Home / Plant care / Plant care calendar

Plant care calendar

How to care for your houseplants in winter

Your plants won’t need much from you in winter. Most of them will stop growing, so it’s time for you all to relax.

Close up of a larger rubber tree plant with red and silver baubles placed along the branches

Winter is a time for your plants to rest. They’ll grow less, need less water and generally be very low maintenance. In brief, here’s how to look after your plants in winter.

Let’s get into it in a little more detail.

Water them less

Because they’re not growing so much, plants are not very thirsty in winter. You’ll need to water far less frequently.

Stick with only watering when the top two inches of soil feel dry. They may not need watering for weeks.

Move them closer to a window

Shorter days mean fewer hours of sunlight. Help your plants maximise the day’s rays by moving them a bit closer to a window.

You won’t need to worry about winter sun scorching them.

Two medium sized fiddle-leaf fig trees next to a window
Two medium sized fiddle-leaf fig trees next to a window
A selection of small plants on a windowsill
A selection of small plants on a windowsill

Pause the feeding

Plants only need to be fed when they’re growing. While they’re dormant (not growing), you can stop feeding.

When spring arrives, give them a monthly dose of fertiliser again.

Keep them clear of radiators and draughts

Indoor plants dislike cold winter winds and hot radiators. They like a pretty consistent temperature.

That sounds a bit fussy, but all it means is you shouldn’t put them right next to radiators or draughty doors/windows.

A tall rubber plant in a beige terracotta pot
A tall rubber plant in a beige terracotta pot

Don’t stress about dropped leaves

Most plants are sleeping now, which means they’re conserving as much energy as possible. That means they may drop some leaves, because they don’t need them.

This is nothing to worry about and there’s nothing you need to do. Don’t be tempted to water more or feed them. It will do more harm than good.

Enjoy the rest

This is a time of year when you don’t need to worry much about your plants. They’re taking care of themselves. They may not grow at all. They may look a bit sad and droopy.

All this is fine. Your job is just to help them recharge, so they can burst into new life when warmer times return.

A small green succulent on a bedside table in a bedroom
A small green succulent on a bedside table in a bedroom

Plant tips. Special offers. No spam.

Keep reading

A Patch Plant Doctor on a video call
When you need a human

Still stuck? Talk to a real Plant Doctor

Trained horticulturists, not chatbots. Send a photo and a question for free, or book a one-to-one video consultation for a full diagnosis and care plan.

Ask the Plant Doctor →