At your local garden center, the houseplants are all thriving, full of life – as they should be, cared for by a staff of green thumb gurus. Fortunately, you don’t have to be an expert gardener to keep indoor plants healthy.

Keep Houseplants Healthy in Winter

Taking care of houseplants in winter involves paying attention to their basic needs – and that’s much easier to accomplish than it may sound. For indoor plants that grow just as healthy at home as at the garden center, follow these simple tips.

Give Houseplants the Right Lighting

Most houseplants benefit from some light from outdoors, but not all indoor plants need the same amount. Some varieties need more or less light than others — and the better you match each plant with the right lighting, the better it will grow.

Use High-Quality Potting Soil

An excellent selection of quality potting soils is available at your garden center. Using good soil is a must for healthy houseplants, as it helps provide proper nutrition, aeration and moisture.

Avoid Overwatering

Too much water can deplete oxygen in the soil, leading to leaf browning, root rot or even the death of your houseplants. Don’t give your indoor plants a drink unless the top inch of soil feels dry.

Cut Back on Feeding

In the winter, houseplants need food – but not quite as much as usual. At the garden center, indoor plants are typically given about half as much fertilizer as the package directions indicate during the colder months.

Keep Your Houseplants Clean

Dust can block much-needed light from reaching your houseplants. Wipe the leaves clean once in awhile, using a moist, soft cloth to keep your indoor plants healthy and beautiful.

Watch Out for Pests

Insects can sometimes be a problem for indoor plants. Check your houseplants regularly for signs of pests, and visit the garden center for treatment advice if you notice an infestation.

Don’t Forget About Warmth and Humidity

Home heating in the winter can cause the indoor humidity to drop, which can have an effect on the health of your houseplants. If any of yours start looking lackluster, try misting and grouping plants together to increase the humidity. Or, boost the water vapor in the air with a humidifier.

Hold Off on Repotting

Winter isn’t the best time for repotting, as the shorter daylight hour and colder temperatures aren’t conducive to root growth. Your houseplants may need to move to larger containers, but they’ll grow stronger and healthier if you wait until early spring for repotting.

If you’re not all that experienced in gardening and want more expert advice on keeping houseplants healthy, head to Millcreek Gardens, northern Utah’s favorite garden center since 1955. Our plant nursery is stocked with gorgeous, easy-care indoor plants – and our friendly staff is more than happy to share tips to keep houseplants healthy and growing strong for years to come.

The Millcreek Gardens team has the expertise to address all of your indoor and outdoor gardening concerns. For more secrets to healthy houseplants, visit our Salt Lake City garden center today.