It's getting cold out... Winter plant care tips, ready, go!
Winter plant care in Sydney, Australia is generally mild, but there are still some important considerations when it comes to caring for your plants during the cooler season.
Here are some of our top tips for Winter plant care in Sydney:
Watering: In general, plants need less water during winter than they do during the warmer months. However, make sure to keep an eye on your plants' soil moisture levels and water them as needed. Be careful not to over-water, as this can lead to root rot.
We speak about this a lot when it comes to plant care...
Trying to give the right amount of water is essential: we don’t want to drown our plant babies, but we also don’t want to dry them out for prolonged periods!
Make sure to check out our care descriptions on our website for the most up to date information on how to care for each plant variety as each plants needs will differ.
Our sustee water meters are the perfect tool to help you figure out if your plant needs a good water. If your leaves are yellow, your plant is getting too much water!
If your leaves are wilting or curling this can be a sign it needs some water & love.
Some plants are a little fussier than others and prefer filtered water (hello, calatheas!). You can simply boil some water let it cool down to room temp and its ready to go- boom, winter plant care boss!
Water temperature is also very important!! Make sure you’re not giving your plants water that is too to or too cold- room temperature is PERFECT!
Also… picking the perfect pot. Pots with drainage holes! The drainage holes will ensure that the water (you guessed it) drains correctly. Self watering plant pots are also amazing, and perfect if you are unsure how much your plant needs. We’ve got a fantastic range of self-watering plant pots here.
Fertilising: Most plants go dormant during winter, so they don't need as much fertiliser as they do during the growing season.
You can cut back on fertilising during the cooler months, we suggest reverting to once a month as a guide, closely monitor your plants to ensure you don’t overdose them non organic fertalisers. Our range from Dr Greenthumbs is gentle and won’t give that burn like some other brands on the market.
Many plants will go dormant or slow down growth during the cooler months, this is your plants responding to the change in weather, drier air, heating and less fresh air.
It is essential to understand that particular plants will need some rest and won’t require feeding. Following this guide can ensure you’re the winter plant care boss!
Pruning: Winter is a good time to prune deciduous trees and shrubs, as they are dormant and have fewer leaves. However, be careful not to prune too much, as this can harm the plant.
One of our favourite plant care tips and one that we really put into practice in the studio...
When leaves are wilting, browning, yellowing, or just overall not looking great… CHOP IT!!!
If a leaf is looking all sad, the plant will put a lot of its energy into it, which means new growth is missing out on getting that little boost of energy, as well as the plant in general. There is no point in keeping a brown or yellow leaf on your plant (and it doesn’t mean they’re dying! Unless they’re all wilted or yellow…). Get yourself some nice snips or secateurs for a nice, clean trim, and you’ve got yourself a much healthier plant.
Protection: If you have tender plants that are sensitive to cold temperatures, you may want to protect them from frost or colder weather by covering them with a frost cloth or moving them to a sheltered location away from windows and cold draughty spots in the house.
Be sure to uncover them during the day so they can get sunlight.
Humidity: Luckily in Australia, it can get pretty humid in the summer time. But what can we do during the winter to help??
The first signs of low humidity stress on plants may potentially include brown leaf tips and sudden pests showing up (like Spider Mites!)
There are a few ways to increase/produce humidity for your plant babies:
- Misting: misting your plants (preferably with filtered water) occasionally! We have some super cute spritzers here to mist your plants in style!
2. Putting your plants in your bathroom before showering and leaving them there for a few hours
3. If looks aren’t an issue for you, and you have spare bags you have no use for, putting the bags over your plants will help create a warmer, humid environment
4. One simple way is to place a tray with pebbles in the tray and top with water, then place your pot plant on top! Easy Peasy!
5. Get yourself a little greenhouse for your plant babies!
6. You can also get a good humidifier, there’s plenty of different models on the market that will be suitable for your specific needs!
Lighting: Our winters can get very dark which means that your plant babies may not be getting enough lights to thrive and survive!
If your plants aren't getting enough natural light during the winter months, you may want to supplement with artificial lighting. LED grow lights are a good option for indoor plants.
We hope these simple-ish Winter plant care tips can help you to understand your plants needs during the coolers months so your plants can thrive again during the warmer growing season.
Happy planting, till next time.
Trent 🌱