If you’re in Canada — or anywhere in the northern hemisphere — winter changes the rules a bit. Days are shorter, the sun sits lower in the sky, and even bright windows deliver far less usable light than they did a few months ago. Plants respond to this naturally by slowing down. Growth softens. New leaves take longer to appear. Some plants quietly let go of older foliage to rebalance their energy.
That isn’t something going wrong. That’s seasonal biology doing exactly what it’s meant to do.
What makes winter feel harder is that we change too. We’re inside more. We’re home during daylight hours more often. We spend more time looking at our plants — sometimes a lot more time. So when nothing seems to be happening, it’s easy to assume something should be happening and isn’t. In many cases, nothing about the plant has declined at all — we’re just noticing the slowdown because our own pace has slowed alongside it.
Here’s the reframe that helps most: winter isn’t a pause button, but it is a lower gear.
Plants are still alive, still photosynthesizing, still maintaining themselves — they’re just doing less visible work. Think maintenance mode, not shutdown. This is especially true for tropical houseplants growing far north of where they evolved. They’ll keep ticking along, but without the light intensity needed to fuel obvious, fast growth.
This is also why winter can trigger the urge to do something. When growth slows, we’re tempted to intervene — water more, feed more, repot — because activity feels reassuring. But in winter, more input doesn’t usually create more growth. It often just creates stress. The most supportive thing you can do this season is often not a change in care, but a change in expectations.
Instead of asking, “Why isn’t my plant growing?” try asking:
“Does this plant look stable?”
If leaves are holding, colour is consistent, and nothing is declining quickly, that’s success in winter. Growth will return as days lengthen — whether we’re watching closely or not.
Winter doesn’t mean you’re behind. It usually just means your plants are responding appropriately to the season you’re in — and you’re finally moving slowly enough to notice.
A Few Winter-Specific Things to Keep in Mind
Fertilizer: Less Light Means Less Demand
When light levels drop, plants simply can’t use nutrients the same way they do in spring and summer. Adding fertilizer during a low-light season doesn’t “wake them up” — it often just builds up unused nutrients in the soil. If your plant isn’t actively pushing new growth, it’s usually best to pause or significantly reduce feeding until light returns. Winter is about holding steady, not fueling expansion.
“Maybe It Needs a Bigger Pot?” (Usually Not Right Now)
Repotting is a form of stress, even when done well. In brighter seasons, plants recover quickly because they have the energy to grow new roots. In winter, that recovery is slower. If a plant is stable but not growing, repotting rarely solves the issue — and can sometimes make things worse. Unless roots are actively escaping the pot or there’s a real soil problem, spring is generally the kinder time to make that change.
A Calm Pest Check (Just to Rule Things Out)
If something does feel off, a quick pest check is a reasonable step — no urgency required. Look closely at leaf undersides, where leaves meet stems, and at newer growth points. You’re not looking for perfection, just obvious movement, residue, or clustering. If you don’t see clear signs, it’s often safe to assume the slowdown is seasonal rather than a pest issue.
A Gentle Reminder Before You Go
If you’re feeling that restless winter energy — the sense that you should be doing something with your plants right now — it’s okay to let that urge soften. You don’t need to fix anything to be a good plant parent this season.
This can be a great time to simply enjoy your plants as they are. Sit near them. Notice how they hold light. Make a mental list of what you might want to adjust in spring. If it brings you joy, plan a future repotting day or sketch out where you’d like things to live when the light shifts again.
And if what you really want is to add something new? That’s allowed too. Sometimes the most helpful winter care isn’t intervention — it’s inspiration.
Your plants aren’t asking for urgency right now. They’re asking for patience, steadiness, and a little trust in the season you’re all moving through together.