October has arrived, although the weather here in the UK would have you thinking it was early September, colder days are definitely coming. October usually marks the last window to get plants ready before they snuggle down for winter and slow down their growth. Here are a few jobs to get done before the month is out.
Do the last repot of the year
If you've got any plants you've been meaning to tend to all summer, now is the time to do it. Repot them into a new home with some fresh soil before they settle down for the cooler months. Once you've done this, it's best to leave plants undisturbed until early spring as they're a little less resilient in winter, and growth will slow down so it's unlikely they'll outgrow their pot any further.
Move plants away from cold windowsills at night
Once the sun goes down in winter, you'll notice that your window pains will feel really cold. This can make it a little too chilly for some plants, so shift them away from the glass and make sure they're not the direct path of any icy drafts. It's worth finding calatheas and other temperature sensitive tropicals a new permanent home towards the middle of the room once winter sets in
Clean the leaves
As natural light becomes sparse, you need to make every bit count. Give the leaves of your plant a clean to remove any dusts so they can soak up every bit of the limited light over the next few months
Give the final feed
As most house plants are dormant over winter, they won't need much food for the next few months. Give them one final feed and this should see them through to the new year.
