Winter can be a difficult time for your plants. With shorter days and longer nights, it’s important that your plants are protected, thriving and paid extra attention to.
Here are a few tips on how to look after outdoor and indoor plants this winter.
Outdoors
- Apply Mulch
Most winter damage occurs when the roots become frozen solid for extended periods of time – to combat this, add a deep layer of mulch. Place this on top of the soil, as well as at the base of plants in your garden to insulate. It ensures that your soil is taken care of in preparation for spring, will feed your plants in the coming season, and prevent the soil from freezing and cracking.
- Cut them back
You don’t want your plants to harbour any diseases in the winter, therefore ensure your annual flowers, plants and vegetables are all trimmed. You also want to remove any weeds.
- Bring Inside Tender Potted Plants
Frost, rain, wind and cold can damage your potted plants if they don’t have protection. The best option is to bring them inside, into your greenhouse or porch to ensure they survive the winter, as the cold winter weather can cause the moisture in the plants to freeze and damage the cell wall.
Indoors
- Adjust Watering Routine
Houseplants don’t need as much watering in the winter as they grow at a slower rate. Overwatering should be avoided at all costs, and rather, you should spray your plants with a light mist.
- Move into the light
With shorter days and longer nights, it’s important to move your plants in areas where they can get the most light, to ensure they stay healthy.
- Location
If you keep your plants on a windowsill be sure to keep a close eye on their health. Being so close to the window during cold and frosty weather, your plants may experience a draught and damage them. Heat from radiators could also dry out the air and be damaging for them, therefore location is as important when looking after your houseplants this winter.