Some of the tropical plants I brought into the house to spend the winter are dropping leaves. What’s going on?
- Keith Funk
- 3 hours ago
- 1 min read
Tropical Croton plant
Q: Some of the tropical plants I brought into the house to spend the winter are dropping leaves. What’s going on?
A: It’s not unusual for plants to re-acclimate to indoor conditions when you bring them inside. Light levels are lower indoors and the air is drier. Give them time to adjust to their new conditions. Be sure to continue to feed them at least monthly through the winter to keep them as healty and possible. If they grew enough during the summer to need potting up into larger pots, this is fine time to do that using a good quality potting soil and a pot that is only 2-3” bigger in diameter. Don’t overpot! Adjust your watering schedule to accommodate to prevent the soil from staying too wet. The larger soil volume means the plants will stay moist longer between waterings. Check the moisture level several inches into the soil using your finger or a moisture meter before watering. When you do water, water thoroughly allowing any excess water to drain out the bottom of the pot into a saucer. Discard the water in the saucer. Do not let your plants sit in water for more than a few hours.
Read our Q & As with Keith Funk answering common Colorado gardening questions here. You can also hear him on the Garden Wise Radio Show
