Special Winter Care For House Plants
House plants are very beneficial for your health, they come in all styles to match your interior decor and make a great addition to any home. However many house plant owner are not aware of how to properly take care of a house plant when the winter rolls around. In fact many of you reading this were probably not aware that they needed any kind of special care during the winder. Winter does not necessarily mean December through April, winter should be defined as the colder period of the year and this can start as early as September depending where you live.
The first thing you should do is move all your house plants that are placed up against the window approximately 6″ away. Make sure that the leaves do not make contact with the window as the cold will travel through the leafs and will damage the roots. Also make sure the windows are well isolated and there is no cold draft escaping.
During the winter the air inside becomes very dry as a result of the heaters. Notice how your own skin feels dry after a while? Well the same is true for plants. The answer is not to moisturize your plants as you would your skin, nor to water the plants more often, but to mist the plants once or twice a day. You can buy a water spritzer for under a dollar at the grocery store or a dollar store. Just a few spritzes on the leaves will ensure your plants stay clean and well moisturized.
The winter also attracts more dust in your home and you should dust your plants just as you would your bookshelves. The reason for this is that plants breathe through their leaves, consequently a layer of dust will create a suffocating effect and result in the leave drying. Use a swiffer or a moist cloth and gently brush off the dust. Do this approximately once a week.
Don’t forget to take into consideration the shorter days and therefore shorter periods of light. Check to see where the sun rises and sets in your apartment and which area gets the most sun exposure during the day to make sure your plants get the maximum amount of light during these shorter days.
Follow these simple tips to ensure your plants live strong through the winter and continue to provide you with cleaner air and decorate your home with vivid colors.
