WASHINGTON — Are you a plant parent struggling to keep your plants thriving? Are you monsteras losing their shine? Snake plants looking sad? We spoke to some plant-care experts in the D.C. area for some advice to keep your houseplants healthy through the winter.
Briana Graham, owner of Black Box Botanical in Takoma, said grouping your plants together can be helpful during the colder months.
"Just to keep it very basic, plants are very similar to babies, and during cold weather, we prefer to be warm, just like the plants," Graham said. "A lot of people, they like to have their plants spread out throughout the house and the that's perfectly fine. There's adequate humidity throughout the air, all of those different things. But in the wintertime when you're blasting the heat, you want to really, truly group all your plants together that way. They're able to share moisture within the same space. They're able to thrive off of one another."
At Shopkeepers in Trinidad, co-owner and landscape architect Suzy Cho tailors the shop's offerings to our climate.
"We tend to bring in plants that really will thrive in the space. You'll see a lot of tropical plants, plants that do well in both medium to low light. They're pretty easy to maintain and fit in most apartment city living spaces," Cho said.
If your plants do get a little sad, take them to the Very Sad Lab at the Eaton Workshop.
"Most plants get sad because the air is dry and light is less," Naoko Wowsugi with Sad Lab said.
"There is less humidity, there's drafts in the windows, there's heaters that are causing too much heat. There's all sorts of environmental problems that make your plants sad," said Sad Lab's Valerie Wiseman.
Wowsugi and Wiseman said even if your plants are near death, you can nurse them back to health.
"Don't give up!" Wowsugi said.
Cho said during the wintertime, let your plants chill.
"Because plants are dormant in the wintertime, you don't want to fertilize them and you don't want to re-pot them. That's going to shock them and stunt their growth. It's really best to re-pot them and fertilize them in the growing season, which is spring and fall," she said.
It can be a lot of work, but these experts say there are a lot of benefits to your green thumb.
"They help you breath, they bring you joy. There's something to take care of. There's something to think about in you're space. They are more than a decoration, they are a living being that you're taking care of and that's a symbiotic relationship," Wiseman said.
Graham agrees.
"They bring a certain vibe to the room. They bring a certain level of calmness and comfort if you take care of them. It's really gratifying to watch them grow," she said.