What your plants need this month
Three care tips for each season, with the plant problems that turn up most at that time of year. The season shown first comes from today's date and your hemisphere.
In the southern hemisphere the seasons are flipped: winter there is June to August. These tips follow temperate seasons, so in the tropics go by your own wet and dry seasons.
Winter Now
December to February in the north, June to August in the south.
Water less
Most houseplants grow slowly now. Let the top of the soil dry before watering again.
Mind the cold and the heat
Keep pots off cold glass and away from radiators. Both can brown leaf edges.
Check under the leaves
Dry air from heating suits spider mites. Look for fine webbing or speckled leaves.
Guides for this season
Spring Now
March to May in the north, September to November in the south.
Time to repot
If roots circle the pot or poke out of the bottom, move the plant to a pot one size up.
Feed new growth
As new leaves appear, start feeding again as the label says, and water a little more often.
Check new shoots
Aphids like soft new growth. Look at shoot tips and under young leaves.
Guides for this season
Summer Now
June to August in the north, December to February in the south.
Watch hot windows
Strong afternoon sun through glass can scorch leaves. Pull plants back a little.
Water more often
Check the soil more often in the heat, and water outdoor pots early in the day.
Look for mites and thrips
Hot, dry weeks suit them. Check for pale speckles or silvery streaks on leaves.
Guides for this season
Fall Now
September to November in the north, March to May in the south.
Check before bringing plants in
Look over outdoor plants for pests before they come inside for the winter.
Feed less
Growth slows as the days get shorter. Most houseplants need no feeding until spring.
Water less
Soil dries more slowly now. Let it dry a little more between waterings.
Guides for this season
Looking for a problem? Photograph it
Leafsight looks at a photo of the leaf and gives an assessment of the likely problem with care steps. A photo assessment can be wrong.
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