Winter can be hard on houseplants. They have to cope with less sunlight, lower humidity levels and cold drafts. When I first started cultivating my houseplant collection, I made the mistake of thinking that the specimens sitting on the shelves above my heat-blasting radiators needed more water to help them cope with the dry conditions. As a result, even my “unkillable” snake plants and winter-loving cyclamens quickly started to show signs they weren’t happy.
If you find yourself facing an indoor plant collection catastrophe when the cold weather comes, there’s a good chance you’re making the same mistake I was. To set you back on the road to success, I spoke to certified horticulturist Justin Hancock to get his advice on how to avoid falling foul of the biggest winter houseplant killer.
Read on for expert tips that will keep your indoor jungle thrivingyes, even in winter.
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What is the biggest mistake people make with their houseplants in winter?
Overwatering is the most common and costly mistake you can make when caring for houseplants in the winter. “A lot of people love the idea of routine,” Hancock says. He explains that if someone is used to giving their plant one cup of water in the summer and it works, they often just continue that schedule into the winter.
Why is this such a problem?
Watering houseplants on the same schedule in the winter as the summer can be a route to root rot.
“The light intensity is lower from the angle of the sun, and the days are a lot shorter,” Hancock says. These lower light levels result in significantly slower growthand plants that grow slower take up less water. If you don’t reduce the amount you offer, this can lead to waterlogging.
Waterlogged soil reduces oxygen levels and affects the roots’ ability to take up moisture and nutrients. Water-soaked roots also give pathogens a foothold, resulting in the disease known as root rot.
How fast will it kill your plants?
Root rot can kill off the healthiest of houseplants in as little as a week, although timing varies depending on the species, the potting medium and the scale of the sogginess.
Which plants are at the most risk?
Hancock explains that houseplants native to deserts tend to be more sensitive to soggy soils. Those with thick or waxy foliage, slow growth habits and few leaves typically need less water than some softer-leaf species. If you’re a newbie houseplant collector, some low-maintenance species that like to dry out well between watering include:
Which plants will generally be fine?
No houseplants will thank you for leaving them sitting in watereven your low-maintenance favorites are susceptible to overwatering. However, some are lovers of evenly moist soil. These are often thin, papery-leaf species that don’t hold as much moisture in their foliage. If you tend to be heavy-handed with your watering, you might have better success in the winter with the following species:
- Alocasia
- Calatheas
- Ferns
- Thin-leaved philodendrons. “Varieties like verrucosum and gloriosum have much thinner leaves than the good old-fashioned heart-leaf philodendrons,” Hancock says.
What’s the best way to combat this problem?
The good news is that there are simple steps you can take to avoid overwatering your houseplants in the winter.
Don’t water on a strict schedule
“If you don’t go on a routine, you’re less likely to overwater in the winter,” Hancock says. He recommends regularly testing the moisture levels in the potting medium with your finger before watering deeply. Most houseplants appreciate watering when the top inch or two of soil is dry, although some cacti and other desert natives might like it to be even drier.
Testing the soil also helps prevent you from going too far in the other direction. “You can do wrong by your plants by thinking they don’t need water at this time of year,” Hancock says.
Don’t leave your plant in standing water
While you want to water deeply so your plant’s roots get sufficient moisture, don’t leave your plant sitting in a puddle. If your houseplant pot sits in a saucer or tray, drain away any standing water after 15 to 30 minutes.
Try a self-watering system
Hancock used a self-watering system in the winter for a geogenanthus, a species known for being very finicky about humidity. It helped keep moisture levels consistent. “Even when my furnace was running almost constantly, I didn’t have any issues with leaf browning,” he says.
What should you do if your plants are already in trouble?
Fortunately, if you jump into action when you spot the classic early warning signs of root rotwilting and yellow leaves (especially the lower and inner ones)you can sometimes revive a dying plant.
Allow the potting medium to dry out
Stop watering. It might sound obvious, but you need to let things dry out to give those roots a chance to recover. Moving your plant to a sunnier spot can speed this process along, but it could take as long as one to two weeks.
Check the plant’s roots
If your plant’s leaves have gone from wilting and yellow to scorched (brown on the edges and tips) and dropping, the problems are progressing. Gently lifting your plant out of the pot to check the roots allows you to see how many are firm, white and healthy. If most are brown or gray, your plant might be past saving.
Repot your plant
Repotting your houseplant offers its roots immediate relief from those soggy conditions. “I hear people saying all the time to never, ever repot your plant during winter, but this is not based in reality,” Hancock says. “If your moisture-management skills are on point, it’s fine to repot a plant, even if it’s a little stressed,” he says.
He just cautions that the “Goldilocks zone” for moisture levels is smaller when repotting in the winter. You need to offer a little extra water immediately after repotting, but be careful not to go too far in the other directionagain.
Other tips for keeping houseplants healthy in the winter
If you overwater a plant that’s already stressed by other winter problems, there’s a good chance it will die off faster. “Plants are living things, and just like us, when we’re stressed at work and not getting enough sleep, that compounds things,” Hancock says.
Keep your plant feeling perky in the winter by following these additional care tips.
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Increase humidity levels. Hancock recommends grouping plants, as they release moisture from their leaves through transpiration. He also suggests using a humidifier, which will more effectively add moisture to the air than using a mister. “I always tell people that misting is therapeutic for you, but it’s not doing anything for your plant,” he says. “The water evaporates and disperses into the room so quickly that your plant is not getting the benefit.”
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Provide more light. If you want more growth during winter, put your plant in a sunnier window or invest in grow lights. And break out the dust rag. Dusting the leaves doesn’t just keep them looking shinyit’s a surprisingly effective plant-lighting tip. Leaves without dust buildup absorb the sun’s rays more effectively.
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Keep plants away from drafts. “Drafts, where the plant is exposed to air that is noticeably warmer or cooler than the ambient temperature, are another situation you don’t find in nature,” Hancock says. Moving your plant out of the way of heating vents or cold drafts from windows or doors helps prevent browning or premature leaf droppage.
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Protect them from the cold. “If it’s dropping below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night, that can definitely stress your plant,” Hancock says. He explains that even a chilly walk from the store to your car can damage tropical houseplants, and so can letting their leaves touch old, uninsulated, cold windows.
Is the bathroom the best place for plants?
According to Hancock, putting your plants in the bathroom or kitchen during the winter months might or might not be helpful. It’s true that bathroom humidity levels rise when you take a shower. “However, after the shower is done, depending on your space, you might find that it has the same humidity level as the rest of your house,” he says. One advantage of a bathroom is that running a humidifier for plants in a small space like this can be more effective.
About the expert
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Source:
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Justin Hancock, certified professional horticulturist and the director of research and development at Costa Farms; video interview, Feb. 4, 2025
The post Here’s the No. 1 Reason Your Houseplants Are Dying Right Now—And What You Can Do About It appeared first on Reader's Digest.
