One weekly email with tips, tricks, guides and discussions around our favourite thing – houseplants!
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How to keep your plants happy this winter
Rich here, and welcome back to Houseplant Digest, sponsored by Houseplant SOS (80% off this week!)
In this week’s issue:
Why 1st December is “reset day” for your plants
The winter watering mistake nearly everyone makes
Chasing the light without cooking your ficus
Keeping plants warm, clean and pest free
What I am changing in my own collection this month
And more…
🇬🇧 Sheffield Answers
Every week, I get tons of questions about growing houseplants. In “Sheffield Answers”, I’m going to pick one out each week and answer it. Want to submit your own and get it featured next week? Click here to ask me a question!
Question: "I’m trying to decide which Monstera to get for my house. What are the differences (pros and cons) to the different types i.e. Deliciosa, Albo, Thai constellation etc…?"
My Answer: Monstera deliciosa is the easiest and fastest-growing option, great if you want a big, lush plant without much fuss. Monstera Albo has dramatic white variegation but grows slower and needs brighter light because the white parts can’t photosynthesise. Thai Constellation is the most stable variegated type with creamy speckles, grows more reliably than an Albo, but is sometimes more expensive. All great in their own way.
🪴HOW TO & TIPS
It is 1 December, which means two things in Sheffield.
The wood burner is getting a lot more action, and my plants are officially in their winter mood.
This time of year catches a lot of plant parents out.
We keep caring for our collection like it is July, while the plants are quietly trying to wind down and conserve energy.
So today I want to walk you through how I actually change my care routine for winter, so your plants arrive in spring rested and ready, not sulking and half rotten.
1. Winter watering: slower, lazier, better ❄️
If you only remember one thing from this week, let it be this.
You cannot water in winter like you water in summer.
In warm weather, soil dries quickly, light is stronger and plants are actively growing. They forgive the odd enthusiastic watering because the excess moisture has somewhere to go. In winter, everything slows.
Cooler air, weaker light, less growth. The same weekly watering schedule that worked beautifully in July will quietly drown your plants in December.
Here is what I do with my own lot:
My philodendrons, ficus and tradescantia that I would water roughly once a week in summer now get water roughly every two to three weeks.
Succulents that might get a drink every two or three weeks in summer are now more like once a month or longer.
The exact timing is less important than the rule.
Never water on a schedule in winter. Always check the soil first.
Stick your finger a couple of inches into the pot. If it still feels cool and damp, leave it and check again in a few days. If it feels dry, then you water thoroughly and let it drain.
I also use a moisture meter on deeper pots, which has been a genuine game changer for me. Especially in big containers where your finger only tells you about the top.
If you have already overdone it and the plant is looking yellow, limp or dropping leaves, unpot it, remove the soggy soil, trim away any black mushy roots and repot in fresh mix. Catch it early and most plants will forgive you.
2. Light levels are not “a bit lower”, they are a lot lower ⛄
The other big winter shift is light.
Most of our tropical houseplants come from forest floors near the equator. Out there, they get fairly consistent light all year, even if it is filtered. Indoors in a British winter, they go from “not ideal” to “are you kidding me”.
A few easy tweaks make a big difference.
Move fussier plants like ficus and light hungry aroids closer to the brightest windows in your home.
That corner where your rubber plant tolerated medium light in July may be far too dim now. I moved mine from an upstairs bedroom to an east facing window in the dining room, and it perked up noticeably.
If you want real growth over winter, consider proper grow lights. Not any old LED, but ones designed for plants, with the right red, blue and green spectrum. I use them over my IKEA cabinet to keep the divas happy till spring.
Think of winter as survival mode, not progress mode. Most plants will not race ahead now, but they should not decline either, as long as they can see what they are doing.
3. Warm, clean, and pest aware 🧤
Plants are sensitive souls and they like consistency. Winter in our homes can be the opposite of that.
A few quick checks:
Temperature: Try to keep rooms with plants no lower than about 10 °C. If you go away, set the thermostat so they do not wake up in an indoor Arctic.
Radiators and stoves: Windowsills above radiators are a classic winter trap. The heating dries the air and creates big temperature swings the plants hate. Same with wood burners. If a plant is directly above or beside a heat source, give it a new winter spot.
Drafts: Plants right by regularly opened doors or chilly bathroom windows will get hit with repeated cold shocks. Pull them slightly back from those zones.
This is also the perfect time for a winter MOT.
When I water, I have a quick scan for:
Dust on leaves. A thick layer blocks light and clogs pores, so I simply use a soft cloth and plain water. No mayonnaise, no leaf shine. Those are better for sandwiches than stomata.
Early signs of pests. Spider mites and thrips love warm, dry centrally heated rooms. Check the underside of leaves, look for fine webbing or speckling, and if needed, treat before they throw a party.
Debris on soil. Dead leaves sitting on the pot are a cosy Airbnb for pests and fungus. Off they go.
One last thing.
Since we’re heading into winter, this is the time of year I get the most questions from plant parents.
And honestly, it makes sense.
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Winter is when the majority of plant problems show up: low light, overwatering, fungus gnats, droopy ficus, mysterious yellow leaves… everyone suddenly wants their plants looking fresh and full for Christmas and the New Year, and that requires a little preparation.
So if you want to get ahead of the winter wobble, this is the best time to jump into my flagship program:
🌿 Houseplant SOS (80% Off This Week Only)
Houseplant SOS covers all the fundamentals of plant care like watering, repotting, light, soil, pests, humidity, pruning, emergencies.
It’s beginner-friendly, but detailed enough that even seasoned plant lovers come away saying
“I wish I knew this years ago.”
This week, for the holiday season, it’s 80% off — the joint highest discount I’ve ever offered.
It’s genuinely the best time of year to get it, especially if you want your collection looking its absolute best heading into 2026.
Many common houseplants, like ficus and philodendron, show a kind of “semi dormancy” in winter. They may not fully shut down like outdoor perennials, but they slow leaf and root growth to conserve energy until light levels improve.