As Winter settles in and outdoor growth slows, houseplants do the same—and their care should follow suit.
During the darker Fall and Winter months in the Pacific Northwest, indoor plants naturally enter a rest period and face added challenges like low light, dry air, temperature swings, and seasonal rearranging. Small adjustments from October through February can make a big difference! Below, we’ve highlighted essential Winter houseplant do’s and don’ts to help your plants rest, recover, and thrive until Spring.
Houseplant Tasks To Do During Winter
From boosting light and humidity to regular checkups, and even making room for new “fronds”, these simple Winter houseplant tasks will help keep your indoor garden healthy and happy through the season.
1. Provide Extra Light
Even though Winter in the Pacific Northwest holds its own beauty, shorter days and frequent grey skies mean less sunlight—so houseplants benefit from every bit of light available.
- Move houseplants closer to a window. South-facing windows are brightest and help indoor plants stay healthy during dormancy; cacti and succulents especially need strong light to maintain color and compact form.
- Add supplemental grow lights. When natural light is limited, use indoor grow lights, such as LED bulbs or pendant fixtures, set to 12–13 hours per day to support healthy growth.
- Rotate plants regularly to encourage even, balanced growth.
2. Provide More Humidity
As we cozy up indoors, fireplaces, heaters, and forced-air systems dry out the air—conditions that can be tough on humidity-loving houseplants. Many popular indoor plants, like Ferns, Calatheas, Orchids, Philodendrons, and Ficus, thrive with added moisture, so increasing indoor humidity during Winter can make a big difference in their health and appearance.
- Draft and temperature protection: Keep plants away from vents, heaters, drafty doors, and cold windows, and maintain consistent temperatures to prevent stress and leaf drop.
- Humidifiers: Use larger units for whole rooms or tabletop humidifiers to target specific plants.
- Misting: Lightly mist leaves and soil each morning with a fine spray mister so moisture can evaporate during the day; avoid soaking leaves to prevent fungal issues.
- Group plants together to create humid microenvironments.
- Wet pebble trays: Place plants on trays filled with a 1–2 inch layer of pebbles and water to the top of the pebbles to boost humidity without waterlogging roots.
- Domes or cloches: Glass covers can dramatically increase humidity, but remove daily for airflow and avoid using on plants prone to fungal disease.
3. Provide Regular Checkups
Routine monitoring helps catch small issues before they become bigger problems, as pests and disease can still appear during Winter. At the same time, it’s important to embrace a little imperfection—Winter is a rest period, and even plants benefit from slowing down now and then.
- Care essentials: Keep a simple toolkit on hand—magnifying lens, soft cloths, cotton swabs, rubbing alcohol, neem oil, insecticidal soap, and a spray bottle.
- Plant inspections: Check foliage, stems, and soil bi-weekly for pests or stress. Watch for spots, bumps, or discoloration, and use a magnifying lens when needed; address issues promptly.
- Leaf cleaning: Wipe dust from leaves regularly with a soft cloth, and once a month, treat problem-prone plants with houseplant wipes or neem oil to help prevent pests.
- Selective pruning: Remove damaged or discolored leaves entirely using clean, sharp snips.
- Expert support: Bring photos or sealed leaf samples to your local Dennis’ 7 Dees Garden Center for help identifying issues and recommending solutions.
4. Refresh, Reset & Let Go
Cure those Winter blues! Winter is the perfect time to start fresh and give your indoor garden a reset. Clearing out what’s past its prime, adding a few new touches, and planning ahead can breathe new life into your space—even during the slower season.
- Start fresh: Remove plants that are beyond recovery to make space for new, lush greenery.
- Get inspired: Visit our stores to browse our vast selection of houseplants and home goods to spark creative ideas for your indoor environment.
- Update containers: Swap in a new decorative cache pot to give existing houseplants an easy yet impactful facelift.
- Stock up on Winter essentials: Pick up new tools and care items like snips, watering cans, neem oil, and other supplies to keep plants thriving through Winter.
- Take a class: Join one of our Winter classes or workshops to learn about a specific gardening topic or create unique plant projects like DIY terrariums, Kokedama, and more.
Houseplant Tasks to Avoid (or Do Less of) During Winter
These important houseplant care practices need to be reduced or stopped all together until warmer days arrive in Spring and Summer to account for slower plant growth in Winter.
5. Reduce Watering
With shorter days and lower light in Winter, plants perform less photosynthesis and grow more slowly, meaning they need less water than in Spring and Summer. Adjust watering to each plant’s needs and monitor soil moisture carefully. Follow our Winter watering guidelines for best success!
- Adjust frequency: Plants that receive weekly water can shift to every 2–3 weeks, or water only when soil is nearly dry.
- Cacti & succulents: These plants thrive on “benign neglect” in Winter—water only when foliage shows slight wrinkling or puckering.
- Use room temperature water to avoid shocking roots during Winter.
- Avoid standing water: Never let plants sit in wet drainage saucers.
- Try bottom watering: Place pots in a shallow basin of water until soil absorbs moisture, then drain and return to their usual spot.
6. Skip Regular Fertilizer
Most houseplants grow slowly in Winter and rely on stored energy, so additional fertilizer isn’t needed—and overfertilizing can damage leaves. Save regular feeding for Spring and Summer when growth resumes, though some plants may require a little something extra.
- Occasional mild boost: Give houseplants fertilizer in Winter only if they’re actively growing from grow lights or consistent warmth. Use organic fertilizers or root stimulators (like Joyful Dirt) at half strength or less frequently—their symbiotic nature lowers the risk of leaf burn.
- Soil enrichment: Apply compost tea or a thin layer of worm castings lightly covered with potting soil to support beneficial microbes without overstimulating growth.
7. Hold Off on Repotting
Repotting during Winter dormancy can stress plants and increase the risk of overwatering, root rot, or fungus gnats. It’s best to repot during Spring or Summer, when growth resumes. In the meantime, you can keep plants healthy and refreshed with these simple steps:
- Loosen old soil: Gently break up compacted soil with a chopstick or plastic fork.
- Top-dress soil: Remove up to 1 inch of old soil and replace with fresh potting mix or a thin layer of worm castings, lightly covered with soil.
- Aerate soil: Make 4–6 small holes about halfway into the plant’s root ball with a pencil or chopstick to improve airflow, being careful not to damage large roots.
- Use cache pots: Keep plants in their original plastic nursery containers and place them into fun, new decorative pots to switch up the look without causing the plants stress.
8. Wait to Propagate
Winter dormancy is not the time for new beginnings—houseplants grow slowly, and cuttings or divisions rarely take root during this season. Trying to propagate now can lead to frustration, slow growth, or even loss of the new plant. Hold off on propagation until Spring or Summer, when light and warmth support healthy root development. And here’s what you can do now:
- Focus on existing plants: Use the season to care for and maintain your current collection rather than starting new plants.
- Prepare for Spring: Gather tools, plan propagation projects, and select healthy parent plants so you’re ready when growth returns!
Houseplants can add much needed cheer to indoor spaces during dreary, Winter days. Give them, and yourself, the opportunity to rest, relax, and get cozy as we all spend more time inside! Dennis’ 7 Dees Garden Centers are open all year and have a beautiful selection of houseplants along with all the tools and accessories you need for thriving greenery.