Consider giving your plants a shower or bath at least once every month or two, in addition to how you might normally water.
Although a new year tends to evoke stress, I really encourage you to see this as a new beginning — an opportunity for another year of growth and adventure in the wondrous world of gardening.
January is notorious for being a time where most people try to slow down, whether to recover from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season or the previous year.
So, during this recovery period, let’s take time to ponder mishaps, celebrate successes, adjust your indoor plant care, and plan how to handle your holiday cleanup.
In the Garden
Reflect on any gardening mishaps that you ran into last year.
If a problem you dealt with was too much of a hassle, here are a few things to consider: Is the plant native to a different climate? Was it appropriate for the area it was planted in? Was it receiving too little or too much light? Is your soil the right mixture and acidic levels for the plant? If you’re unsure of these answers, research the needs of the plant. Find out what went wrong, why and what should be changed to avoid the issue next time.
In contrast, I encourage you to take even more time to think about what successes you saw in your gardening endeavors this year.
Acknowledging setbacks is important to learn from mistakes, but celebrating what you’ve achieved is even more vital for your growth as a gardener.
What part of gardening last year did you enjoy the most? What types of plants brought you joy? What are you the most proud of?
Throughout the season, make sure potted evergreens aren’t drying out. Despite seeming to grow at a pace that could rival a snail, they do not experience full dormancy in the winter. And speaking of potted evergreens, any that you plan to plant in spring can be moved to a protected outdoor space, such as a porch or garage. This will help them harden off ahead of going into the ground.
In the inevitable event that intense weather causes some damage to trees, shrubs, and branches, remember to prune any severed or snapped pieces. It may seem like simply cleaning up what’s broken, but this will prevent the plant from spending energy to attempt to repair itself where the breakage occurred.
When it’s too chilly to be outside, you can always brighten your day by ordering or picking up a whimsical winter-themed flower arrangement. Having vibrant flowers on a desk or table is a great way to evoke a smile during these dark and dreary months before spring arrives. Trust me, Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it. When you can’t be out and in the garden, bring the garden to you.
In the House
I’m sure you’ve noticed most houseplants have already entered their season of dormancy. This means you’ll see less dramatic growth throughout the winter, than you normally would during spring and summer. For that reason, it’s not recommended to repot anything right now, since repotting communicates to your plant that it should expend energy to stimulate new growth.
Be mindful when you water, since winter is when many folks find themselves accidentally overwatering. Some may tell you to stick your finger about an inch into the soil to feel whether or not it’s damp. However, I find that the best way to tell if a plant needs water is by regularly handling the weight of a pot before and after watering the plant.
The more often you can sense the weight, you’ll be able to feel when your plants need water.
Consider giving your plants a shower or bath at least once every month or two, in addition to how you might normally water. What I mean by this is to place your plants inside your shower or bathtub, then let water from the shower head run over them for a few minutes. This may sound silly to some — to put your plants in the shower — but the truth is that this emulates rain that they would otherwise experience outside in their natural habitats.
Not only is it a great way to give your plants a refresh, but it’s the easiest way to clean dust off your foliage that doesn’t involve painstakingly wiping down every leaf and crevice.
If you don’t have the space to place plants in your shower or tub, or simply would rather not, then you should remove any dust with a microfiber cloth, featherduster, or damp cloth. When dust builds up on foliage, it clogs your plant’s “pores.” This build-up can hinder a plant’s ability to conduct the process of photosynthesis — and we don’t want that. For any that are extra grimy, use a diluted soapy mixture to clean them (quarter-tablespoon soap to one quart water).
Now is the time to thoroughly check all of your plants for any pests or disease. To make this task a little easier, check your plants as you water them. If such bad news is discovered, take action immediately and quarantine any affected. Then, treat them accordingly. While treating, the affected plants need to be kept separate from healthy ones.
If you can stand to do it, I would highly recommend getting in the good habit of isolating any and all newly acquired houseplants for one to two weeks.
No matter what season it is, this habit will ultimately protect you from accidentally infecting or infesting your entire plant collection.
Post-Holiday Cleanup
Before embarking on your plan to clean up your decor as you usually do, whether you have an artificial tree or a live one, you’ll likely want to put a blanket or tarp down to catch any falling needles, glitter, fake snow, etc. Any garland or decor that is higher than your tree should be taken down first.
Then, as you go to put the ornaments away, start at the top and work your way down the tree.
Fragile ornaments should be taken off first, to avoid accidentally knocking them down while putting away any others.
If you don’t have a blanket or tarp to put down ahead of time, use a piece of tape as if it were a lint roller to clean up any other loose materials that have fallen victim to gravity.
Finally, when storing decorative candles, it’s best to keep them out of the attic or garage.
Fluctuating temperatures could cause them to break. Similarly, if you have any important, bigger fragile items, they should be the last pieces of your holiday decor to go in your storage. Doing this should help to avoid weight or pressure from sturdier objects that could absentmindedly be placed on top. I know you don’t want to break that vintage ceramic tree your grandma gave you, so be proactive about where you plan to store your sentimental, breakable decor.
To Close
We truly can’t thank you readers enough for being such terrific, supportive customers with us at Robin’s Nest for going on what will be 43 years. We’re so honored to continue to be a staple in the wonderful community of Easton and the Eastern Shore. Stay safe and warm this winter, and Happy New Year!
(Editor’s Note: Ken Morgan is the owner of Robin’s Nest Floral and Garden Center in Easton, Md.)
