As a houseplant lover, the fall months are a truly exciting time. 'Tis the time of year when we start to turn our attention to indoor spaces, and it's a real opportunity to get creative with houseplants and create a calming green retreat within your own home. However, you'd be surprised how many important tasks I forget every fall.
And I'm not alone. Houseplant experts tell me that every gardener forgets a whole lot of houseplant chores in the fall. Even if you keep a close eye on your fall houseplant care checklist, these tasks often remain incomplete.
I'm guilty of letting them take a back seat while I prioritize other tasks, but checking these tasks off now really makes a difference in getting your houseplants through the coldest months unscathed. Here, the experts reveal what houseplant chores every fall gardener forgets and how to get them done (spoiler: they're all super easy and only take a few minutes of your day).
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3 Houseplant Jobs for Fall
Now is also a good time to look into winter houseplant care and, more importantly, avoid winter houseplant care mistakes. All of these things are key to keeping your houseplants healthy even during the colder, darker months.
1. Wash your windows
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You don't even have to touch your houseplants. Washing your windows is important to provide your plants with as much light as possible during the coldest seasons.
“It's amazing how dirty your windows can get and how much your plants will appreciate the extra light once the dirt is removed,” he says Lisa Eldred SteinkopfHouseplant expert at The Houseplant Guru. “If you can, wash or remove screens for fall and winter.” They block 30% of light,” she adds.
Combined with repositioning your houseplants closer to windows, they will be able to absorb as much natural light as possible during the months when daylight is limited.
Top tip: One of the best ways to clean a window without leaving streaks is to make a homemade solution using distilled white vinegar (from Amazon) and microfiber cloths (from Walmart).
Lisa is a houseplant expert and runs her blog The Houseplant Guru with over a decade of professional experience at Steinkopf Nursery and Garden Center in Michigan. As a child, Lisa helped her grandmother care for African violets and other houseplants. Since then, Lisa has built a career as a houseplant consultant, speaking and writing for publications throughout the United States.
2. Check the underside of the leaves for pests
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You may already think you have the most common houseplant pests under control, but fall is one of the most active times for pests as they retreat into your home in search of warmth and dryness.
These destructive insects are very good at hiding so you won't spot them, often perching on the underside of leaves. That means even if you clean houseplant leaves to remove dust from the surface, you may miss hidden pests.
“For spider mites, look for early signs of infestation such as cobwebs or small crawling insects on the underside of leaves and treat with insecticidal soap (from Amazon),” says houseplant expert and garden designer Lee Miller.
You can also make a homemade bug spray to combat any pests you encounter. However, it is important to seek advice specific to the pest you are dealing with, such as: B. to eliminate fungus gnats and thrips.
Lee Miller is a landscape/garden designer, consultant, garden coach, speaker, and award-winning garden blog author from the South Shore of Long Island who has been in the horticulture industry for over 29 years. She is the author of six gardening books, including her most recent book: The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select and Care for Houseplants. Lee is also a member of the National Garden Bureau.
3. Remove houseplants from heat sources
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When we turn on the heating on colder days, what was once an optimal location for your houseplant next to a ventilation shaft can quickly become unfavorable.
“Heat sources could cause leaf burning and cause the soil to dry out prematurely,” warns Lee.
Depending on the type of houseplant you have, this may look like calathea leaves curling or weeping fig leaves falling. Therefore, it is best to move any plants that are near heat sources over the next few months.
However, when choosing a new location for your houseplants, make sure not to place them too far from windows. In the fall, daylight is limited, so it's best to place them as close to bright windows as possible, but away from heat sources.
“You can also purchase vent covers (on Amazon) that shoot air across the ground instead of letting it blow onto your plants in the window,” Lisa suggests.
This is a good option for indoor gardeners who have limited alternative locations for houseplants.
FAQs
How often should I water my houseplants in fall?
This depends on several factors: the room temperature and the type of plant. If you have thirsty houseplants like ferns, it's important to maintain consistent moisture levels throughout the fall. However, keep in mind that your plants will likely dry out more slowly due to the cooler room temperature than in summer. With this soil moisture meter from Amazon, you can check your houseplant's soil before watering to make sure you don't overwater and cause the houseplant's root rot. In most cases, houseplants need to be watered much less frequently than in the summer (sometimes just every few weeks) and it is always best to check the soil first to determine if your plant needs watering.
Don't worry if these houseplant chores every gardener forgets about in the fall weren't on your radar before, they're common. Take the time to do this now to become a better plant parent and ensure your houseplants have another healthy season.