Winter woe: Examine your indoor plants before repotting to avoid unnecessary harm

Winter concludes the growing season for several flowers due to reduced temperatures, feeble sunlight, and dry air caused by radiators. Each of these elements contributes to a weakened growth and possible decline of potted plants. Consequently, many people opt to replant them with fresh soil and in new pots, but is this truly beneficial?

Indoor plant owners understand how challenging their custody can be. It's not enough to place the plant and wait: plants require care, which involves regularly providing them with essential nutrients. Watering is the most critical condition for cultivating indoor plants, and for many, it's a prevalent problem. Especially at this time of year, overwatering flowers can happen easily if done too generously or improperly.

If plants are overwatered, they pose a high risk of decay and mold. Therefore, watering schedules in winter should not mirror those of other seasons. Always check the soil: if it's moist, it's better to wait a few days before watering. The same principle applies to fertilizing—keep it to a minimum in winter.

Many growers argue that winter repotting is essentially sentencing plants to a slow death. Waiting until spring is usually the safer bet, but it isn't always feasible—sometimes immediate action is necessary. So, it's essential to know when to repot indoor plants.

Signs that your plant needs repotting can include a change in the soil's structure, which can hinder water absorption and deny the plant essential minerals. If there's a white deposit on the pot's surface that gives off a musty smell, this is a clear indication that the plant requires repotting. Such symptoms can signal the onset of bacterial or fungal diseases, or overly acidic soil.

If you've purchased a new plant for your collection, it's worth replanting it because the store-bought substrate might not promote optimal growth. This also applies to plants in small pots with tangled roots. Nonetheless, if indoor plants bloom or sprout buds in the winter, they should never be repotted under any circumstances.