With the summer sun giving way to more autumnal temperatures, there isn’t long to go before the clocks fall back and daylight is once again in short supply. A new season brings new challenges for houseplant owners, with autumn and winter often proving to be a tricky time of year to navigate.
Drooping or yellowing leaves can become more of a common sight, especially if you don’t get ahead now and adjust your care plan to match the changing temperatures and light conditions in your home. The experts at Palmstreet have shared some of the biggest risks to plants this autumn—and what you can do to minimise the impact. Explaining the first big mistake people make, they said: “As tempting as it is to give them a fresh new home, fall and winter are actually the worst seasons to repot your leafy companions.
“As summer daylight fades and temps drop, most houseplants enter a slower growth period, and the last thing they need is pot-moving, heavy trauma on their gentle roots and stems. That extra stress can cause wilting, leaf drop, or even worse, death.”
The best time to repot houseplants is late winter to early spring, when plants can take full advantage of new soil to build strong, healthy root systems.
In the meantime, there are some changes you can make, however. You can easily improve your plant’s aeration by carefully poking vertical holes into the soil with a chopstick, pencil or small gardening fork.
“This helps to manually create air pockets and helps to quickly allow oxygen and water to reach your plant’s roots,” the experts said.
“It also improves proper drainage. You will quickly see plants that look like they need a refresh come alive with this 1-2-3 tip and avoid repotting stress.”
You can also breathe some life into your plants by gently churning some perlite or vermiculite into the soil.
Just as leaves are falling outside, it is normal for the same process to be happening inside your home.
“Houseplants have a natural cyclical rhythm, and they rely on you to help maintain it,” advised the Palmstreet experts. “Focus on the lower leaves and stems of popular houseplants with abundant foliage, and prune away those that are yellowing or browning.
“Much like trimming the ends of your hair, this allows your plant to redirect water, nutrients, and energy to the areas that need them most.”
On the changes you should make to your watering schedule, they said: “Plants need less water, less often in the cooler, lower light months when there’s less evaporation and too much water can lead to root rot.
“Instead of a fixed schedule, water only when the top couple of inches of soil feel dry. Pro Tip: Use room temperature water and let it run until it drains from the bottom.
They also shared some additional tips for how to keep your houseplants healthy this winter:
Boost humidity
Group three or more of your humidity-loving plants together in an area. As plants release moisture, it concentrates in the space around them, creating a shared microclimate that they will love.
Give the leaves some TLC
When dust settles on plants, it blocks vital light needed for photosynthesis, so be sure to gently wipe leaves with a damp, soft cloth regularly.
Skip the fertiliser
Plants can’t properly absorb extra nutrients during the slower growth months. Using fertiliser before spring can lead to “fertiliser burn”, where the buildup of excess salts draws moisture out of the plant’s roots, turning leaves brown and wilted.
Check for pests
Winter dry air can invite pests like spider mites and gnats. Give your plants regular check-ups by looking under leaves and around stem joints where pests like to hide.
If you see webbing, discolouration, sticky residue or other abnormalities, isolate the plant and remove pests with a tweezer or a rubbing alcohol-dipped cotton swab. If they persist, insecticidal soap or neem oil goes a long way.
