How To Keep Plants From Wilting This Winter

Winter is the time for celebration, comfort, warmth, and utmost care. Care, not only for human and animal life but also plants – they too have a tough time surviving the cold. The needs of different plants vary according to their type, life, health, and weather conditions. Also, the shortened days during the winters decrease the sunlight exposure which affects their carbon dioxide intake and photosynthesis. Hence, it is imperative we take care of them to prevent them from ebbing away with the weather.

The following are care checklists customised based on plant type:-

For Indoor and Ornamental Plants:

• Decrease their water supply.
• Dilute fertilisers before using them, or, if possible, avoid their use altogether.
• Avoid repotting.
• Keep them away from the chilly corners of the house.
  Keep them clean by wiping their leaves from time to time and watching out for pests.
• Avoid placing them near heaters and humidifiers. They may dry them out.
• Expose them to sunlight once every two days.
• Plant the new ones in portable pots.

For Flower Gardens:

• Use highly porous soil if you are planting new flowering plants
• Water them once every two days.
• Use plant-based fertilisers or bio-enzymes to ensure more flowering.
• Watch out for pests and mites. Bio-enzymes help with this too.
  Isolate the infected plants and treat them immediately.

For Home-Farm Vegetables:

• Harvest the needful vegetables before it’s too cold.
• Prevent them from direct breeze exposure. Build a wall or a temporary obstruction for this.
• Water them less frequently.
• Use bio-enzymes or organic fertilisers that will not hamper their quality.
• Use dried leaves to cover the plant bed. This process is called mulching and will avoid unnecessary water loss from the soil due to evaporation.

Trees and Big Outdoor Plants:

• Prune them from time to time to avoid the flaring of viruses.
• Water them early in the morning.
• Water once every two days.
• Build a temporary obstacle to avoid direct winds and chilly breezes if you live in freezing regions.
• Avoid fertilisers or dilute them before using them, only if necessary.
• Mulch the plant bed using dried leaves or old newspapers.
• Wipe their leaves at least every alternate day.

Let’s make winter pleasant for our green friends too, and remember, this season won’t last forever!