For many xingchun indoor house plants, the decreasing

However, follow our top five tips for winter care and you'll have healthy indoor house plants that will be raring to grow in spring.

Reduce Watering

Dormant indoor house plants need very little water-too much and they will either produce soft, weak growth or will rot as water accumulates in the compost. For most indoor house plants, reduce watering to once every fortnight. For succulents, only water every two to three weeks, and for cacti, stop watering entirely. The exception is winter-flowering plants, such as Christmas cacti and poinsettias, which need watering whenever the compost feels dry.

Move into the Light

With shorter days and less sunshine over winter, it's important to maximize the amount of light reaching your indoor house plants. Ideally, move them into a sunny conservatory or porch, so they get light from several directions. If you don't have these, then move your indoor house plant onto a west-or south-facing windowsill. It's also worth cleaning your windows inside and out to let in as much light as possible.

Clean Their Leaves

Indoor house plants often accumulate a thick layer of household dust on their leaves. This reduces the amount of light that can reach the leaf surface, making it harder for them to manufacture food. Wipe off dust regularly using a damp cloth, or stand the plant in a luke-warm shower for five minutes. Leaf-cleaning products are available, but are only suitable for use on certain plants.

Keep Them Warm

Most indoor house plants need a temperature of 12-18. They dislike large temperature fluctuations, so position them away from cold draughts and open windows or doors. If they're on a windowsill, leave the curtains open if you can, as they trap cold air at night. Alternatively, move indoor house plant off the windowsill at night. Also keep indoor house plants away from heat sources such as radiators and fireplaces, which can scorch delicate foliage.

Check for Pests

A nice cozy house provides the perfect environment for many plant pests to thrive and breed over the winter. Inspect all your indoor house plants thoroughly for pests now, looking under the leaves and as well as on top. Check plants that have spent the summer out in the garden particularly well, so you don't introduce new pests, and remove any that you find. Keep inspecting your indoor house plants regularly throughout the winter.