How Houseplant Care Changes in Winter
Most common houseplants are tropical in origin, adapted to conditions very different from a heated home in winter: more light, more humidity, and warmer, more stable temperatures than most of us can offer indoors from roughly November through February. As a result, many houseplants enter a period of slower growth, sometimes called quiescence, during winter — they’re not fully dormant the way outdoor plants are, but they’re not actively pushing out new growth either.
That slowdown means most of winter houseplant care is about giving plants less (less water, less fertilizer) while trying to protect the things they’re short on (light and humidity).
How Often Should You Water Houseplants in Winter?
Most houseplants need less frequent watering in winter, since growth has slowed and water isn’t evaporating from the soil as quickly as it does in warmer, brighter months. Rather than following a fixed schedule, check the soil before watering — for many common houseplants, letting the top half or more of the soil dry out before rewatering is a reasonable general approach, though exact needs vary by plant and by how dry your particular home gets.
A few practical tips:
- Check soil with a finger or a wooden stick rather than watering by the calendar.
- Use room-temperature water rather than cold water straight from the tap, since cold water can shock roots.
- Watch your specific home’s conditions — a home with terracotta pots, forced-air heat, and low humidity may actually need more frequent watering than a humid home, even in winter, since terracotta and dry air both pull moisture out of soil faster.
How Cold Is Too Cold for a Houseplant?
Exact cold tolerance varies by plant, but a commonly cited comfortable range for most common tropical houseplants is roughly 60-75°F during the day, with many sources suggesting nighttime temperatures shouldn’t be allowed to drop much below 50°F. Sudden temperature swings — from a drafty window, an opened door, or being moved outdoors too late in fall — tend to cause more visible damage (leaf drop, scorching, or limp leaves) than a gradual, modest temperature dip.
Keeping plants away from single-pane windows, exterior doors, and unheated porches during cold snaps is generally safer than relying on a precise minimum temperature number.
Light, Humidity, and Temperature Adjustments
Maximize Available Light
Days are shorter and the sun sits lower in the sky in winter, so houseplants typically receive meaningfully less light even in the same spot they occupied in summer. A few ways to compensate:
- Clean windows so plants get as much of the available light as possible.
- Move plants closer to the brightest window you have, while keeping leaves from touching cold glass.
- Rotate pots periodically so growth stays even on all sides.
- Wipe dust off leaves, since dust can block some of the already-reduced light.
- Consider a grow light for plants that need brighter light than your home offers in winter, such as succulents or other high-light species.
Raise Humidity Without Overdoing It
Indoor heating dries out the air, sometimes dramatically — home humidity in winter can drop well below what’s comfortable for tropical plants used to naturally humid environments. Grouping plants together and using a room humidifier are commonly recommended ways to raise humidity somewhat. Pebble trays are a popular suggestion, though some sources report only a modest, inconsistent effect from them. Misting leaves directly is generally not considered an effective long-term fix for low humidity, and leaving water sitting on leaves can increase the risk of fungal issues.
Calathea, in particular, tends to be sensitive to low winter humidity — see our Calathea care guide for more on its specific needs.
Avoid Drafts and Heat Sources
Keep plants away from heating vents, radiators, fireplaces, and drafty windows or doors. Both cold drafts and direct heat can stress houseplants, and the swings between the two (common near a window with a nearby heater) tend to be harder on plants than a single steady temperature on the cooler or warmer side.
Fertilizing and Repotting in Winter
Most houseplants grow very little in winter, so they generally don’t need regular fertilizing during this period — many guides recommend holding off until spring, when new growth resumes. An exception is plants kept under grow lights or in an unusually bright, warm spot year-round; if a plant is still actively growing through winter, continuing a lighter fertilizing routine makes more sense than stopping it abruptly.
Repotting is also generally better left until spring, since plants recover from the stress of repotting more easily when they’re actively growing. Refreshing just the top layer of soil, rather than a full repot, is a reasonable middle ground if a plant’s soil looks depleted but doesn’t urgently need a larger pot.
Watch for Winter Pests
Dry indoor air and stressed plants can make winter a more likely time to see pests like spider mites, mealybugs, and fungus gnats. Checking the undersides of leaves periodically, and inspecting any new plants before placing them near others, can help catch problems early. An occasional lukewarm shower for plants that tolerate it can help dislodge pests and clean dust off leaves at the same time.
Which Houseplants Handle Winter Best?
Plants that are naturally more tolerant of lower light and drier air tend to handle winter conditions with the least fuss. Commonly mentioned examples include snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos, and cast iron plant — the same group often recommended for low-light rooms generally; see our houseplant care guide for more on these. Many trailing houseplants, like pothos and heartleaf philodendron (covered in our trailing and hanging houseplants guide), are also fairly tolerant of winter’s lower humidity and light. Plants with higher humidity needs, such as Calathea or ferns, tend to need more active winter intervention (humidifiers, grouping, or pebble trays) to look their best through the season.
FAQs
How cold is too cold for a houseplant? Most common tropical houseplants are comfortable in roughly 60-75°F and start to struggle if nighttime temperatures drop much below about 50°F, though tolerance varies by species.
What indoor plants can survive the winter season? Low-light, drought-tolerant plants like snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos, and cast iron plant tend to handle winter’s lower light and humidity with relatively little extra care.
How often should I water my houseplants in the winter? Generally less often than in warmer months — many houseplants do well with the top half or more of the soil drying out before the next watering, though this varies by plant, pot type, and how dry your home gets.
What houseplants can survive winter? Most common houseplants can get through winter fine indoors with adjusted watering and some attention to light and humidity; naturally hardier, low-light species like snake plant and pothos tend to need the least extra effort.