Look after your plants in winter

Details
For them, it is a difficult season as our own comfort is not necessarily suitable for our plants. A few right gestures will keep them healthy.

Light, the first concern
As luminosity is low at this time of year, indoors plants suffer as many of them come from areas where the difference in length of day between summer and winter is not as noticeable. If it does not create a problem for them in summer, they really don't like the shorter days! All the plants must therefore be placed nearer windows. Do you know that 1 m away from a window, indoors, the light received has already lost 90% of it intensity. Plants which require full sun like desert's plants (indoors Yucca, Sansevieria, Bamboo, etc…) need it crucially even in winter, especially if they are kept in temperatures of more than 15°C. If you keep them in temperatures of between 5 and 10°C, they go into dormancy and therefore do not require maximum daylight. But classic plants must not be neglected: make sure they do not lack of light.

Mistakes to avoid
Withering: if the new leaves are smaller, the stem between the leaves (the spaces between the nodes) is longer than usually, then it means that the plant is withering. We also say that it 'runs'. Bring it closer to a light source straight away.
Deformation: the plant grows more on one side than the other, often in a window's direction. Turn the pot regularly on itself, for example turning it half-way each week.
Plants' bugs: aphids and mealy bugs are really enjoying winter. The indoors plants which are weaker are readily attacked by this opportunist plants' bugs. Stop giving the plant any fertilizer and check that it is not in a state of stress (excessive watering or not enough water, suitable temperature, getting enough light). This is more efficient than a treatment, which anyway must not be envisaged on a weak plant.

Stop grime!
Clean the larger leaves with a sponge soaked with demineralized water. Dust, unavoidable indoors makes the leaves' respiratory- pores filthy, which suffocates the plant and reduces the light-quantity received. In priority, clean the upper side of the leaves which got a tendency to get dusty quicker. You can also give your plant a tepid-water' shower which is enjoyed by most indoors plants. Shining products are only to be used after this cleaning. They are mostly intended for very large-leaved plants.

Anti-scale operation
A crust of lime scale can form on the leaves if you mist your plants with tap water, and also often form on the pot surface. Remove it and bring in fresh compost at the surface. This gesture will really be appreciated by your indoors plants.

The right idea
Place mineral-based mulch at the base of the plants and you will see their health improve. A layer 2 cm deep is sufficient. Pouzzolane and expanded-schist are the most suitable materials but pebbles are more decorative: it's up to you!
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