How to Overwinter Your Houseplants

Before you start bringing your plants indoors, make sure that you have enough room in your house to fit them! Plants need light and space to stay healthy. Give each plant enough room for good airflow and avoid crowding leaves together.

Take a good look at your plants and decide which ones you are really invested in. Focus on healthy plants you enjoy and have room to care for. If a healthy plant has outgrown your space, consider sharing it with a friend. Plants with serious pest or disease problems should be kept separate from your other houseplants while you decide whether to treat or discard them.

Prepare Your Houseplants for the Move Indoors

• Your plants need a space inside the house, near a window where they will receive the right amount of light for their needs.
• Clean the window so you can be sure your plants get the most light possible. If you don’t have enough light, invest in a grow light.
• Check to see if your plant is root-bound, but only repot if needed. If it is healthy and watering is manageable, you can usually wait until spring, when growth picks up.
• Now it’s time to move plants to an area that is less sunny outside. This gives the plant time to acclimate to the lower light conditions it will encounter once you bring it indoors. I’d suggest starting this process about two weeks before you plan to bring the plant indoors.
• Remove fallen leaves and debris from the soil surface, and wipe dirt from the outside of each pot.

Before bringing plants indoors, inspect the tops and undersides of leaves, stems, soil surface and drainage holes. Look for insects, webbing, sticky residue or other signs of a problem. Catching pests now can help prevent them from spreading to your indoor plants.

• Gently rinse or wipe the leaves to remove dust and help dislodge pests.
• If you find insects, identify the pest before choosing a treatment. Our team can help you select an appropriate product.
• If using insecticidal soap or another pest-control product, make sure it is labeled for your plant and the pest you are treating. Follow all label directions, including any instructions for repeat applications and use around children and pets.
• Do not drench the soil with insecticidal soap unless the product label specifically allows that use. A leaf spray will not necessarily control pests living in the soil.
• Once indoors, keep returning plants separate from your other houseplants for about three weeks, if possible. Continue checking them for pests, including at each watering.

How to Care for Houseplants in Winter

Your plants will need a few adjustments once they settle into their indoor home.

• Reduce your watering once you bring the plants inside. Your plants are no longer exposed to the same sun, heat and wind, so they will generally require less water. Check the soil before watering and adjust to each plant’s needs rather than following a fixed schedule.
• Allow excess water to drain, and empty saucers so pots are not sitting in water.
• Keep plants away from heating vents, radiators and cold drafts. Avoid letting leaves touch cold window glass.
• Watch how your plants respond to their new location. Some leaf drop can happen during the transition, but continued yellowing or leaf loss is a reason to check light, watering and pests.

Bringing your favorite houseplants and tropicals indoors during the winter months allows you to enjoy your plants every day of the year. With the right light, careful watering and regular pest checks, you can help them stay healthy until it’s time to head outside again.

Need help getting your houseplants ready for winter? Visit Hicks Nurseries in Westbury. Our team can help you choose the supplies and care routine your plants need.