So, winter’s here, and my houseplants are looking a bit sad, just like me when I haven’t had my morning coffee. I figured they might need a little pick-me-up, so I started looking into this whole fertilizing thing in winter. Turns out, it’s not as simple as just throwing some plant food at them and hoping for the best. It is a hard work!
First off, I had to understand that plants, they’re just chilling in winter, you know? They’re not growing much because there’s less sun. So I realized, they don’t need as much food. They are not that hungry, right? It’s like, they’re hibernating almost. I can’t be stuffing them with a big meal when they’re just trying to sleep.
Figuring Out When and How Much
I started by cutting back on the fertilizer. I mean, I didn’t want to stop completely, but I definitely reduced the amount. I read somewhere that too little is better than too much, so I erred on the side of caution. I was like, “Alright, plants, we’re going on a diet.”
I used to fertilize them every two weeks in the summer, but now, I’m doing it maybe once a month, and even then, I’m using a diluted solution. I got this liquid fertilizer, and I’m mixing it with water, more water than fertilizer, to be honest. I don’t need them to suddenly start growing like crazy, I just want them to stay healthy.
Switching It Up
Then I got all experimental. I thought, “Why not try some natural stuff?” So I started saving my banana peels and eggshells. Sounds weird, but I read that they’re good for plants. I let the banana peels soak in water for a few days, and then I used that water for the plants. As for the eggshells, I crushed them up real fine and mixed them into the soil. Let’s see how it works.
I also found out that coffee grounds are a thing for plants. I’m a big coffee drinker, so I had plenty of those lying around. I sprinkled some on the soil, not too much though, just a little. I didn’t want to shock the plants with too much caffeine. And hey, I even tossed some vegetable scraps into the mix. Why not, right?
Keeping an Eye on Things
Now, I’m just playing the waiting game. I’m watching my plants like a hawk, making sure I don’t overdo it. I check the soil, I look at the leaves, the whole nine yards. If they start looking worse, then I’ll know I messed up somewhere. But if they stay green and happy, then I’ll know I did something right.
It’s been a few weeks, and so far, so good. The plants seem to be doing okay. They’re not growing much, but they’re not dying either, so I guess that’s a win. I even started to talk to my plants. Tell them what I did with them. Hope they can understand. This whole winter fertilizing thing, it’s a learning curve, for sure. But hey, we’re in this together, me and my plants. We’ll get through the winter, and come spring, we’ll be ready to grow again.
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Here is a little summary for you guys.
- Cut back on how often you feed them.
- Use less fertilizer than you normally would.
- Try natural stuff like banana peels, coffee grounds, or eggshells.
- Watch your plants to see how they’re doing.
Good luck, and keep your green friends happy!
