Fall is officially here. It’s getting colder and the leaves are altering from lush greens into rich golds and deep oranges. For a lot of us, these changes usher in thoughts of change, rejuvenation, growth, and football. But these changes also mean that we have to adjust what we do to take care of our plants and flowers. As the seasons change, so do the needs of our floral friends. As we discussed in a previous blog post, there are several important steps to take to help your indoor plants during the summer heat. In that same spirit, let’s take a look at some important tips for fall flower care.

Be sure to stay tuned for a future blog post where we’ll go over winter flower care as well! In the meantime, be sure to reach out to Chappell’s Florist in South Burlington. We have an amazing selection of floral arrangements, house plants, and so much more — all perfectly suited to make your home ready for the chilly autumn weather! Now, let’s take a look at some tips and tricks for flower care, shall we?

1. Cut Back on the Watering

As we mentioned in our previous blog post on summer flower care, the heat can cause a lot of evaporation, leaving your plants thirsty. It’s always absolutely essential that you don’t overwater your plant since overwatering can be just as harmful as underwatering. At the same time, environmental conditions can affect how much or how little water your plants will need.

It’s tempting to simply stick with a standard amount of water all year round. But that’s a quick route to overwatering or underwatering. For optimal flower and plant care, you will want to cater to the needs of your specific plant. And this includes factoring in changes in the temperature, humidity, and sunlight.

Those of us here in Vermont don’t have to be told that things are starting to get cold! But, as that happens, it will affect how much we run our air conditioners and our heaters. This will, in turn, affect the levels of humidity in our homes. On top of that, fall brings with it a time change (Spring forward, fall back!). That means we’ll be “losing” an hour of sunlight. This can impact how much we’re leaving our curtains and blinds open. Some of your indoor plants might need to sit in a new place to get the same amount of sunlight they did spring and summer. All of these things will impact how much we should be watering our plants.

Generally speaking, we should be slowly cutting back on watering as the temperatures drop. A good rule is to try sticking your finger into the soil around your plant up to the first knuckle. If the dirt feels cool, damp, or moist, it has enough water. If it feels dry, it may need more water.

2. Bring in Plants from Outside

We all like to have potted plants around our home during the summer months. Depending on the type of plant, this is not a good idea as things start to become more frigid. You will want to start moving those plants inside!

An important thing to keep in mind as you bring those plants into the warmth and safety of your home is that, since they’ve been exposed to the elements for a while, they’ll need to be checked for pests. Harmful pests can quickly overtake all the plants and flowers inside your home. No one wants that.

If you find any pests, just be sure to take the appropriate steps to debug before bringing them inside. Check out this helpful article for debugging plants from Get Busy Gardening. After taking those steps, your outside plants can safely become indoor plants for the fall and winter months!

3. Try Putting Your Plants in Close Proximity

As you may or may not remember from 6th-grade science class, plants release oxygen and moisture into the air. This released moisture can help with declining levels of humidity in the air during the chillier months.

One way to maximize the benefits of these moisture-filled exhalations is to put plants in close proximity to one another. This will allow the plants to benefit from their mutual moisture. Of course, this might not be feasible depending on the layout of your home, or your personal aesthetic preferences for the placement of your plants. But, it’s a tip that can help increase the health and longevity of your plants.

One important caveat with grouping plants together is that if your plants are experiencing problems with disease or plant pests, then this will further exacerbate the issues. As long as you’ve taken the appropriate steps mentioned above, then this shouldn’t be too much of a worry. Just be on the lookout for any unwanted little critters!

4. Adjust Fertilization

The spring and summer months are generally considered the best times for fertilizing your houseplants. If you started fertilizing your houseplants during the summer months, then the fall is the time to start weaning them off of that fertilizer. It’s not a good idea to fertilize during the winter months because foliage growth slows down considerably during these times.

At the same time, you will want to avoid doing anything that will too abruptly shock the system of your plants. When possible, it’s always a good idea to give your plants time to adjust to changes. This includes changes in temperature, changes in humidity, changes in watering, and, of course, changes in fertilization.

5. Time to Get Creative

Fall can be an extremely exciting time for decorating with indoor plants and flowers! The popular color palette of oranges, golds, and browns lends itself to a wide range of creative decorations. This is the perfect season for you to tap into your inner interior decorator!

With fewer plants outside, you will want to take full advantage of your nooks, crannies, and ceiling hooks. There are endless possibilities for your fall plants. Fall ‘tis the season for DIY projects as well, so you can craft all sorts of fun and interesting ways to display your plants.

However, if you’re looking for the best flowers and plants to work with, then look no further than your favorite South Burlington florist. Chappell’s has a huge selection of autumn decorations. From fall-themed centerpieces to lovely money trees to help with your luck this season and everything in between. Stay tuned for our next blog post where we will take a closer look at our autumn collection. And be sure to check out the autumn selection for yourself in the meantime!

If you’re ready to get started on decorating your home for the fall season, then reach out to Chappell’s Florist in South Burlington today! We look forward to hearing from you!