Do you find yourself wondering if your houseplants are getting adequate care during the winter months?  Guthrie County Extension Office Program Coordinator Vicki Frohling has some helpful advice in keeping your houseplants healthy.

Fertilizer is generally not necessary during these months because most houseplants are growing very little or resting.  Indoor plants should be fertilized on a regular basis in spring and summer when they are actively growing.

Houseplants require less frequent watering during the winter months and are normally determined by the plant species, type of container, composition of the potting soil and environmental conditions in the home.

When watering houseplants, you should water thoroughly; water enough so that some of the water flows through the potting soil and out the bottom of the pots.

Frohling says most houseplants grow well with daytime temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees and night temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees.  Temperatures below 50 degrees or rapid temperature fluctuations may harm some plants warns Frohling.  Keep houseplants away from cold drafts, radiators and hot air vents. Also, make sure houseplant foliage doesn’t touch cold windows.

For more information, contact Vicki Frohling at the Guthrie County Extension Office 641-747-2276.