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The Monthly Care Note
November
What your plants actually need this month — the one thing that changes, and three small jobs to keep everyone alive until spring.
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The one thing that changes in November
Indoor light drops by roughly half this month. Even a bright summer spot is now a dim one, and your plants are drinking far less than they were in July.
Most plant deaths in November come from one honest mistake: watering on the old summer schedule. If you change nothing else, change how often you reach for the watering can.
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Your three jobs this month
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| 01 |
Cut watering in half
Cut watering by half — wait until the top 5cm is dry before you water again.
In low light roots drink far less, so soil that stays wet is where roots rot.
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| 02 |
Move everyone toward the light
Shift plants within a metre of your brightest window — just not touching the cold glass.
A spot that worked in July is now too dark; a metre closer buys back real light.
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| 03 |
Stop feeding until spring
Put the fertiliser away until March.
Your plants aren't growing right now, so extra nutrients just build up as salt in the soil.
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You asked
Troubleshooting
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The lower leaves are turning yellow. Is it dying?
Usually not — yellowing from the bottom up in November is almost always overwatering. Let the soil dry out further before the next drink, and check the pot actually drains. Losing a leaf or two is normal this time of year.
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Should I move plants off cold windowsills?
If leaves are pressed against cold glass overnight, yes — pull the pot back a few centimetres after dark. You still want the daytime light, so a windowsill is fine; it's the overnight chill on the glass that damages leaves.
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One plant for this month
The ZZ plant
It genuinely tolerates low light — a dim corner that would kill most things is fine for a ZZ. It stores water in its roots, so it forgives you if you forget to water it for weeks.
If November has already claimed a plant or two, this is the one to replace it with.
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Next month
December: heating, dry air, and dusty leaves
Radiators change everything indoors. We'll cover how to keep humidity up without fussing, and why a quick leaf-wipe matters more than you'd think.
Read the archive →
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