Skip to main content
INDOOR

Caring for indoor plants in winter

Sssshhh, they're sleeping

After all the intense growing in summer, the colder months are your houseplants' time to have a bit of a rest. Through autumn and winter, most indoor plants will be 'dormant'. This means they're doing very little growing and saving their energy for a growth spurt in spring.

Plant parenting in winter is very low effort, but there are a few handy tips to make sure they enjoy their winter rest. And to make sure you know what's normal dormant plant behaviour.

Water them less

If you only remember one rule from reading this*, remember that plants need less water in winter. An overwatered plant is a very unhappy plant.

Because they're not growing much, they don't need much water to sustain them. Some that were guzzling up water daily in summer may be able to go weeks without water in winter.

As in summer, follow the finger dip test: put your finger in the plant's soil. If the soil feels dry up to your second finger joint, give your plant a drink. But if you feel any moisture, it's fine for now.

Keep misting them regularly as the air will likely be quite dry, due to central heating. Don't want crispy edges.

(*Please remember all the rules. We spent a lot of time on this)

Make sure they're getting enough light

The days are shorter in winter, which means sunlight is in shorter supply. If possible, it can be a good idea to move your sun-loving plants closer to a window, so they can maximise the day's rays.

The direct sun that can burn plants in summer is less of a concern in winter, because the light is less strong. Just in case, keep an eye on any you move closer to the window. If it seems to be too much for them, you can always move them back to their original spot.

Stop feeding for now

Plants don't really get hungry in winter, so you stop the monthly feed until spring arrives again. Plants need food (also called fertiliser) in spring and summer to create leaves and flowers. In winter they're just full up and ready to hibernate. They're like bears in that way. Except they don't have claws and they're less likely to steal your picnic.

You can read more about feeding here. If you want to stock up for the arrival of spring, we just the feeding products you need.

Check for drafts

Plants are not keen on stiff, cold breezes. You don't get a lot of that in the rainforests of South America. They tend to like somewhere with a consistent, warm temperature, so they can suffer if exposed to constant drafts. If they're by a window, try to ensure it's not a drafty one. And keep them away from doors that open to the outside.

Also, a note on central heating. While plants love warmth, the dry air around radiators can cause them to dry out, so best to keep them at least a metre away from them.

Most of all, don't panic

It can be worrying if your plant starts to drop leaves or looks a bit forlorn in winter, but there's really no reason to worry. It's all part of the plant's natural life cycle. Spring and summer are for growing. Autumn and winter are for resting.

If you follow all these simple steps, you'll give your plant the best possible conditions for its annual snooze. You'll then see your work rewarded in spring when it starts growing vigorously in spring.

When the weather gets hot again, head here to see how to care for your plants in summer.

The winter kit

Grab these accessories for happy plants

Delivery van

Free standard delivery on orders over £50