WINTER CARE
Winter can be the most difficult season for houseplants. Decreased levels of sunlight, cold climate and less humidity all provide an extra challenge for most tropical houseplants. In response to these conditions, they like to conserve as much energy as they can to survive the winter. And it’s important that you allow them to do this. New growth will likely be slow or non-existent, but this is not a bad thing. If you continue to care for them as you do in the summer months, you will encourage them to keep growing as opposed to conserving the energy they need to survive. So, to help get your kokedama through the British winter, below are a few tips from Entwined.
Reduce Watering Schedule!
Overwatering can be a problem for your kokedama any time of the year. However, it becomes even more of a risk during the winter months. Only water your kokedama once it has completely dried out (it should feel very light), and do not add any feed or fertiliser to your plant, unless you can see active growth. For some plants, this can mean watering only once every 2 or 3 weeks. If you are currently checking your plant every 7 days, reduce this to every 10-14. And remember to only water when completely dry!
Move Into the Light
With the summer sun long gone, the risk of sunburn to your plants is dramatically reduced. With shorter, darker days, your kokedama will want as much natural light as it can get. Moving your kokedama to the brightest parts of your home is the easiest way to help with this. Keeping windows clean, and washing dust off the leaves also help maximise the amount of light reaching your plant. Placing your kokedama directly on a windowsill is ok in the daytime (with the window closed), however be aware that overnight if the curtains are drawn it may get too cold for the plant, so consider repositioning it to a warmer spot.
Humidity - Do What You Can
Winter in Britain brings cooler, drier air. A common sign that your plant is struggling with the dry air in winter is that it will begin to develop brown tips on the end of its leaves. To help with this, there are a number of quick and easy ways to increase the humidity around your kokedama. The easiest way is to regularly give your plant a mist. Spraying with a little water every day is a great way to keep the air around it moist. Grouping plants together can be an effective way of increasing the humidity of the air around the plants. Better still, if you have a bathroom with lots of natural light, your kokedama will thrive in the warm moist air produced each time you have a shower - so consider moving your plants here if possible. Humidifiers are another more expensive, but very effective way of increasing humidity.
Not Too Cold ... Or Too Hot!
Most houseplants can survive temperatures as low as 12°C but dislike large fluctuations in temperature. In winter, our homes tend to have greater temperature variations than the rest of the year. With this in mind, try to keep your kokedama in a room that will not get too cold or hot through the day or night. Similarly, do not place it close to a direct heat source, such as a radiator or fireplace. If your kokedama is placed near a heat source over winter, continue to check the weight of the ball regularly as this may cause the ball to dry out quickly.
Don't Hesitate To Ask
If you need any more information about how to look after your kokedama throughout the winter (or any time of the year for that matter!) please don't hesitate to get in touch via our contact form, Facebook or Instagram