Yesterday was the Summer Solstice—the longest day of the year. In the Southern Hemisphere, they just entered their Winter Solstice. And they had their shortest day of the year. The Solstice happens when the northernmost tip of the planet is tilted toward the sun (the Earth is tilted at a 23.5-degree angle).
The bad news is that from here on out, each day gets a bit shorter. Right now, they’ll get a few seconds to up to 1 minute shorter, but as we get closer to the autumnal equinox (in September), they’ll daily lose 2 to 3 minutes of daylight. And, of course, after the autumnal equinox, the daylight gets even shorter and shorter until the Winter Solstice.
Of course, it could be worse. In Barrow, Alaska, at the Summer Solstice, the sun NEVER sets, and at the Winter Solstice, the sun never rises! (Can you imagine going to bed at 11:30 at night and the sun is still out?!? Or how about going to work at 8:30 a.m. and still having to use your headlights?!)
But we do need to pay attention to the length of daylight for our indoor plants. Since sunlight triggers photosynthesis, during long, sunny days, our plants are actively growing. As the days get shorter, they slow down. Here, in the winter, it’s recommended to feed your plants when they first “wake up” in late winter (by mid- to late February, plants have gained about an hour or more of light a day). I feed mine until mid-October, then I do not fertilize at all during the winter. Now an exception might be if you’re growing blooming plants under lights and you are seeing signs of active growth (new leaves or flower buds) you might give them a couple of light doses of fertilizer mid-winter—half-strength, half as often.
And do remember that when plants are actively growing (like in the summer, when days are longer and sunlight is stronger), their watering needs may change.
Happy Summer