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6 Ways to Keep Your Houseplants Happy This Winter
We all have a special fondness for our plants. Whether you bought them from a store or planted them yourself, you want to see them thrive. During cold, dark winter months, your houseplants may need a little extra TLC. Here are a few simple tips for helping them survive:
1. Move your plants a little closer to the window
Plants are greatly deprived of natural sunlight during winter. Move them closer to your window so they can make the most of what precious sunlight is available. If possible, move them to a brighter, south-facing windowsill. Take care not to let your plants touch a frozen window, though. Keeping a distance of about 3cm between the glass and the leaves should be fine. Also, ensure your windows are clean so they’re letting the maximum amount of sunlight through.
2. Gently remove dust from your plants
Like everything else in your home, plants can accumulate dust. Dust can hinder a plant’s ability to photosynthesize, produce oxygen and remove harmful toxins from the air. You can give your plant a gentle washdown in the shower with just lukewarm water. If your plant is too heavy or too large to move to the shower, use a damp washcloth to gently rub the leaves clean.
3. Check the temperature of your home
During the daytime, many houseplants prefer a temperature range between 65°F and 75°F. At night, the temperature can be between 60°F and 65°F. Plants will suffer if the temperature drops below 50°F. Different plants have different needs so it’s important to check this first. Remember that houseplants are not fond of drafts, particularly very hot or very cold ones. During the winter, just one cold breeze from a window could harm tender plant tissues or stunt growth. If you add a heater to the room, be sure to keep it several feet away from your plants to avoid damaging them.
4. Keep the room humid
Houseplants tend to prefer humidity levels between 40% and 50%. In some cold climates, humidity can be as low as 10% and it might be necessary to use a humidifier. Humidifiers help to conserve the moisture in plants which benefits their growth.
5. Water your plants less frequently
Contrary to popular belief, additional watering won’t compensate for a lack of sunlight and lower humidity levels. During the winter, plants are naturally more dormant. If your air is humidified, they’ll be able to go a little longer without watering. Different plants have different watering needs, so it’s important to check this too.
6. Introduce an indoor garden into your home!
Research suggests that plants grown next to certain other plants are healthier than those grown in isolation. It appears that plants 'listen' to the good vibes of other plants! Plus, if you’ve always wanted a more hassle-free plant growing experience, then indoor gardens are a great option. Click & Grow’s smart indoor gardens are the easiest way to grow plants at home no matter how cold or dark it is outdoors. On top of this, if you have houseplants that need more light, you can place them close to your indoor garden during winter for supplemental light.
Here are some of the many benefits of using a smart garden:
- Smart gardens are self-growing. No plant knowledge or gardening experience is required.
- They are compact and suitable for any home.
- They feature energy-efficient LED grow lights with an inbuilt timer, ensuring plants have the right amount of light each day.
- They also have an inbuilt water float that shows you when it’s time to water the garden.
- Our unique smart soil automatically provides plants with all the nutrients they need.
- With a smart garden, you can grow fresh fruits, greens, herbs, flowers and even experiment with your own seeds.
- Plants grown in a smart garden can also be repotted outdoors when the weather starts to improve.
Don’t let winter stop you from having plants in your life. By taking care of your houseplants and growing fresh plants in an indoor garden, you can enjoy a brighter, greener winter.
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