It’s winter, and you’ve just discovered how wonderful plants can be. Before you rush out to buy the most gorgeous plant that you see, have a look at our guide to help you get started.
Purchasing houseplants in winter presents a number of obstacles. Buying plants in the summer is a simple process since the weather is pleasant and there are less obstacles to overcome while transporting them safely indoors. But during the winter, when it’s chilly outside, transporting your plant inside can be a chore in and of itself.
In this article, we are going to discuss some of the obstacles that you will need to conquer in order to get your plants home without damaging them and to ensure that they do not perish while in your care. These difficulties include the following:
- Bringing plants inside during the winter
- Winter growth is minimal to non-existent.
- Caring for your plant over the winter
Let’s go through these issues and some solutions so you can go to your favorite plant store and acquire that gorgeous new plant.
Table of Contents
Bringing plants inside during the winter
It may appear to be a simple step to bring the plant back to the house in a secure manner, but doing so during the winter can be rather difficult. If you reside in an area that experiences colder temperatures during the winter months and you have any plants, especially tropical plants, you should know that it only takes a few minutes for a plant to perish if it is left outside in the cold.
Your plant has a significant temperature fluctuation in a short period of time, which may cause it to go into shock. Plants that have gone into shock require a very long time to recover, and during that period they are at risk of getting infected by diseases or possibly dying.
To overcome this difficulty, cover your plant in numerous layers of plastic and/or paper to (temporarily) shield it from the cold. These layers contribute to the insulation of the air within, which helps to maintain a temperature that is somewhat higher than the temperature outside.
This very minor difference in temperature might be the deciding factor between having a plant that is healthy and having a plant that is battling to remain alive. The layers of paper contribute, in the near term at least, to making the temperature shift a little bit more gradual.
If you want to buy plants during the winter, you should make sure to drive a car to the plant store rather than walking or riding a bike there. This is because walking or riding a bike will subject the plant to the cold air for an excessive amount of time, which will most likely result in the plant’s demise.
Your plant will be shielded from the brisk winds by the wrapping made of plastic and/or paper, but this shielding will not provide your plant with protection from the surrounding temperature for a very long time. The layers will only keep your plant warm for a few minutes, therefore having a warmer environment, such as a car, is essential when carrying your new plant(s) home.
Winter growth is minimal to non-existent.
If you purchase your plants during the winter, there is a good chance that they are dormant. This means that they will remain “asleep” for a period of many months at a time. Your plants are able to hibernate over the winter, much like many other kinds of animals.
This allows them to recuperate from the tremendous development that occurred in the spring and winter, and it also allows them to save energy so that they may continue to survive during the “hard” winter months.
If you’ve ever purchased houseplants during the summer before, you’ll know that once you bring them inside, they’ll start growing quite rapidly. On the other hand, it is quite unlikely that this will be the case during the winter. Your plant is probably dormant and won’t grow (very much) at all in the near future.
Your new plant might lose a few leaves as it adjusts to the journey between your local nursery and your home. This is frightening since it appears like your plant is dying, but this is not the case if you kept it warm on the way home.
Dormancy is nothing to worry about for your plant; come spring, it will be restored to its former splendor. Now, when spring arrives, it will pick up where it left off and start growing rapidly once more as if nothing had occurred.
Caring for your plant over the winter
Taking care of plants in the winter requires a different approach than doing it in the summer. The majority of recommendations on how to care for plants are written with summer plant care in mind; thus, you should take the information included in these guidelines with a grain of salt if you purchased your plant during the winter.
These guides will recommend less water, more sunlight, and less fertilizer for your plant. Read “How to care for houseplants in the winter” if you want to learn more about how to take care of plants in the winter.
To succeed, you must be persistent.
The fact is that caring for plants in the winter is far less interesting than caring for plants in the summer, but this should not deter you from purchasing the most gorgeous plants you can get.
In the summer, all of your hard work in caring for your plant is rewarded with fresh growth, however in the winter, your efforts appear to go nowhere. Although this may make you feel discouraged, you shouldn’t give up.
When caring for plants during the winter, the objective is not to hasten the rate of growth of the plant but rather to ensure that it continues to exist and keeps its current size. If you successfully care for your plants over the winter, your efforts will be rewarded twice over in the spring.
Your plants will get off to a wonderful start and rapidly demonstrate how well you took care of them by demonstrating how swiftly they develop.
I appreciate you taking the time to read my article. I really hope that this information is of use to you in maintaining the health and beauty of your plants.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy houseplants in the winter?
It’s true that you may shop for houseplants at any time of the year. On the other hand, if you buy houseplants in the winter, you need to take special precautions to ensure that the plant is kept warm when you get it home.
Does wrapping your plant in the plant shop help in the winter?
In most cases, protecting your plant from the cold by covering it in several layers of plastic or paper can help prevent cold air from reaching your plant. Nevertheless, this will only provide your plant with temporary protection. If your plant is susceptible to cold air, exposing it to it for an extended length of time (more than 5-10 minutes) may kill it.
Should you buy plants in the winter?
There is no danger in purchasing plants in the winter if you have experience caring for plants and know how to care for plants in the winter. If you’re new to gardening, you should wait until spring to purchase your plants. Spring and summer will be much easier to maintain your plants alive than autumn and winter.
Horticulture photo created by serhii_bobyk – www.freepik.com
