Fall Houseplant Care
If your tropicals & houseplants have been enjoying a little vacation outside for the summer, now is definitely the time to bring them inside before temperatures dip below 10°C. There are a few things to remember to keep them healthy through the winter months indoors.
Pests: Inspect for hitch-hikers and spray with good quality insecticide like End-All or Trounce. Be sure to get undersides of leaves and also thoroughly saturate the surface of the soil. If fungus gnats are a problem, spray soil again every few days until they disappear.
Light: Put in the brightest spot possible available. Be prepared for leaves to drop or die off. This is because their light is being reduced and they can’t support the same amount of foliage as they could outside. Some people choose to trim their plants back to prevent leaf drop.
Water & Fertilizer: Water less in fall or winter. With the reduced light, plants will grow less and therefore drink less too! Do not fertilize in the fall for the same reason. Start watering more and give them a little houseplant fertilizer in late February instead.
Temperature & Air Quality: Keep your tropicals away from heat vents that will dehydrate them. Many also do not like cold drafts so keep away from outside doors. Provide extra humidity by running a diffuser or humidifier in the room occasionally or sit the plant pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water.
Repotting: Save this job for the spring! Most tropical plants prefer to be a little pot bound so only transplant them if it’s absolutely necessary.
