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Houseplant watering, fertilizing slows down in winter

During the winter, most houseplants are not in an active growth phase due to shorter days, reduced humidity and lower temperatures. This, of course, does not apply to houseplants you are growing in a greenhouse.

Generally, houseplants require less water and much less, if any, fertilizer because their growth slows during the winter. Flowering houseplants such as African violets and hibiscus may benefit from fertilizing once a month in the winter.

The plant species also affects the frequency of watering, but most plants prefer watering when the medium is barely moist to the touch or almost dry. Ferns prefer to be kept more evenly moist, while succulents prefer to dry out more between watering.

Water houseplants thoroughly when you water them. Water should freely drain out of the bottoms of the pots. If the excess water drains into a saucer, discard the water and replace the saucer beneath the pot. I have had good results keeping pots of coleus and a large-leafed begonia in my Chicago Botanic Garden office on the dry side.

Most houseplants perform well with daytime winter temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and night temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees. Temperatures below 50 degrees or rapid temperature fluctuations may damage some plants. Keep houseplants away from cold drafts, radiators and hot air vents. Also, make sure houseplant foliage doesn't touch cold windows.

Houseplants with large leaves and smooth foliage, such as philodendrons, dracaenas and rubber plants can benefit from having their leaves washed at intervals to remove dust and grime. Cleaning houseplants improves their appearance, stimulates growth and may help control insects and mites. Large, firm-leafed plants may be cleaned with a soft sponge or cloth and tepid water. Another method is to spray off the leaves in the shower.

Christmas tree disposal

After Christmas, move your live cut tree outside and redecorate it for local birds. Anchor the tree in a bucket full of damp sand or tie it to a fence or tree. Add strings of popcorn and cranberries. Apples, oranges, leftover bread and pinecones covered with peanut butter and then dipped in birdseed are all additions that will appeal to birds.

For best results, push the edible ornaments well into the tree so that they do not blow off as easily. I have lots of squirrels in my neighborhood that eat these types of decorations, so I put the tree out without edible decorations to provide additional cover for birds that are visiting feeders.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.

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