Think that houseplants only need water and a bit of sunlight to survive and thrive? Well there are plenty of things that you should be doing, even in January, to help your houseplants have the best growth and display that they can. I check each month with my county extension and with the Old Farmer’s Almanac to see what I need to be doing so that I do not stray off course in my gardening efforts.
Clean your plants by sponging the leaves or showering them with a mist of water. This can help remove dust and other particles off the plant, improving both its look and its ability to take in nutrients through the leaves. If there are aphids around your houseplants, clean them with a homemade cleaner such as a 50/50 blend of water and rubbing alcohol that you’ve added a drop of dishwashing detergent to. Brush on the plant with a sponge or a soft-bristle brush.
Pruning is good to do in January to houseplants. Pinching back any new growth that you see can help make the plant bushier. In addition, divide up any plants that have become root bound and re-pot them. Doing these two items at the same time can be much easier than doing it at two separate occasions.
Air out your plants and check the humidity levels. Opening up the windows and providing a good breeze throughout the house helps change the air quality in the room, giving you and your plants the benefit. Make sure your houseplants aren’t too close to a windowsill that is frosty. Putting houseplants close to one another can help increase the humidity.
Provide windowsill protection. Houseplants that live on the windowsills will need to not touch the windowpanes to make sure they don’t receive frost or freeze damage. Placing a bit of cardboard between the glass and the plant in the wintertime can really help their growth and their health.
Keep track of your watering habits and not over water them in the winter when they’ll require less water. Now is a good time to also fertilize your houseplants with a high quality water-soluble fertilizer.
If there are houseplants that are not blooming indoors, like jade and hoya often trouble, you can help them along by growing them in a smaller pot and holding back the water. This can stimulate some plants, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, to bloom.
Source:
Old Farmers Almanac
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