“Most of our houseplants really benefit from a little rest from active growth at some point during the year. This downtime usually happens in winter, when the light is weaker and the days are shorter.…”
ZZ Plant
Zamioculcas zamiifolia
Most of our houseplants really benefit from a little rest from active growth at some point during the year. This downtime usually happens in winter, when the light is weaker and the days are shorter. I've found it's one of the most important—yet overlooked—parts of houseplant care.
For some plants, you'll know the rest period has arrived because they die back to soil level—cyclamen and gloxinia do this—or drop their leaves, like poinsettia and some other holiday houseplants. When these plants go dormant, reduce or stop watering. In my experience, growth kicks back into gear in spring when warmth and sunshine return; you can gently wake them up by slowly increasing water.
Other plants, like leafy evergreen houseplants and many succulents, don't make it so obvious when they need a break. But trust me, they still need to rest! You might notice that new growth slows or stops altogether—that's your cue to cut back on watering and move the plant somewhere cooler. This usually happens in winter. As the days start to lengthen, your plant will let you know it's ready: it'll look perkier, push out a few new leaves, or lean toward the light. That's when I gradually resume normal watering and feeding, and repot if the plant needs it.
