How to keep your indoor plants alive in winter

Give them plenty of light 

Plants need light more than anything else during winter. It’s necessary to keep them thriving! Check the sunlight requirements for each of your plants, and ensure all of them are either in front of a window that gets plenty of sunlight or  within a brightly lit room. However, sunshine can still be hard to find during winter, you may try rotating your pots to make sure each plant is getting the sunlight they need. If the available natural sunlight is not enough, use a full-spectrum LED grow light and shine it on your plants for at least 12-14 hours a day

Keep your houseplants warm – but not too warm

Many indoor plants tend to like a bit of warmth and are sensitive to cold air. The key thing is to protect them from the cold air. However, if you have the heating on, like fireplaces and even heating vents, these blasts of hot air can be just as bad for your plant as blasts of cold air. They thrive best in a consistent temperature out of cold draughts or direct heating 

Pests and general care

Indoor heated and dry air can encourage spider mite or scale insects, so keep an eye out for these pests.  Most indoor plants do not need fertiliser or require minimal during winter, but those with smooth leaves will love a weekly misting or wipe-over with a damp cloth to keep the dust and grime away and get them looking clean and glossy. Keeping the leaves clean allow them to be more efficient at photosynthesis. To keep leaves healthy and pest free, try natural neem oil. 

Don’t let plants dry out but be careful with overwatering

Humidity drops drastically in winter and coupled with home heating, the air tends to be much drier. Most indoor plants especially zebra plants, alocasias, monsteras, begonias require high humidity to thrive and be healthy. If possible, keep them in parts of the house with high humidity like the bathroom or leave a bowl of water near your heater to produce moisture in the air or get a humidifier. Water only when the soil is dry an inch or two below the surface as plant roots do not like sitting wet as this can lead to root root, fungi and pest issues. Another way is to lift up the plant pot and feel its weight as a very dry plant will feel much lighter than a damp one. Reduce the normal amount of water you provide by somewhere between the range of 25%-50% depending on location. 

If possible, try watering plants with lukewarm water in winter as not only it helps the plants grow faster and larger, it will also keep them warm. Best practice is misting your indoor plants regularly in dry and heated conditions.