November Indoor Plants: the Best Hardy Houseplants for Cold Months

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November is the month that really tests your patience as a plant person. The days are short, the light is low, and most of your plants are doing absolutely nothing visible. There’s no new growth to get excited about, no flowers to look forward to imminently, and the whole collection can start to feel a bit static and grey. But I’ve been learning that November is actually a really important month, just in a quieter and less visible way. Here’s what I’m focusing on to get through it.

What November Really Means for Your Plants

November is the darkest shoulder of the year for houseplants in the Northern Hemisphere. Daylight hours are now down to around 8 or 9 hours in the UK and the northern US, and are continuing to drop toward the December solstice. Light intensity is also much lower than the hour count suggests, because the sun sits very low in the sky and much of the day is grey and overcast.

Most houseplants are now in full dormancy or close to it. Their metabolic rate has slowed significantly; they’re using very little water and no nutrients, and they’re essentially waiting for the light to return. This is not a problem. It’s exactly what they’re supposed to do.

The challenge in November is resisting the urge to intervene. When plants look static and unexciting, it’s tempting to change things- move them, feed them, water them more. Almost always, that makes things worse rather than better. November is genuinely a month where the best thing you can do for most plants is leave them alone.

For Southern Hemisphere readers in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, November is late spring heading into summer. The May and June posts in this series are more relevant to your current conditions.

Light in November – The Biggest Challenge of the Year

Low light is the defining challenge of November, and it’s worth taking it seriously. Plants that are getting insufficient light in November will show it in various ways. Leggy, stretched growth reaching toward the light, pale or yellowing leaves, and a general lack of vitality are all signs that a plant needs more light than its current position offers.

The first response should always be to move plants closer to the best available light source. In November, south-facing windows are now the premium spots for most houseplants. The direct sun through a south-facing window in November is much gentler than summer sun and won’t cause scorching. Even sun-sensitive plants like calatheas can now handle a spot near a south-facing window.

Clean windows really matter in November. A film of dust or grime on glass blocks a surprisingly significant amount of already-limited light. Cleaning both the inside and outside of your main plant windows at the start of November is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do this month.

For plants that are still struggling despite the best position you can offer, a grow light is the answer. If you set one up in October, as we suggested in the last post, you’ll really appreciate it now. The Spruce grow light guide remains a solid reference for anyone still considering an investment.

Watering in November – Barely There

November watering should be at its minimum of the year, or close to it. December is sometimes slightly drier in terms of care, but in November, you should water very infrequently for most of your plants.

For most tropical houseplants, watering once every ten to fourteen days is generally appropriate. For succulents and cacti, once every three to four weeks is sufficient. For some cacti species, you can stop watering almost entirely from now until February with no harm done at all.

The risk of root rot is very real in November. Cold compost, low light, and dormant roots are a combination that poorly handles excess moisture. If in doubt, wait another few days before watering. A plant will tell you it needs water through slightly drooping or puckering leaves long before it suffers permanent damage from underwatering. Overwatering in November, on the other hand, can kill a plant before you even notice what’s happening.

Use room temperature water and water in the morning. Cold water on already cold compost in November is a shock to roots that are barely active. The University of Illinois Extension winter care guide provides practical details on November watering.

Heating and Humidity – Staying Vigilant

If you set up your humidifier and pebble trays in October, November is when that effort really pays off. The heating is running consistently now, and indoor humidity is at its winter low. The gap between what your home offers and what tropical plants need is at its widest.

Monitor the symptoms of low humidity throughout the month. Crispy brown leaf edges developing on previously healthy leaves is the most common sign. Calatheas are often the canary in the coalmine here. If your calathea looks unhappy, the humidity in that room is almost certainly too low for anything else, either.

One thing to check in November is whether any plants are too close to radiators. Radiators that weren’t a problem in summer are now running regularly, and a plant sitting directly above or beside one will experience very dry heat, which can damage leaves and roots. A gap of at least 30 to 60 centimetres between a plant and a radiator is a good minimum.

Draughts from doors and windows are another November hazard. Cold air entering through ill-fitting windows or under doors can significantly chill the roots of nearby plants. Moving vulnerable plants away from known draught spots is a simple precaution.

The RHS winter houseplant care guide from Kew Gardens clearly covers all the environmental challenges of November.

November Flowering Plants – Bright Spots in a Dark Month

November doesn’t have to be entirely plant-dormant and gloomy. There are some genuinely wonderful plants that flower this month and make a real difference to a home when everything outside is grey and bare.

Cyclamen purchased in October should be entering their peak now and producing flowers regularly through November and beyond. Keep them cool and away from radiators, and they’ll reward you for weeks.

Forced hyacinth and paperwhite bulbs started in October should now show good growth. If you timed it right, you might even have the first flowers by the end of November. That first hyacinth scent of the season is genuinely one of the best things about winter.

Orchids are another November star. Phalaenopsis orchids in particular often bloom from autumn through to spring, and a well-cared-for orchid in November is a genuinely beautiful thing. The American Orchid Society care guide has everything you need to keep them flowering.

Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera) are also coming into bud now. They need a period of cooler temperatures and longer nights to trigger flowering, so keeping them in a cooler room and resisting the urge to put them near a heat source is actually exactly what they need to bloom well.

Pest Watch in November – Don’t Let Your Guard Down

It might feel like pest season is over now that summer is long gone, but November brings its own pest pressures. The combination of warm, dry indoor conditions and lower plant vitality creates a different but real risk.

Spider mites thrive in warm, dry conditions, and central heating provides exactly that. A plant that overwinters without a spider mite problem can develop one surprisingly quickly once heating comes on and humidity drops. Keep checking the undersides of leaves, especially on plants close to radiators.

Mealybugs are another November concern. They can be slow to spot because they hide in leaf joints and crevices. Check these spots carefully when you water, which admittedly isn’t very often now. A cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol, when applied directly to individual mealybugs, is an effective spot treatment for minor infestations.

Fungus gnats tend to become less of an issue in November simply because you’re watering less and the soil surface dries out more between waterings. However, if you have any plants that are consistently moist, fungus gnats can still be a problem. The RHS pest guide remains the best reference for identification and treatment.

Looking After Yourself as a Plant Parent in November

This section might sound a bit different, but I think it’s worth including. November can be a demoralising month for plant enthusiasts, especially newer ones. Plants are doing nothing visible, you’re barely watering at all, and it can feel like you’re failing somehow when everything looks static and dull.

You’re not failing. This is just what winter looks like for plants, and for plant owners. The quietness of November is normal and healthy. Accepting it rather than fighting it is the skill that separates people who enjoy keeping plants through winter from those who find it frustrating.

If you want something to do with your plant energy in November, channel it into research and planning rather than doing things to your actual plants. Read up on the species you want to try next year. Make a wish list for spring purchases. Research the propagation techniques you plan to use when the growing season returns.

The Royal Horticultural Society website and Houseplant411 are both great places to lose a happy hour or two in November, reading about plants without actually disturbing any of them.

My November Plant Checklist

November is the month of restraint. Here’s what I’m reminding myself to focus on and, just as importantly, what to resist doing.

Water very infrequently and always check the soil before watering. Keep the humidifier running and top up pebble trays regularly. Check all plants are away from radiators and cold draughts. Move plants to the best available light source and clean windows. Keep the grow lights running on a timer for 12 to 14 hours per day. Inspect for spider mites and mealybugs when you water. Enjoy cyclamen, orchids, forced bulbs, and Christmas cacti for the colour they bring. And resist the urge to repot, feed, or otherwise disturb plants that are resting quietly and doing exactly what they should be doing.

November is quiet, but it’s not wasted. Everything you’re doing this month, including what you choose not to do, is building toward a healthy collection come spring.

The RHS and American Horticultural Society are always worth a visit when you want to read more than do more this month.

How are you getting through November with your plants? I’d love to know if anyone has a good strategy for staying motivated during the quietest month of the plant year and which plants are keeping things interesting in your home right now.