Gardeners know this very well: the cold season is a very delicate period for plants. As temperatures drop, more care is needed to increase their resilience and allow them to combat winter frosts.
Remember that each of your flower plants has its own needs. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that you do not make mistakes that can be fatal for them.
To help your flowers better cope with the winter period, here are some tips to follow and a very effective homemade mix to protect the soil from frost.
Useful recommendations to protect your plants during the winter
In winter, the flowers go into vegetative rest: during this period it is essential to know how to carry out the irrigation process. In the cold season, the plants should be watered only when the soil surface is really dry.
Remember that the soil must be in the best conditions to ensure good plant growth. It is he who nourishes your plants by providing them with the necessary nutrients and which allows efficient water drainage.
To take good care of your houseplants during this period, here are some tips recommended by flower arranging and gardening experts:
- Do not use cold water, but water at room temperature. This way you will avoid thermal shock that can affect your plants.
- The temperature inside the room where you place your potted plants is essential. Make sure that the flowers are not installed near the radiator or any heat source.
- In December and January, it would be a good idea to put a protective layer over the soil to protect the roots and stem from frost. This solution applies both to indoor potted plants (or on the terrace) and to those in the garden or patio.
- Most indoor plants need 70-90% humidity, which is impossible to achieve in an apartment. To remedy this, all you need to do is place a humidifier near your plants. Another tip: install the pots in trays filled with clay and water. Be careful, because with low humidity, the leaves can turn yellow and fall off. In addition, the leaf edges become necrotic and growth is stunted.
Sensible alternative to replacing mulch mix
Of course, in specialized stores, you can always buy specialized products intended for the maintenance of your plants, in particular a mixture called “mulch”. This is an organic layer, usually made of sawdust and wood shavings, that is often placed on the soil of flowering plants to protect them from winter frosts.
This mixture can be transplanted both in pots and in the garden, directly into the ground to preserve the plants. It also allows you to get rid of weeds.
Don’t have a mulch mix on hand? If you do not have time to get it or if you want to save money, you should know that it is possible to prepare a similar solution at home. You will need straw, some leaves, sawdust or finely cut pieces of wood. The procedure is very simple: mix all these ingredients well in a bowl and then add this protective layer to the soil of your plants. It works very well – the soil will be protected from frost until March!