\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIf leaf edges turn brown or curl, that\u2019s usually a humidity cry for help,\u201d per Mutalik. \u201cWe keep humidity-loving plants like calatheas, ferns, and marantas grouped together on pebble trays and run a humidifier nearby.\u201d (Our WIRED-tested favorite is above.) He says that a windowed bathroom is also great for tropical plants that love high humidity. \u201cIt doesn’t have to be fancy,\u201d adds Anderson.<\/p>\n
We already covered that you should monitor the warmth near your windows to ensure it doesn’t drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. But ambient air temperatures can affect your houseplants as well. \u201cIf you\u2019re feeling chilly, your plants probably are, too,\u201d says Hancock. \u201cAnd they can\u2019t put on a sweater.\u201d<\/p>\n
You’ll also want to watch out for drafts. \u201cIf you have a houseplant near a heating vent where it\u2019s getting exposed to air that\u2019s noticeably warmer or cooler than the ambient air temperature, it can stress your plant, causing leaves to yellow prematurely,\u201d says Hancock.<\/p>\n
Drafts can be caused by exterior doors and windows. Connolly points out that heating vents and space heaters can be detrimental, too. Plants \u201clike the temperature to stay consistent and not be swinging back and forth between hot and cold.\u201d<\/p>\n
Awareness is key when it comes to heat and airflow. \u201cWe keep anything leafy or tropical at least 2 feet away from heaters and ensure windows are well-insulated,\u201d says Mutalik.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n Photograph: Kat Merck<\/p>\n Garden Safe<\/p>\n If you’re bringing your plants indoors from outside, experts recommend quarantining them for a period of time to ensure they aren’t hosting any pests that could affect your other houseplants. (Because let’s be real\u2014nobody has just one<\/em> houseplant.) \u201cCatching them early saves a lot of heartache,\u201d says Anderson.<\/p>\n Mutalik and the rest of the Houseplant Nook quarantine their plants for two weeks. Check under every leaf for mites, mealybugs, or gnats. If you encounter pests, there are a few ways of addressing them that can vary based on preference and plant species. Wheat removes them manually if possible, and wipes them down with a cloth or a light vinegar solution before moving on to other, more aggressive measures like horticultural oils or soaps if needed. (Editor Kat Merck uses the insecticidal soap above on her houseplants and hydroponic gardens.)<\/p>\n Connolly wipes plants down with a cloth and then rinses them in the sink. And Mutalik says that Neem oil or castile soap can work wonders if you catch the pests early; wipe the leaves, especially broader leaves, every two weeks to prevent infection.<\/p>\n While many winter pests hitch a ride indoors, Hancock points out that dry, warm conditions (like those found in heated homes in winter) are the ideal environment for spider mites.<\/p>\n \u201cRegularly washing plant leaves can help dislodge spider mites and help keep the population low. If you\u2019re just seeing spider mites and don\u2019t want to spray, consider investing in beneficial mites. Beneficial mites will eat the spider mites and don\u2019t harm your plant,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Photograph: Kat Merck<\/p>\n Fertilizer is always a little confusing, and it can be even more puzzling in the wintertime. \u201cI would say, don’t even bother to fertilize your house plant if you’re using an over-the-counter potting soil. Most of these soils have slow-release fertilizer in them that is sufficient for plant growth,\u201d says Wheat.<\/p>\n If you have an older plant with tired soil, or a particularly \u201cheavy feeder,\u201d you can opt for a slow or controlled-release fertilizer\u2014or just repot it with fresh soil. (But be aware that winter isn’t usually the best time to repot a plant, and you may want to wait until the growing season arrives.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cIf leaf edges turn brown or curl, that\u2019s usually a humidity cry for help,\u201d per Mutalik. \u201cWe keep humidity-loving plants like calatheas, ferns, and marantas grouped together on pebble trays and run a humidifier nearby.\u201d (Our WIRED-tested favorite is above.) He says that a windowed bathroom is also great for tropical plants that love high<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[165,320,1869,106,8310],"class_list":{"0":"post-21214","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-care","9":"tag-experts","10":"tag-plant","11":"tag-tips","12":"tag-winter"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21214"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21214\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Fertilizer<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n