How to care for indoor plants in the cooler months

Humidity-loving plants can also thrive in bathrooms, while some growers with particularly high humidity-requiring plants will settle for nothing less than a humidifier.

Happy, healthy plants not only look better but are also more resilient to pest attacks. Spider mites, for example, are often worse in winter when our houses are dry. These sap-sucking insects tend to congregate on the underside of leaves where they will look like the tiniest yellow or red pinhead dots but they are so small you are more likely to notice their damage – yellow or white mottling.

Remove badly affected leaves and wipe down others with a mixture of detergent and water followed by either neem or eco oil. Repeat this weekly until the mites have gone.

Where you can save time in the cooler months is by cutting down on watering because most plants are not actively growing and there is less transpiration. Plying plants with too much water can be as perilous as giving them too little and, if in doubt as to whether a drink is required, stick your finger in the soil and see how moist it feels.

Not all plants will want the same watering regime with some (including many succulents) preferring the soil to entirely dry out between waterings, while others (anthuriums and alocasias, for example) liking only the top layer to have dried out.

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Hoyas can do it especially tough, and some will flower better in spring if you give them an entirely dry month or so in winter. But when watering – of any plant – is in order make sure it is deep and really reaches the roots. Either move your pots to the sink or shower or place a bucket below hanging ones so that you can give them a good drenching.

Take the opportunity to clean the foliage too. No-one likes seeing dusty houseplants, which also have a harder time photosynthesising. Either wipe the foliage down with a damp cloth or put the whole plant in the shower.

And if all of this is sounding like too much work and you have lots of plants that are not perfectly happy, perhaps a cull is in order. A few healthy houseplants are better than lots that are not quite hitting their stride.

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