Heating on? Take the following measures for your houseplants

Naomi de Bruijne, plant expert and founder of Plant Asylum Haarlem, knows better than anyone what you can do to protect your plants against the heat and dry air of the heating system. We asked her for advice:

Away from (warm) heating

“No plant is a fan of living right above or next to the heating system. But I can imagine that plants with thick leaves, such as Hoyas and Ficus elastica, cacti and succulents are less affected. These could be placed near the heater, but make sure that nothing is standing or hanging directly above the heater.” Do you have underfloor heating at home? Not all plants are fond of that either. In that case, place the plants that are normally on the ground on a stool or plant stand, so that they are not directly on the warm floor.

Humidity

According to Naomi, the main problem with the heating is that it affects the humidity in the house. This drops considerably. “What you will then notice is that the plants with thin leaves will start to curl. Plants do this to retain moisture in the leaves for longer.” If you discover brown edges on your plant, unfortunately this cannot be repaired. “This happens to me every year too and I always just cut off those edges.” Although this is not necessarily the intention, your plant will immediately look much better.

“The lower humidity also ensures that creatures such as spider mites and thrips grow faster and spread more easily to other plants. It is therefore important to keep a close eye on this and to regularly spray with a green soap/spirit solution as a preventive measure.”

Increase humidity

Fortunately, you can also preventively increase the humidity in your home yourself. Naomi has some useful tips for this:

• Hang water bowls on your heater (or place them on the windowsill above the heater) and refill them regularly. Make sure that you change the water regularly and keep it clean.
• Fill bowls with stones or granules and fill them with water. Then place your plant on this. This seems to increase the humidity around your plants. Make sure that the pot is not leaning in the water, otherwise you will get root rot.
• Spray your plants regularly with (preferably decalcified) water. At least once a week, but preferably more often.
• Don’t turn on the extractor hood when you are cooking.
• Shower with the bathroom door open.
• Let the kettle boil a little longer before removing it from the heat.
• Hang your laundry to dry in the house, preferably in a room where there are many plants.

Moving plants

Are there plants near the heater? Then it is useful to give your plants a new place when you turn up the heating again in the autumn. “It is best to give those plants a new place in one go. Some plants – such as the Ficus benjamina, Bonsai and lid cacti – are quite divas when it comes to moving. They drop their leaves or refuse to bloom if moved too often. So if you can limit moving to a maximum of twice a year, this will only benefit the plants.”

March

“Many plants suffer from draughts, whether it is summer or winter. But if you have an older house with a lot of draughts, it is a matter of trying out which plants fit well in your house. Plants with thinner leaves may not do as well, while plants with sturdier leaves will not be bothered by a bit of draught. Think of Hoyas, Strelitzias and of course cacti and succulents.” In addition, according to Naomi, you should also take into account that drafts also ensure that bugs can spread more easily from plant to plant.

Rest period

Some plants, such as cacti and succulents, go dormant in winter. “I recommend placing these plants a bit cooler and darker. This is also useful to remember when redesigning your plant setting in your home.”