Wyoming's
cold winter days are hard on house plants. It's challenging to provide
them with the right light intensity and keep them from becoming
chilled.
If plants start to wilt and shed leaves, this can be a sign that their
location is too cold. Plants that become spindly, with abnormally long
stems and bleached leaves, are definitely in need of more light.
Plants like ferns and ivy suffer with the lower humidity in the home
during winter. You can increase the relative humidity around a plant by
placing its pot on a shallow tray of moist gravel. The gravel will
evaporate water into the air around the plant.
If you see roots extending through the drainage holes, it's time to re-pot the plant in a larger container.
My solution for keeping a few of my houseplants happy this winter was
to place them in the bathroom -- about the only room in my house with
lots of winter sunlight, warmth and humidity. It was a good move for
them, since they're doing better than ever! Unfortunately, I can't get
all my plants in there.
