Houseplant Check-Up

It’s wintertime and you’ve brought your houseplants inside to thrive. Are your plants looking happy and healthy?Over the busy holiday season, did you continue to maintain your houseplant’s up-keep promoting their continued health and growth? Joe’s Market Basket has some simple ways to check how well your indoor plant’s is doing and tips on how to make them look better than ever!

Water your plants. Yes, this is an obvious requirement! But, many plant owners don’t water their indoor plants as regularly when they bring them indoors to enjoy. It’s true that plants don’t need as much water during the winter months. Regardless, don’t neglect the plants watering routine until it’s too late: leaves have died and fallen off and soil becomes dry throughout. Even though your plants do not need as much water in the fall and winter months, the take-away tip? Don’t forget about them.

An easy tip for checking on your plant’s water level is simply lifting the pot. Is it light to pick up? Well, soil is lighter when dry so you probably need to give your thirsty plant a drink! “Spot checking” the soil of your plant isn’t enough in the winter. Your indoor plants need water when the root zone is dry. If you aren’t running a humidifier in your home, it’s easy for plants to become dry. When you think about how your own skin may feel dryer in the winter, it makes sense. Humidifiers do indeed help, and there are some exceptions on water requirements depending on what type of plant you own. For example, potted citrus and ferns require consistently moist soil, so pay attention to your particular plant’s needs.

Not only do humidifiers help with the moisture of your plant, clustering them together so they release moisture into the air as they breathe is another handy trick. Also, placing your plants on or near a tray of water will help them stay healthy. Don't let the plants sit in the water, but instead raise the bottom of the pots above the water level by placing decorative rocks or stones in the water (higher than the water level) and sit the pots on the stones. It looks nice and works well, too.

Make sure your indoor plants continue to receive sunshine, rotating them when you water so all sides of the plant receive the sunshine. When you rotate the plant on a regular basis, it helps your plants grow evenly. Also, hold off on fertilizers during the winter. It upsets their natural cycle, so wait until early spring to start up the additional nutrients again. Once you begin to see signs of new growth, it’s ok to let the fertilization resume.

Your local Joe’s Market Basket team has information on caring for your houseplants during the winter months along with a variety of plants for purchase. Any member of our staff can help you find the best products for your plants this winter season. Step into one of our conveniently located stores in Edwardsville, Godfrey, Troy, and O’Fallon. Our St. Peters, Missouri is closed for the season but will be opening up again in March. Want to learn more? Visit our website at www.joesmarketbasket.com.