How To: Keep Tropicals Happy During Winter Months
For tropical plants to survive during cooler months, they must have adequate humidity. Low humidity makes it hard for plants to thrive during cooler months. Tropicals prefer environments with 50% humidity levels.
Regular indoor environments do not reach this level of humidity. Here are the best ways to increase the humidity so that your tropicals look beautiful all winter long!
Build Your Own Plant Humidifier
This DIY humidifier is very simple to make and is the perfect way to give your plants the moisture that they need. All you have to do is pour water over a tray full of either stones or gravel. Make sure not to completely cover the stones; you don’t want your tropicals sitting directly on the water. Setting your tropicals on top of this gravel tray allows evaporated water to surround your plants, giving them the perfect amount of humidity! Make sure to keep your tray half full at all times to create the most humidity possible!
Group Plants Together
The air from your home is very dry during the winter because of the heater. Give your plants a boost of water by lightly spritzing them with a spray bottle every couple of days!
Be Careful of Overwatering
Plants do not require as much water during the winter as they do during the summer. Test the soil a few inches deep to make sure that your plants have dried out before watering them again. Symptoms of overwatering include yellow leaves, mold, and drooping foliage.
Move Plants to a Different Location
It may help to relocate plants to a brighter area such as the kitchen. Plants in the kitchen can soak up extra moisture from boiling water!Try to find the windows in your home that receive the most sunlight possible. Just make sure that the window is not drafty or has no frost. It is also important to rotate your plants every few days to make sure all sides get adequate light!