Should I water houseplants less in winter?

Yes. In the cold, dark months most houseplants slow or stop growing and use far less water, so the soil stays wet much longer. Roughly halve your watering frequency and always check the soil first — overwatering is the main winter killer.

Should I fertilize houseplants in winter?

No. Most plants are dormant or barely growing in winter and can't use fertiliser, so it just builds up as salts in the soil. Stop feeding as growth slows in autumn and resume in spring.

Why are my plants struggling in winter?

Winter brings less light, dry heated air, and cold draughts — all at once. Move plants closer to windows, raise humidity away from radiators, keep them off cold glass and out of draughts, and cut back on water.

How-to

Winter houseplant care: how to adjust for the dormant season

Published May 25, 2026

Houseplants don’t read the calendar, but they absolutely feel the season. In the cold, dark months, light drops, the air dries out from heating, and most plants slow right down into a kind of dormancy. The care that kept them thriving in summer can quietly harm them in winter — so the routine needs to shift.

Water much less

This is the big one. With less light and slower growth, plants drink far less, and soil stays wet much longer. Keep watering on the summer schedule and you’ll drown them — overwatering is the classic winter killer.

Roughly halve your watering frequency.
Always check the soil first — wait until it’s drier than you would in summer.
Water with room-temperature water; cold water shocks warm-loving roots.

Stop feeding

Dormant plants can’t use fertiliser, and the leftover salts build up and burn the roots. Stop feeding as growth slows in autumn, and don’t resume until you see new growth in spring. (A few winter-growers and bloomers are exceptions, but the rule holds for most foliage plants.)

Chase the light

Days are shorter and the sun is weaker and lower, so even a bright summer spot can become dim.

Move plants closer to windows, or to your brightest ones.
Clean the leaves and the glass — dust and grime steal scarce winter light.
Consider a grow light for plants that really struggle.
Expect a little leaf drop and slowed growth; some sulking is normal.

Mind the dry, heated air

Central heating can crash indoor humidity to desert levels, and the thin-leaved tropicals start crisping at the edges — often the first sign people notice in autumn.

Keep humidity-lovers away from radiators and heating vents.
Run a humidifier or group plants to lift local humidity.

Watch for cold

Keep plants off cold window glass on freezing nights — leaves touching the pane can be damaged.
Avoid cold draughts from doors and windows.
Beware the daily swing between a hot, dry day and a cold night near a window.

What to pause until spring

Repotting — wait for active growth, unless you’re rescuing from rot.
Heavy pruning and propagation — most cuttings root poorly in low light.
Fertilising — as above.

A quick winter checklist

Water less; check soil first.
Stop feeding.
Move toward the light; clean leaves and windows.
Raise humidity; keep plants off radiators.
Avoid cold glass and draughts.
Pause repotting and pruning.

The honest summary

Winter care is mostly about doing less: less water, no food, no repotting — paired with more light and more humidity. Match the plant’s slowdown and it’ll cruise through to spring.

The hardest part is changing habits exactly when the season turns. LeafPal adjusts each plant’s watering rhythm for the season and reminds you to pause feeding, so your summer routine doesn’t carry on drowning plants in December.