When winter arrives and outside the window is cloudy, we immediately begin to miss the heat and bright colors outside the window. But why not arrange summer indoors? While most of our indoor plants have switched to dormant mode, exotic plants in such a period are reversed in an active stage of growth and flowering. These plants require appropriate conditions such as temperature, water, and lighting. For those who do not plan to travel to warm places, we offer to have in their home a plant that blooms in the cold season.
How to take care of exotic plants
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Light
As winter approaches, the tropical plants are in the middle of summer! Exotic plants like a lot of light but don’t keep them under direct sunlight. To do this, choose a well-lit place in your home, such as a sunny room, a veranda, a winter garden, or a heated loggia. If you don’t have a well-lit place at home, that’s no problem. Just put your plant under artificial lighting that will easily replace the sun.
Like most ordinary green pets, exotic flowers do not tolerate drafts. We recommend you protect such plants from them as they are tough to recover. Yellow leaves are the main sign that your plant has been harmed. Be careful and keep your plant warm.
Air humidity & irrigation
With the arrival of the heating season, the house's humidity decreases sharply, falling by 30% and below! These conditions are not suitable for tropical plants; the ideal humidity in the room is about 65-90%.
To provide the plant with optimal humidity, we recommend:
- move it to the other side of the window away from the heating devices;
- transfer the plant to the kitchen, where humidity is higher than in other rooms;
- buy a humidifier: besides being beneficial to plants, this device makes the air better for humans as well.
Since the humidity decreases, the soil in the pot dries up faster. But when your plant is on a cold windowsill, the ground in the pot can stay wet for a long time. Unfortunately, it is in winter that house flowers may suffer from excessive watering. Therefore, we advise you to water the plant only when the top layer of the soil looks dry. To estimate the humidity of the ground, just dip your finger 2-3 cm into the soil, and you will feel it right away.
Keep an eye on your plant, and it will tell you if it receives enough moisture. If the leaves turn yellow, then water should be limited, and when the tips dry and turn brown, water more often.
List of plants you can plant in winter
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Camellia
Camellia blooms in purple, pink or white flowers. It is considered one of the most demanding indoor plants, but such beauty is worth the effort. The growing season of the plant is from December to March. This plant likes a lot of light and requires high humidity. The best place to grow it is a veranda, a glazed and heated balcony, or a winter garden.
Poinsettia
The second name of this plant is «Christmas star», usually used as a decoration for Christmas holidays. poinsettias like the warmth of centrally heated homes but they should be kept away from direct heat, as well as from drafty windows and doors. Be careful because this plant has poisonous juice!
Christmas cactus
Thanks to its flowers that look like pink bells, Schlumbergera will bring a festive atmosphere to any room. In order to preserve the plant’s pristine appearance, do not move it and control the soil moisture level. A little tip: In order for the plant to begin to bloom, place it in a cool room and minimize waterings three months prior to desired blooming. This creates stress for the plant so that the first buds will appear. After that, care for the succulent as usual.
Clivia
The plant blooms from February to April. The plant has prolonged strap-like foliage and bright orange globular flowers. The plant does not require additional lighting or increased humidity. It grows well on any windowsill but does not like to be disturbed.
Thanks to such a wide variety of indoor plants, there is a chance to enjoy the bloom even when it’s freezing outside. The plant will help you overcome seasonal depression and provide you with a good mood.
