Winter can be a tricky time for plants, but they are designed to cope with the colder temperatures and wilder weather – if they’re outdoors, that is. But what about the indoor ones? If you are worried about how to keep indoor plants warm in winter, read on – we’ve got you covered!
Keeping your green babies warm in the coldest months is easier than you might think, as long as you follow a few simple rules… Read on for some ideas.
What You'll Learn Today
How To Keep Indoor Plants Warm In Winter?
If your house is already as warm as a tropical hothouse you shouldn’t have to worry too much – but the majority of houses feel the cold as winter sets in.
There are a good few ways you can keep your green family warm enough, without sending your heating bills through the roof, as the depths of winter start to bite:
- Heat mats. These are widely available and relatively cheap, and can make all the difference to your warm-loving plants.
- Heat lamps. Placing your plants under an infra-red lamp will help keep them warm enough to survive even the coldest winter.
- Bubble wrap. This is probably the cheapest and easiest way to keep your plants warm – simply wrap a few layers around the pots. This will not only keep them warm, but protect them if they accidentally fall from the shelf!
- Towels and blankets. Wrapping the pots, or placing a barrier between the windows and the plants can make all the difference.
- Programmable radiators. These clever little gadgets can heat a whole room without wasting power on the rest of the house, so are ideal for your plant’s room.
- White goods. Another cheap and easy option – simply place your plants on top of a fridge. Just avoid getting water in the electrical cables!
- Electric propagator. These are perfect for if you have smaller plants to keep warm, not so much for the 6 foot tall Yucca!
What Temperature Is Too Cold For Indoor Plants?
Most plants that you keep in your house will be the tropical varieties that don’t like to live outdoors, so their temperature requirements might be more demanding.
The majority of indoor plants will be happy before temperatures drop below around 50 Farenheit/10 Celcius.
In theory, your house shouldn’t get this cold, even in winter (you yourself will probably be quite uncomfortable if it does!)
If they have been out over the summer, bring them in before the mercury drops this low, and ensure they are warm enough in their new environment.
If your house is particularly cold, you may wish to look into some of the many other ways to keep your plants warm.
Remember that nighttime temperatures will be even colder than in the day, so bear this in mind when working out how to keep your plants warm.
If you step outside, shiver and reach for your coat, chances are it is too cold out there for your indoor plants and they should be brought in.
We all want to save money on our heating bills, but if you are shivering in your house then you should definitely turn up the heat!
How Do I Keep My Plants Warm In The Winter Windows?
It’s a tricky balance – your plants need light, but they don’t want to be too cold – how do you keep them warm while making sure they still get light?
If you have single glazed windows and you place your plants in them, chances are they will be getting too cold, especially at night.
You can solve this problem by placing a layer of bubble wrap between the plant and the windows, and removing it in the morning.
You can also hang up a blanket to keep out the worst of the cold; just make sure you hang it so it doesn’t fall on the plants and cause damage!
There are also special kits you can buy that will insulate your windows and keep your plants protected from the worst of the winter weather.
Placing your plants on heat mats will help the soil stay warm, and can give the plant an extra layer of safety against the cold.
If possible, you can also place a heat lamp in the windows, to protect your plants still further. Just watch out for heat escaping through the glass!
How Do You Insulate Indoor Plants?
The most important thing you can do for your indoor plants in winter is prevent the leaves and foliage from touching the windows.
The cold seeping through the glass can really damage delicate leaves, and can even cause them to die.
You should also try to keep the plants warm; you can either place them on heat mats, use a heat lamp or insulate the pots with bubble wrap.
Keeping the plant itself warm will help it survive the ravages of winter and help it get through to spring as healthily as possible.
You will need to water less often in the winter, as the plant will not be using as much water to fuel its growth.
Over watering can cause big issues, so keep it to a minimum. You may also wish to consider using warm water when you do give them a drink.
The best thing you can do in the winter for indoor plants is, strange though it sounds, leave them alone.
The plants will go into a sort of hibernation in the cold months, so they will not appreciate too much outside influence.
No fertilizer, less watering, keep them warm – and wait for the spring when the new growth will spring forth again.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to keep your indoor plants warm in winter, you can get on with the task of keeping your own self and your house warm!
Keep the plants protected and they will reward you with good, healthy growth and plenty of oxygen released around your home.
My house doesn’t have double glazing, so the windows get very cold. Is there anything I can do to protect my plants?
Start by moving them further away from the windows. You can also hang a blanket or a sheet between the windows and plants, or wrap them overnight to keep the worst of the cold off them.