February feels like the longest month for gardeners. If that is not enough, we are all suffering from hat hair, unlike the fashionista school kids who walk around in UGG slippers and pajama pants or shorts with jackets wide open sans chapeaux. 

To shake winter blues and forget about hat hair, brighten up your home with houseplants. Not only can plants buoy our spirits, but their proximity apparently can even add a few years to our lives. An eight-year Harvard study, released in 2016, found that American women living in homes surrounded by vegetation had a 12 percent lower mortality rate than those living in the least green areas. 

To ensure your plants (and you) lead longer, healthier lives, follow these rules:

• Water: Winter means less light, and less light means less water. Poke your finger an inch into the soil. If it’s dry, water the plant thoroughly. If it’s moist, wait.

• Sunlight: Move your plants closer to windows so they can take advantage of as much light as possible. If they’re on the floor, consider placing them on a plant stand to get them closer to natural light. Rotate pots a quarter turn each week to ensure all sides of your plants get sunlight.

• Leaf drop: Don’t worry, plants drop leaves. This is perfectly normal, as they are adjusting to the lower light levels of being indoors.

• Temperature: Avoid extreme changes in temperature. Keep plants away from cold drafts, radiators, and hot air vents, and make sure their leaves do not touch windows.

• Fertilizer: Pause. Plants are growing less so they don’t require fertilizer. Resume in spring.

• Insects: Winter is prime time for tiny sap-sucking insects such as aphids, scales, and Spider mites. Turn plant leaves over, inspecting their undersides every time you water. Check along stems, too. If you find any pests, wipe them off with your fingers or an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. For large infestations, insecticidal soap or neem oil are safe options for pest removal. Sadly, there are times when a plant is so infested it must be thrown out.

• Humidity: In our heated homes, the humidity is 10 to 20 percent. Plants grow best when humidity levels are between 40 and 50 percent. An easy method to increase humidity is placing plants on trays filled with pebbles and water. The bottoms of the pots should be above the water level to avoid root rot. As the water evaporates, it creates a more humid microclimate for your houseplants.

• Misting: Don’t. Studies have found you would have to mist many times a day to raise the humidity level enough to be effective.

• Foliage: Keep it clean. Dust and grime block pores and reduce transpiration. Microfiber dusting gloves or damp clothes come in handy for cleaning leaves. Or give the whole plant a quick rinse in the shower to make short work of cleaning off the foliage.

• Don’t repot: Resist the urge to repot, which will only shock plants. Wait until spring.

• Plant personalities: Pay attention to what works best for each and do that. When spring comes, they shall rally with vigor.

• Air cleansing: Houseplants emit oxygen and absorb toxins, making your closed home environment healthier. Plants never stop giving. 

This Valentine’s Day, show someone you care by giving them a happy houseplant.