Helping houseplants through dark winters
In December, my window gets only a few hours of weak sun. The plants slow down, and some of them stretch toward the glass.
These are the things I do every winter:
- Move plants closer to the window. Light drops very fast with distance. A plant one meter from the window gets much less light than one on the sill.
- Clean the leaves. Dust blocks light. I wipe large leaves with a damp cloth once a month.
- Water less. Plants use less water when they grow slowly. Wet soil in a cold room is the main risk.
- Stop fertilizing. I start again in March, when new growth appears.
- Watch the radiator. Hot, dry air under the window can burn the leaf edges.
Last year I also bought a small LED grow light for the herbs. On a timer for twelve hours a day, it kept the parsley alive until spring.