Fall Houseplant Tip
Just because winter is just around the corner doesn’t mean you have to stop gardening. Now’s the time to give your houseplants a little extra attention. Light patterns change in the fall so you need to check each plant to make sure it is getting the proper amount of light. Too much light may bleach areas of the leaf. Too little light will make the plants leggy or the plants may drop some leaves. Temperature patterns change, especially when you turn the furnace on for the winter. Avoid putting plants near direct hot or cold drafts, they don’t like a draft and many plants will let you know a little too late to help them recover.
Since many growing conditions have changed you also need to change your watering and fertilizing schedules. Do not water plants as much during the winter, unless your furnace is drying them out, even then you may just need to increase the humidity instead of watering them more. Fertilize houseplants every two months during the winter instead of every month. With the proper care your houseplants will grow and make your house healthier to live in. Did you know many houseplants will actually filter chemicals from the air, making the air safer to breathe? We have a handout listing many houseplants and the chemicals they filter. Please stop by for a free copy of this handout.