Hey, plant lovers – are you also experiencing problems with your curry leaf plant? Are its leaves turning yellow or brown? Are the leaves falling off? Has the plant become weak and stopped growing?
Nowadays, I have been receiving many queries about curry leaf plants and I will explain why these problems occur in winter and how you can properly care for your curry leaf plant during the cold season.
Also, I will share my personal winter care method to protect curry leaf plant so it can thrive again when spring arrives.
Tips to Care for Curry Leaf Plant in Winter: Quick Summary
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First, let me make this clear: during the winter months, the curry leaf plant goes into a dormancy period. This means the plant stops growing normally and enters a resting phase. During this time, you may experience some changes in your plant, such as:
- leaves turning yellow or brown,
- leaves falling repeatedly,
- no new leaf growth,
-
the plant becoming dull and weak.
My experience : Every winter, my curry leaf plant shows similar symptoms. I don’t give it much special care—I simply focus on keeping it alive.
Do not worry if you notice these changes in your curry leaf plant. This is completely normal during winter and does not mean the plant is dying.
What You Have to Do:
- At this time, your aim should be to protect and care for your curry leaf plant, rather than trying to make it bushy or fast-growing.
Why Curry Leaf Plant Suffers in Winter
The curry leaf plant is a typical summer plant that needs maximum sunlight for healthy growth. However, during winter, when temperature is low, cold winds, low sunlight causes stress to the plant.
Do you know?
The curry leaf plant grows best at temperatures between 25°C – 35°C.
But here is the good news for plant lover – this dormancy phase is temporary. As soon as spring arrives and temperatures rise, the curry leaf plant will naturally start growing again with proper care.
7 Expert Winter Care Tips for Curry Leaf Plant
1. Shift Your Plant to a Warm Location
The first and most important step is to protect your curry plant from the cold. Otherwise, the plant will quickly die.
What I do:
- As soon as winter arrives, I move my curry plant from the open area to a semi-shaded area.
- I protect it from direct cold winds and frost so that it is protected from dew during the day and night.
What you can do:
- You should also move your plant – under a green net, under a roof, or to a semi-shaded area where there is ventilation and light, but the plant is not exposed to direct cold winds.
Do you know?
If the temperature drops below 15°C, the curry leaf plant will shed its leaves, which is natural—so don’t worry.
2. Give Less Water in Winter
In winter, the soil doesn’t dry out quickly, so you should water less frequently.
What I do:
- I water my curry leaf plant once every 3 to 4 days. I check the soil first and then water it thoroughly.
And most importantly, I use regular tap water – neither too cold nor too hot.
Expert tip: Many people overlook this – in winter, you should use water at room temperature; otherwise, the plant’s roots will be damaged, and the plant will die.
What you can do:
- You should only water your curry leaf plant when the soil is dry.
- Check the soil with your finger before watering.
- If the soil is still moist, do not water.
- If the soil feels dry, then water it, using regular tap water.
Overwatering a curry leaf plant in winter will cause it to die quickly.
3. Provide Maximum Sunlight
Curry leaves need maximum sunlight for healthy growth.
What I do:
- During the winter, whenever there’s good sunshine, I move my plant to a sunny spot for a while. This gives the plant some relief and provides it with some energy to survive the winter.
- Then, in the evening, I move it back to the same shaded area where it was before.
What you can do:
- You can do the same and if you can’t move the plant, that’s okay.
- But doing this will help your plant survive the winter and reduce stress.
4. Prune Only Dead & Yellow leaves
Avoid excessive pruning in winter, otherwise the plant will become stressed.
What I do:
- I only remove yellow, brown, and withered leaves. That’s all.
- I don’t cut any weak stems or do any other pruning.
Expert tip:
By removing yellow leaves from the plant, it will focus its energy on new growth.
What you can do:
- You should do the same – only remove yellow and brown leaves.
- Do not cut any stems, do not prune excessively, or do any kind of pruning at all, otherwise your plant will quickly become stressed and unhealthy.
5. Give Less Fertilizer
In winter, the curry leaf plant is already under stress, and if you fertilize it frequently, it can become even more stressed.
Did you know?
When a plant is stressed, you should avoid giving fertilizer to it. Because the plant’s normal activities slow down considerably, and fertilizing it can be harmful; it won’t do any good.
What I do:
- In winter, I fertilize my plant only once a month with liquid fertilizer made from mustard cake or groundnut cake.
- These fertilizer are organic and have a warming effect.
- It provides warmth to the plant’s roots and gives it energy for a while, helping it survive the winter.
What you can do:
- You can also fertilize your plant only once a month with liquid fertilizer made from mustard cake or groundnut cake.
- If you don’t have this, that’s okay, don’t worry. But, don’t over-fertilize, otherwise, the plant will be damaged.
Expert tip:
If your plant is very weak or the temperature is extremely low, it is better to skip fertilizer completely.
6. Check pot drainage and soil condition
Check your pot’s drainage system. If water doesn’t drain from the pot, the soil will remain wet for too long, and the plant’s roots may suffer.
Also, check the soil condition – if the soil is too compacted, it can also cause problems for the plant.
What you can do:
- You need to loosen the soil, add some vermicompost in the soil, and then water it.
- This will improve the soil condition and ensure proper drainage.
Expert Tip:
You shouldn’t repot your curry plant in the winter. As soon as spring season arrives, you can do the repotting.
7. Be patient – Dormancy Is Normal
So, you have to keep patieince during winter season. Do not worried about your curry leaf plant condition. Many plant lovers think that their curry leaf plant is dying but it’s just resting.
- leaf drop in winter is normal,
- growth will restart in spring automatically,
- Patience is the key.
My personal experience:
Every winter, my curry leaf plant looks withered and weak, but I remain patient and protect it from the cold. With proper care, it bounces back in spring and grows healthy and strong again.
At last – With simple care and patience, your curry leaf plant will reward you with fresh, aromatic leaves again in spring.
Happy Gardening!
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