The Biggest Houseplant Mistake People Always Make This Time Of Year

Your plants don’t have to worry much about humidity in the summer, but once the heater kicks on as it gets cold, the air can get super dry—which your plants won’t love. “Most of the indoor foliage plants are tropical and love humidity,” Pangborn notes.

She suggests making sure your plants are getting adequate humidity by investing in a humidifier, as well as misting around your plants periodically.

You can also use a tray of pebbles and water to place your plants on. Simply add enough water to a tray with a layer of pebbles so the pebbles aren’t completely submerged, and place your planter on top. “As the water evaporates from the tray,” Pangborn explains, “it increases the moisture in the air around the plant, and the pebbles hold the plant above the water so that the roots are not constantly wet.”

Grouping plants together in your home can also create a nice microclimate, she adds, and will help keep up the humidity for the group in that area.

And once in a while, some plants enjoy a nice shower, which will offer extra moisture, in addition to cleaning off any dust from the foliage, she says.