it’s dry.
- Pick up the pot. When soil gets dry, it becomes lighter. Lift pots right away after watering to feel the texture of the moist soil.
- Plants won’t need water as frequently if winterized rooms are humidified. Water must be added to dry air.
- The only exceptions to this rule are citrus and ferns in pots, both of which require continually moist soil. If you are uncertain, always do your research.
Never let plants sit in water that gathers in the drainage saucer overnight when you water.
Fertilize plants all winter long in mild climates. Winter fertilization of indoor plants is not recommended in the coldest climates with little natural light. When springtime outside plants begin to grow, fertilizer can be resumed.
In the spring and summer, when most indoor plants are actively growing, is the ideal time to repot them. Potted woody plants that entirely hibernate in the winter are the exception. Transplant those in the early spring before the buds break.
- Numerous advantages of houseplants include bettering indoor air quality and lowering sickness rates.
Keep your plants warmbut not too warm
Air that is too chilly can be quite damaging to many plants. Make sure they are shielded from the cold air as the first step in winter plant care. By insulating your home’s doors and caulking your windows, you can partially fix this problem. Additionally, during the hot months, if you store plants next to exterior doors or on leaky windowsills, make sure to relocate them to places where they won’t be stunned by the chilly air.
Keeping plants away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, and even heating vents is also a good idea. Blasts of hot air can harm your plant just as much as blasts of cold air. For the optimal conditions for plant life, keep your plants at a constant temperature of 65 to 75 degrees F (18 to 24 degrees C) during the day and above 50 degrees F (10 to 10 C) at night.
Reduce your watering and use warm water for plants in winter
The majority of houseplants “dorm” throughout the fall and winter even though they are inside. With less light, plants will grow slower and use less water and fertilizer. As a result, your indoor plants may require less feeding over the winter.
Observe the general recommendations for watering and only apply water if the soil is dry an inch or two below the surface. Keep in mind that leaving your plants submerged in water can result in root rot, fungus, mold, and a number of other problems. If you notice yellow leaves or moldy soil, you should lessen how often you water your plants. In the winter, you might also wish to give your plants warm water. It is best to water plants with warm water in the winter since it not only promotes faster and greater plant growth, but it also keeps the plants warm.
We advise you to stick to the typical “once per week” schedule used by most houseplant owners in order to maintain consistency and avoid disrupting the rhythm. But on the days you water your plants once a week, merely cut back on the water you give them by 25 to 50 percent.
Increase your home’s humidity
Low humidity during the winter months is a problem for both people and plants. Keep your humidifier on if you have one because plants prefer humidity levels of roughly 50–60%. If not, try grouping your plants in your home’s most humid areas—typically the bathrooms or kitchen—or setting them on top of a sizable tray or baking sheet that is moistened with water. Place some stones in the water, then place the plants on top of the stones (you just need to make sure the pots don’t touch the water).
Clean your plants
In the winter, the sun is scarce. Make sure the leaves of your indoor plants stay clean and dust-free so they can make the most of the little amount of light they receive. Put your plants in the bathtub once or twice a month, and give the leaves a gently rinse with a handheld sprayer or wipe them down with a moist towel to remove dirt and grime. Keeping the leaves clean will increase their capacity for photosynthesis.
Give them plenty of light
The final tip for maintaining indoor plant life is to remember that during the fall and winter, plants require light more than anything else. To ensure that every plant receives the necessary amount of sunlight, you must rotate your pots with extreme care. Use a full-spectrum lightbulb in a typical desk lamp to shine it on your plants for at least 12 to 14 hours each day if the amount of natural sunlight available is insufficient. Find out more about how to set up a grow light or buy an LED grow light from our shop.
As a final piece of advice, it’s important to remember that some of the suggestions we make in this post call for adjusting many variables.
For instance, if you relocate your plants away from a drafty window, the amount of light they receive will almost surely change, and possibly the humidity will as well. For this reason, after you’ve moved your plants, keep an eye on them every day. To get it correct, you might need to try a few different things or need to go back and undo some modifications.