For me, it’s been a busy week. I brought all of my houseplants inside and got rid of most of my dying summer veggies, so the broccoli, kale, and spinach I planted last month now have room to grow.
What’s Next?
Back in September, I wrote about bringing your houseplants inside for the winter. So what now? Now is a good time to take another look at your indoor plants, to make sure you haven’t brought any headaches inside. I examine mine before I bring them in to be sure an insect egg or two didn’t escape me.
Next, I’m going to start double-checking my watering. Remember, watering needs can change dramatically when plants come inside because the light is different —sometimes better, but usually worse—and the humidity is MUCH lower than outside. Humidity outside is usually 60-80%, and inside humidity is about 10%.
Does Soil Really Dry Out Faster Indoors?
Sometimes people assume that because they are indoors, the soil dries out faster. All things being equal, with the much drier humidity indoors, that would be true; however, we’re also dealing with days getting shorter and the light getting less intense. Because we have ceilings, sun loving plants are not getting any direct overhead sunlight at all, unless you’re one of the very few lucky people with a greenhouse. To be safe, I’d go back to checking the soil with your finger before watering.
Should You Mist Your Indoor Plants?
Some people say to mist your plants to make up for the lack of humidity. This is half true. Misting a plant does raise the humidity—for about ten minutes or so. However, a good heavy misting about once every three or four weeks can wash off household dust which cuts the amount of light leaves can get. Do not mist cacti, succulents, or any fuzzy leafed plants like African Violets. If you have plants native to the tropical rainforest, like citrus or orchids, then a humidifier in the room would really help. You can also use pebble trays or a saucer filled with pebbles and half full with water. So the plant sits ON the pebbles, but NEVER in the water.
To Feed or Not to Feed, That is The Question
A lot of people recommend not feeding plants all winter—and that’s usually correct. However, if you happen to have the rare plant that is blooming (like African Violets) or putting out a bunch of new leaves, then you could give those plants a weakened dose of fertilizer (about half-strength) because they’re obviously actively growing.
One More Thing…
One last thing. Do remember to keep an eye on your plants and double-check them every few weeks for any insects. They’re usually easier to deal with when caught early.
Oh, and if you begin to see gnats flying around the soil of your plants, you may have developed fungus gnats. The adults lay their eggs on decaying organic debris in the soil. To deal with those, get yellow sticky traps from a garden center and they will catch the adults. Then go back to checking your soil very carefully. If you let the top half of the soil dry out, there will be NO decaying debris to attract the adults.