Overwintering Indoor Plants

Almost All Houseplants Appreciate Rest in Winter to Grow and Bloom Vigorously Next Year. Find Out How to Give Them What They Need...

Winter is a challenging period for most houseplants. Shorter days, less sunlight, and dry air from heating create stressful conditions. While some tropical species can continue growing year-round with proper care, the majority of plants naturally enter a rest phase during winter months. This dormancy is essential for their health and vitality in the coming season.

Why Do Plants Need Winter Rest?

In their natural environment, most plants experience seasonal changes. Even tropical species have periods of drought or lower temperatures when they slow their growth. This rest phase allows plants to conserve energy, regenerate their root systems, and prepare for the next growing season. Without adequate rest, plants become exhausted, more susceptible to diseases, and may bloom less abundantly.

Signs Your Plant Is Entering Dormancy

During winter months, you may notice several changes in your houseplants:

Slower or completely stopped growth
Fewer new leaves and shoots
Some leaves may yellow and drop naturally
Reduced water consumption
Overall appearance of "doing nothing"

These signs are completely normal and indicate that your plant is adapting to winter conditions. It's important not to panic and try to force growth with excessive fertilizing or watering.

How to Care for Plants During Winter Rest

Reduce Watering

Resting plants consume significantly less water. Overwatering is one of the most common causes of plant death during winter. Check soil moisture before each watering and water only when the top layer is dry. For most plants, this means watering approximately half as often as during the growing season.

Stop or Minimize Fertilizing

During dormancy, plants don't need additional nutrients. Fertilizing can actually harm them as unused nutrients accumulate in the soil and may damage roots. Resume regular fertilizing only when you notice new growth in spring, typically from March onwards.

Provide Adequate Light

Even though plants are resting, they still need light for basic life functions. Place them near windows or supplement with grow lights if natural light is insufficient. Proper lighting helps prevent excessive stretching and weakening of plants.

Maintain Appropriate Temperature

Most houseplants prefer slightly cooler temperatures during winter, ideally between 15-18°C. Avoid placing plants directly above radiators or in cold drafts. Sudden temperature fluctuations stress plants and may lead to leaf drop.

Increase Humidity

Heating significantly dries indoor air, which plants dislike. You can increase humidity by:

Regular misting with lukewarm water
Placing pots on trays with wet pebbles
Using a humidifier
Grouping plants together

Plants That Don't Rest in Winter

Some species continue growing even during winter months and require regular care:

African violets (Saintpaulia)
Orchids (Phalaenopsis)
Some species of ferns
Tropical plants under grow lights

These plants need consistent watering, fertilizing, and sufficient light throughout the year.

Preparing Plants for Spring

Toward the end of winter, as days lengthen and sunlight strengthens, plants gradually wake from dormancy. This is the ideal time for:

Repotting into fresh substrate
Pruning and shaping
Gradually increasing watering and fertilizing
Resuming regular care

Proper winter rest is key to healthy plant growth. Give your houseplants the break they need, and they'll reward you with lush growth and abundant blooms in spring and summer.

Most houseplants need an annual period of dormancy for healthy growth and flowering.

Although each plant may have slightly different requirements, some overwintering rules apply to all.

How to Overwinter Properly?

We don't need to overwinter heat-loving tropical plants and some cacti, as they are either accustomed to year-round growth or require high temperatures even during dormancy. It's always best to ask about plant care when purchasing it or find information online.

Some plants can tolerate temperatures around freezing in winter, while others require almost room temperature

For most plants, we start overwintering around mid-autumn. Before overwintering, we check the condition of the plants, remove infested and damaged parts, and if necessary, treat against pests or fungi.

Temperature is Very Important

Most important are temperature and light. For overwintering, the optimal temperature in most cases is 10-15 degrees and diffused light. However, requirements can vary significantly from species to species. High light levels are especially needed by species that are light-demanding year-round (citrus, succulents, etc.). Conversely, deciduous species don't need any light during winter.

Choosing a Suitable Location

Suitable overwintering spaces include bright basements, cool verandas and hallways, insulated attics, or even glazed balconies. Ideal is a winter garden with temperature control, though few people own one.

In family houses, basements and verandas usually work well; in apartment buildings, hallways or glazed balconies are suitable.

However, these can only be used for cold-loving species, as temperatures here can drop to near freezing.

During the dormancy period, it's necessary to significantly reduce watering and fertilizing.

We usually don't need to fertilize at all, and water only very sparingly so the soil doesn't dry out completely. Overwatering in a cooler room could lead to mold and root rot.

In spring, we move the flowers back to warmer rooms or outside. We can easily tell when it's time to end overwintering - either by the weather, or the plants will tell us themselves. With the arrival of spring, new shoots, leaves, and buds begin to sprout.

Written by Eliška Kadlecová