How to care for flowering plants in winter
Winter is the season when most plants are dormant and during this period indoor flowering plants are most popular. Bright flowers will cheer you up and create additional comfort.
The condition for flowering houseplants to be a beautiful decoration is the right care. The most common cause of plant death is improper care. In winter, they need special attention. Poor lighting, air with low oxygen content, heating affect the well-being of vegetation. It is important to water them regularly and fertilize them at the recommended times.
Pay attention! Flowering plants require maximum light during the short winter days. Sunlight is vital to many indoor flowers, so they should be placed right by the window. You can use windows facing east and west.
In winter, watering is limited, but the substrate should never dry out completely. Too much or not enough water is the main reason houseplants fail. If the substrate remains wet for a long time, the roots lose oxygen and rot. Before watering, it is better to check the soil moisture.
An air temperature of around 20°C, which is common in homes in winter, can be acceptable for many indoor plants, but an appropriate level of humidity is required.
With the advent of winter and exposure to heating devices, the air in the room becomes dry. It is recommended to keep the humidity around 50%. Therefore, moisten the plants with a spray, wipe the leaves from dust with a damp cloth.
Additional Information! Houseplants that bloom in winter are relatively easy to grow if you observe a dormant period every year, and in December they will bloom profusely. The winter months are not suitable for transplanting and pruning plants.
Indoor plants blooming in winter
Potted plants are very diverse. When it’s cold outside, delicate flowers are a pleasant sight. The room becomes brighter and more cheerful. These plants will be able to give a holiday for the soul even in winter.
Anthurium is a beautiful houseplant with large heart-shaped leaves and white or red flowers. Its great advantage is that it blooms almost all year round. The plant prefers bright diffused light, as well as moderate temperatures, preferably 16-21°C. Fertilize the anthurium every two weeks
Christmas cactus (popularly called Decembrist) is one of the few winter-flowering plants that can cope with low temperatures and short daylight hours. The bushy plant reaches about 40 centimeters in height. It blooms with lilac or red flowers from autumn to mid-winter. In order for the cactus to bloom, you need to keep it in a cool but sunny place. When it blooms, you can rearrange. Requires moderate watering, but avoid waterlogging. Apply fertilizer throughout the year.
Clivia is an orange lily of the Amaryllis family. The leaves are long and emerge from the rhizome. Orange flowers appear on long stems. It blooms from February to May, and with proper care, the flowers can open as early as Christmas. Loves moisture, so it is often sprayed. Once a month, a nutrient solution is applied, but it develops well without it. To form a flower, you need to keep it at a temperature of 8-10 degrees at the end of autumn until the beginnings of flowers appear. Watering is moderate.
Amaryllis is known for its large, beautiful, bell-shaped flowers, available in snow white, orange, pink, salmon, fiery red, and there are even striped varieties. The flowering period lasts from January to April. On one stem there are from three to six flowers (depending on the variety)
Likes a bright, sunny place. You need to water more when the sprout has appeared. After flowering, the peduncle is cut off and watered abundantly until August. Since August, watering is gradually stopped. After drying, the leaves are stored in a dry place at a maximum temperature of 15 ° C.
Persian cyclamen is one of the most popular flowering houseplants. Blooms from December to April and produces many flowers that bloom profusely throughout the cold season. The leaves are decorative, with a silvery or green pattern. Flowers can be of different colors. Wilted flowers are removed to encourage them to bloom more.
Cyclamen prefers a bright place, but protected from direct rays. High temperatures will be a signal for him to prepare for rest. The plant goes dormant and loses most or all of its leaves. At this time, reduce watering and put the pot in a cool, dry place. Start watering again in early autumn, and expose it to bright light. They can be fertilized during active growth every two weeks with a top dressing for flowering houseplants.
Azaleas are beautiful indoor plants that bloom in winter. If they are well looked after, they will bloom from November to April. During flowering, the bush is dotted with a large number of large flowers, often the leaves are not even visible. Place the pot in a bright place at a temperature of about 18 ° C. A north window will do. In the winter months, when the room temperature is high, water them daily.
Note! At higher temperatures, azalea buds drop off quickly and flowering time is shortened. Cooler temperatures will help prolong flowering.
The soil should be moist, but not waterlogged. Foliar spraying is not recommended, as this may encourage the development of the fungus. Do not fertilize until full flowering.
Many types of orchids bloom in winter. They prefer diffused light, it is better to put them not on the windowsill, but on the bedside table. These flowers are easy to care for. In winter, the plant needs additional lighting for the formation of buds.
Phalaenopsis is one of the orchids that blooms from late winter to spring. This is an epiphytic plant that should be grown in a transparent plastic pot. The flowers come in a variety of colors, including white, pink and yellow. They need light, but not direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves will burn.
The Cymbidium orchid is one of the easiest to grow. The flowers last a long time (all winter and spring), and with proper care, the plant can bloom in summer and autumn. Inflorescences are lush: white, pink, cream, red and even brown. The plant prefers light and moist places. In spring, summer and autumn, you need to water often and plentifully, in winter – less often.
Orchid Cymbidium
Not all types of begonias bloom in winter. Some begonias go dormant for the winter, while others do not have a dormant period and continue to grow and bloom all winter.
Rieger begonias are beautiful plants with bright yellow, red, pink and even white flowers. In addition, they have decorative leaves of various shapes and colors with white spots on the front side and dark red on the back.
Winter blooming gloxinia will bloom well anywhere there is bright indirect light but not full sun. After flowering, the tuber is removed from the ground and allowed to rest. At the end of summer, they are planted again in a mixture of garden substrate and peat, they begin to water and fertilize every two weeks. New flowers will appear in winter.
Plants that bloom in winter are easy to grow and require temperature and relative humidity.
