WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR HOUSEPLANTS

There are many reasons why it is a good idea to keep a few houseplants in your home. Apart from their decorative qualities they also act as air cleaners to remove harmful pollution from the air. Since the natural habitat of plants is outside in the fresh air and sunshine bringing them indoors will mean that they are no longer growing in their ideal conditions. And this is even worse in winter as the plants are subjected to lower light levels and central heating. Martyn Cox writing in the Saga Magazine has some helpful tips on caring for houseplants at this season.

Houseplants plod along happily for much of the year, but when winter descends a lethal cocktail of central heating, chilly draughts and lower light levels will soon take its toll on their health. Martyn Cox advises on how to keep them alive (and looking good) over the months ahead.

Where to put them

Lower light levels outside mean its darker inside the house, and many plants struggle to get enough light. The answer: give them as much as possible by moving to a bright windowsill or to a position close to one – a sill in front of double glazed windows would be ideal, but if you don’t have any, avoid putting plants directly in front of a draughty pane as this will damage the plant. As they often come from tropical climates, most houseplants like to be kept warm over winter, but don’t be tempted to put them on a sill or shelf above a radiator – they’ll quickly shrivel up and die.
See more at: Saga Magazine

?Image source: Mike Linksvayerhttps://flic.kr/p/cribk1