As you’d expect, autumn brings new challenges to plant lovers, first and foremost, the challenge to prepare your plants in time for the cold weather. Here in Barcelona it will still be a couple more weeks until the cold really sets in, but that doesn’t mean we can wait and rest until then! Proactivity is the best option for us plant lovers, to maintain and save as many as our plants as we can. Here is a small guide for autumn and winter plant preparation and care for house-plants.
Autumn and Winter Plant Preparation and Care for House-Plants:
- Watering: As the temperatures of summer are no longer scorching, it is time to slowly lessen the quantity of water you are giving to your plants. By this I mean reducing the frequency that you water your plants, this is because there is not as much water loss through evaporation.
- Light: With the lowering light intensities and day durations, it is a good plan to find a way to provide your plants with as much light as possible. This could mean changing their position in your house, or to provide them with an artificial source. We have a great product here which works wonders.
- Positioning: This goes hand in hand with light, it is very important to position your plants where there is sufficient light, but somewhere that is away from all the cold drafts that winter brings. This means that it can be close to a window, but only if that window doesn’t let a lot of cold air in. If it does, it’s not the best idea to put your beautiful, tropical houseplants there. Side note – bring your plants inside! No (house)plant should be left to fend the winter alone and outside!
- Fertiliser: Now is the time to slow and stop fertilising your plants! Try not to stop immediately as it can send your plant into shock, but from now, reduce the amount of fertiliser given every watering day until you are no longer putting it in. This is because during wintertime, plants become dormant and no longer grow, meaning copious amounts of fertiliser are going to begin to accumulate in the soil and be potentially harmful for your plants.
- Trim and prune: Try not to prune so much during this time, however, removing any dead or dying plant matter is going to be helpful.
- Repotting: Don’t re-pot in this time!!!! The only reason you should during autumn and winter is if the plant is root-bound. There is no other reason to do so!! So please don’t!
Take a look at our IGTV Direct (in Spanish) or this informative video (in English) for further knowledge and information.
So lovely people, I hope this has been a useful guide on how to prepare yourselves and your plants for autumn and winter. Make sure to check back here in a month or so to learn how to care for your plants during our cold winters.
Plant love,
Planteka
Planteka Community Blog 