Okay, here’s my blog post about fertilizing houseplants in winter, written from my personal experience:
So, winter’s here, and my houseplants always start looking a little…sad. I used to think I should just stop fertilizing them altogether until spring. I mean, they’re not really growing, right? Wrong! I learned the hard way that even in winter, our leafy friends need a little boost, just a smaller one than usual.
Figuring Out the “When” and “How Much”
First, I checked which of my plants actually go dormant. Some, like my cacti, really do take a winter nap. Those guys, I completely stopped fertilizing. But my leafy tropicals, like my Monstera and Fiddle Leaf Fig? They still show tiny signs of growth, so they still needed some food.
I dramatically cut back on how often I fertilize. Used to be every two weeks in the summer. Now, I do it maybe once a month, maybe even every six weeks. It really depends on the plant. And I also greatly diluted.
Choosing the Right Fertilizer
I switched to a balanced, liquid fertilizer. I have one that’s like a 10-10-10, nothing fancy. The key, for me, was diluting it to at least half strength, sometimes even weaker. I really eyeballed it, to be honest. Better to under-fertilize than over-fertilize in winter, I figured.
My Fertilizing Routine
- Watering Day: First, I always made sure it was watering day. I never fertilize a dry plant – that’s asking for root burn!
- Mix it Up:I grabbed my watering can, and instead of filling it all the way, I only filled it about halfway. Then I added the fertilizer, just a tiny splash, way less than the bottle recommended for regular use.
- Gentle Application: I watered my plants as usual, making sure the soil was evenly moist.
- Watch and Learn:The most important part? I just watched my * a plant still looked sad after a few weeks, I assessed again.
The Results
My plants definitely perked up! They weren’t growing like crazy, but they stopped getting that droopy, yellowish look they used to get every winter. I still had to be careful not to overwater, but the little bit of fertilizer seemed to keep them happy and healthy until spring arrived.
It’s all about paying attention to your plants and adjusting as needed. I’m no expert, this is just what worked for me and my leafy pals!
