Is your HEATER on right now?

Let’s talk a change in seasons and how this affects your plants…

We often don’t think about how our heaters etc can affect plants but it’s something y’all should think about… (trust me you’ll want to read this one)

Heating/AC, underfloor heating, and open fires can all be detrimental to houseplants due to the change in climate they create in your home - For starters, AC/Heating, open fires create a change in the relative humidity of your space. They suck up a lot of the humidity in the space, and in return causing your plants to crisp up …reeeaallyyy fast (think of how dry your own skin gets in the wintertime).

What this means is that heaters create a more dry space for your houseplants, sucking the humidity out of the air. The easiest way to manage this is to get a hygrometer that will let you know when the relative humidity in your space drops - this will show you when to then increase your humidity…heres a few ways.

(HEY BEGONIA PEOPLE - This works for them thirrrssttyy plants too :)

The easiest way to increase your humidy is by using a humidifier. If you don't have a humidifier you can increase the humidity through other methods. The easiest are bottom watering plants or creating a pebble tray to hold excess water - its with the excess water at the bottom of the plant that will both help it water itself whenever its dry (which will be more prevalent if your air is dry), and also allow the water to dissipate within the area also leading to an increase in humidity! Science is wild, yall.

Important call out for AC/Heaters - it's best to know where the draft is coming from and being directed to make sure there are no plants in this direct area. This is an easy and fast way to dry out your plants and eventually kill them.

Underfloor Heating (looking at y’all fancy peeps) is less of a problem as it will not create a direct contact with your plants as they are going to be in planters. If anything this way is an easy way to replace seed mats if you're someone who likes to start seeds inside. You can put those seedlings on the floor to germinate, rather than a heating mat! Maybe not the cleanest - but hey they'll like the warmth. 

Open fires are just a no no to plants ~ Make sure you keep them away at least a few feet. Similar to AC/Heaters they'll create a draft too and you may not notice until that plant is crispy and brown…

When in doubt, keep plants a few feet away and get a hygrometer and humidifier if you can to even out the relative humidity and climate in your space! At least 50% humidity is enough during winter :)

STAY HYDRATED Y’ALL

Check out my tips via Houseplant Hookups y’all ~

~ I dedicate this to the guy at the Saturday pop up who i scared when he asked me what begonia care is like LOL

In the LA/OC area? I hear y’all and I’m working on a Plant Care + Tips & Tricks workshop. Not in the area?

Look out for virtual 1:1 time with me coming soon…. huge discounts for paid subscribers also. What topic should I cover next?

Helpful? Fw this to a friend!

(Also, I feel guilty… it’s like 75 degrees in LA rn. ) literally me tho: