Caring for Tropical Plants in the Winter

Caring for tropical plants in the winter can be a challenge if you do not understand how your home’s environment changes in the winter time. Tropical plants can survive the winter indoors if you offer them what they need. Tropical plants have one thing in common. They all require high levels of humidity. Here is where winter homes and tropical plants have problems. The average home in the US (even in Florida) uses heat during the winter. This results in a dramatic decrease in humidity levels. Tropical plants need humidity. Fortunately there is an easy way to give your plants the humidity they need and as a bonus it will help you be more comfortable. Place a tub of water near your heater. This will add humidity to the air. If you use a wood burning stove or similar device, place a pot of water on top of the stove or fireplace. This is another way to increase the humidity levels. Place your tropical plants in a tray of pebbles filled with water. Doing so will create a humid micro climate. Finally, mist your plants daily. You can accomplish this with an inexpensive spray bottle. Gently mist the tropical plants once a day.

Another problem with caring for tropical plants in the winter is sunlight. It is too cold to put them outdoors. When lower light levels become a problem for your tropical plants, give them the sunlight they need with plant lights. Fluorescent plant lights work best and they provide the best range of light. Keep these lights close to your plants for optimal benefit. The plant light should about 12 inches from your plants. As you increase the distance between your tropical plants and the light source, you lose a lot of the benefit.

Many tropical plants actually go dormant or rest in the winter. Orchids normally are out of bloom and need a rest period. This is easy to accomplish. If you have a tropical plant that requires a resting period, put it in a corner with low light and water just enough to keep the soil barely moist, allowing it to dry out completely between waterings. After a month, bring it back to ideal conditions.

Some tropical plants thrive in winter. The amaryllis is one such plant. This is a tropical bulb that delights us with beautiful blooms during the winter. After the plant blooms it goes dormant. Cut off the foliage to the top of the planter after it is completely yellow. Remove the bulb from the planter, place it in a net bag with wood shavings, store in a cool basement or rodent free shed or garage, and leave it until late fall. Then replant it.

Here are the basic tools you will need for all tropical plants to thrive during the winter. Florescent plant lights, spray bottle for misting, shallow plastic trays with decorative pebbles, a sharp pruning knife, and new pots and potting soil.

Winter is the perfect time to repot your plants. All tropical houseplants should be repotted every two years. Here is how to do this. With the soil damp, turn the pot upside down in your hand (if small) or on its side for large plants. Run a sharp pruning knife around the edge of the pot and slide out the plant. Hold the plant over a bin or newspaper and shake or brush off all excess soil. Remove all dead and rotting roots. Trim back the roots by ¼. Put the plant into a new pot and add new soil, making sure that you fill in all around the roots. Water well and add more soil so that the plant sits at the same level in the pot as it did before you replanted. Caring for your tropical plants in the winter by repotting them is important. Repotting in winter when their growth is slower will help reduce stress. This is also a good time to remove all dead, dying and diseased leaves.

Pruning is an important part of winter care for your tropical plants. All tropical bonsai plants should be trimmed back. Large plants such as ficus will need to be pruned. Citrus will need pruning as well. For optimal growth, prune them back by 1/3 every year, removing the oldest growth first. Banana plants should have all damaged leaves removed.

Winter care for tropical plants includes checking all plants for insect damage. If you see signs of white fly, thrips, mites or other pests now is the time to eradicate the problem. You can use a commercial product for this or you can simply make up your own. In a pint sized sprayer, use 1 teaspoon of dish soap (not antibacterial), ½ teaspoon of rubbing alcohol, and fill to the top with water. Mix well. Spray this on your plants one a week until you see no signs of insects.

Finally, check for diseases. Any sign of fungus or mildews can be put in check by mixing a tablespoon of baking soda with a pint of water. Spray this on the affected areas. Wait one week and spray again. This should take care of most problems.

All gardeners should know how to care for tropical plants in the winter. Following the above directions will help you to enjoy your plants for many seasons to come.

To read other articles on gardening by this author, click on the links below.

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