Home Sweet Home Magazine - November22

▶ don’t overwater! Herbs are quite sensitive to the amount of watering they get. Let the soil dry out between waterings. (Note: Yellow leaves are a sign your herbs need less watering, not more.) Indoor herb gardens are easy and fun and would make a fun indoor garden project for you and your family during the winter, as well as a lovely addition to your home.

One tip is to introduce plants to your home by bringing them inside overnight, and then back outside in the morning. Over the course of one to three weeks, depending on the plant and the temperature, slowly increase the amount of time that the plant spends inside your home, until it’s inside full time for the winter. Another idea is to move your plants while the temperature is about the same indoors as outdoors and keep the windows open for fresh air and sunlight. This will help give them time to adjust. 9. Figure Out Their Indoor Needs Bringing your fully prepped plants indoors isn’t the final step — you’ll need to do your research for each plant to determine what they need to grow and stay happy and healthy indoors throughout the winter months. Every plant is different, and many will require different conditions for indoors vs. outdoors. Think about light, humidity, and water, for example. Plants that need more light should be kept by windows (pro tip: keep your windows clean to maximize the amount of sunlight that gets through). Also, keep in mind that most plants that are inside don’t need nearly as much watering as plants that are kept outside, so water only when the soil is dry to the touch.

decided to hang on. A garden hose works especially well for removing any traces of pests.

7. Find Their New Homes

Before bringing your plants inside, determine where they’re going to go. Make sure there is room in your home for all the plants you want to transfer indoors, and then find appropriate places to put them. You’ll also need to consider conditions such as light, warmth, and humidity. For example, some plants require full sun, so placing them by a window that faces the sun during the day will help ensure their health and longevity.

8. Welcome Them Inside

Once you’ve determined where they will go, it’s time to bring your plants inside. But move slowly. It’s a good idea to put a saucer underneath your containers to catch any debris that might spill during the moving process. Consider also moving them incrementally, slowly introducing them to your home. Many plants need time to acclimate from the outdoors to the indoors; otherwise, they will experience shock, and could wilt, wither, experience leaf loss, and even die, despite your best efforts to keep them going with water, nutrients, and light.

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