Money Plant Care in Winter: How to Protect and Keep It Thriving

Why Winter Changes Everything for Money Plant

Money plant (Epipremnum aureum) is native to the tropical forests of French Polynesia and has naturalised across South and Southeast Asia. In its native range it experiences year-round warmth, consistent moisture, and reliable bright light filtered through forest canopy. It has no evolutionary preparation for cold temperatures, low light, or seasonal dormancy.

When we keep money plant indoors through winter in India — particularly in North India where winters can be genuinely cold — we are asking a tropical plant to adapt to conditions quite different from what it prefers. It can do so successfully, but only if we adjust our care practices to match what the plant actually needs in those conditions, rather than continuing on the same summer schedule.

The fundamental change in winter is reduced metabolic activity. Cooler temperatures and lower light levels slow the plant's photosynthesis, respiration, and water uptake. This has downstream effects on every element of care:

• The plant needs far less water because it is using water at a fraction of the summer rate
• Nutrients are not needed because the plant is growing slowly or not at all
• Root function slows, making the plant more vulnerable to root rot from excess moisture
• The plant becomes more sensitive to temperature extremes, drafts, and sudden environmental changes

Understanding this slowdown is the key to winter care. You are not neglecting the plant by doing less — you are correctly matching your inputs to what the plant can actually use.

Winter Watering: The Most Critical Adjustment

Overwatering in winter is the single most common cause of money plant death among Indian houseplant growers. The cause is simple: people continue watering on the same schedule they used in summer (perhaps every 5 to 7 days), not realising that the plant's water consumption has dropped dramatically and the soil now stays wet for far longer.

In winter, a money plant may need water only once every 10 to 14 days — and in colder regions or for plants in cool rooms, even less frequently than that. Some well-established plants in low-light positions may need water only once every 3 weeks during the coldest months.

The Correct Winter Watering Method

Do not water on a fixed schedule in winter. Instead, use the soil check method every few days:

1. Insert your finger 3 to 5 cm into the soil
2. If the soil at that depth feels moist or cool-damp, do not water
3. If the soil at that depth feels completely dry, water thoroughly
4. When you do water, water until it drains freely from the drainage holes, then stop
5. Empty the drainage saucer after 30 minutes — never let the pot sit in standing water

This approach ensures the plant gets water when it needs it, but is never sitting in waterlogged soil during the long periods when its roots are absorbing water very slowly.

Signs You Are Overwatering in Winter

If you see any of the following, reduce watering immediately and check the roots:

• Yellowing leaves, starting from lower or older leaves and spreading upward
• Soft, mushy stems near the soil level
• Soil that stays wet for more than 10 days
• A sour or musty smell from the soil
• Brown, mushy roots visible at the drainage hole

Signs You Are Underwatering in Winter

Underwatering in winter is less common but does occur, particularly with fast-draining soils or in heated homes where the air is very dry:

• Leaves that look limp, wilted, or curling inward despite cool temperatures
• Soil that is bone dry, pulling away from the sides of the pot
• Crispy brown leaf tips or edges
• Leaves that do not recover their firmness within a few hours of watering

Temperature: The Non-Negotiable Minimum

Money plant is genuinely cold-sensitive. Understanding its temperature limits is essential for keeping it alive through Indian winters, particularly in northern states.

The Temperature Ranges

Ideal winter temperature: 18°C to 26°C. Money plant continues to grow slowly, maintains healthy foliage, and experiences no cold stress in this range.

Acceptable range: 15°C to 18°C. Growth essentially pauses but the plant remains healthy. This is the cool-but-safe zone. Most South Indian winters fall here.

Stress zone: 10°C to 15°C. Growth stops completely. The plant shows signs of stress — slower growth, reduced leaf production, possible drooping. Extended time at this temperature causes damage.

Danger zone: Below 10°C. Cold damage begins. Leaves become discoloured, soft, or black. Prolonged exposure at these temperatures kills the plant.

Fatal: Below 5°C for more than a brief period. Money plant cannot survive freezing or near-freezing temperatures.

Where Cold Damage Comes From

In most of India, the greatest cold risk to indoor money plants does not come from the general room temperature but from specific cold spots and exposures:

• Cold window glass — leaves touching a cold window pane can suffer cold injury even when the room is otherwise warm enough. Keep plants a few centimetres away from glass panes.
• Cold night drafts — windows that are left slightly open on cold nights, gaps in window frames, or air conditioning units left on in winter can create cold air streams that stress plants nearby.
• Unheated rooms — a plant left in a bathroom, utility room, or balcony that is not heated may experience temperatures significantly lower than the main living areas.
• Cold balconies and outdoor positions — plants that were on the balcony during summer should be brought inside before temperatures drop below 15°C consistently.

Light Management in Winter

Light levels in winter are lower than in summer — the sun travels a lower arc across the sky, days are shorter, and in many parts of North India, winter haze and fog further reduce available light. Money plant is more tolerant of low light than most houseplants, but it does have a minimum requirement, and winter conditions can push plants near or below that threshold.

What Happens When Light Is Insufficient

A money plant receiving too little light in winter will:

• Grow very slowly or stop growing entirely (some slowdown is normal and acceptable)
• Produce smaller leaves than in summer
• Develop more pale green or yellowish leaves
• Lose variegation — variegated varieties like marble queen may revert to solid green
• Develop longer, more spindly stems with larger gaps between leaves (etiolation)

Lack of light in winter does not kill money plant quickly — it is a gradual weakening. However, a plant that is both cold-stressed and light-deprived becomes significantly more vulnerable to pests and disease.

Maximising Winter Light

During winter, move your money plant to the brightest available indoor position — this often means a different location than its usual summer spot:

• Place within 1 to 1.5 metres of the largest south-facing or east-facing window in the house (windows facing south receive the most winter sun in the northern hemisphere)
• Clean window glass — dirty windows can block a surprising amount of light
• Remove heavy curtains or keep them fully open during daylight hours
• Avoid placing directly behind frosted glass or translucent curtains that diffuse light

If your home has genuinely very limited winter light — for example, a ground floor apartment in a dense urban area — consider supplementing with a grow light on a timer set for 12 to 14 hours per day. LED grow lights are inexpensive and effective.

For more detailed guidance, see our article on money plant in low light conditions.

Stop Fertilising in Winter

This is one of the clearest and most important winter care rules for money plant: do not fertilise during winter, typically from October through February in India.

Fertiliser provides nutrients for growth. When a plant is not growing — because it lacks the warmth and light necessary for active photosynthesis — those nutrients cannot be used. Instead, they accumulate as salts in the soil. These accumulated salts draw water out of plant roots through osmosis (a process called fertiliser burn), and cause the characteristic brown leaf tips and edges that many over-fertilising gardeners mistake for a nutrient deficiency and then try to fix with more fertiliser, creating a worsening cycle.

The correct fertiliser schedule for money plant in India:

• March to September: Fertilise monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser (NPK 20-20-20 or similar) diluted to half strength
• October: Give the last fertiliser application of the season, at half the usual strength
• November through February: No fertiliser whatsoever
• March: Resume monthly fertilising when new growth is visible

Resuming fertilising in spring before the plant shows new growth can also cause salt buildup. Wait for visible new leaf production — this is the plant's signal that its metabolic rate has picked up enough to use nutrients.

For more detail on the full-year fertilising schedule, see our guide on the money plant fertiliser schedule by season.

Humidity in Winter

Money plant prefers humidity levels of 50 to 70 percent. In India, this is rarely a problem during the monsoon and post-monsoon months. However, winter — particularly in North India and in homes with central heating or room heaters — can bring indoor humidity down to 20 to 30 percent, which is genuinely stressful for money plant.

Signs of Low Humidity Stress

• Brown, crispy leaf tips (distinct from the yellowing of overwatering — this is dry and crispy, not soft and mushy)
• Leaf edges that look dried out or scorched
• Curling or crisping of new growth
• Overall dull, less vibrant appearance

How to Increase Humidity

Several practical approaches work well for Indian homes in winter:

• Pebble tray: Place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water. As the water evaporates, it creates a zone of higher humidity immediately around the plant. Ensure the pot itself sits above the waterline, not in it.
• Grouping plants: Clustering several houseplants together creates a microclimate of higher humidity as each plant transpires.
• Room humidifier: A cool-mist humidifier near the plant area is the most effective solution. This also benefits human respiratory health in dry winter conditions.
• Misting: Lightly mist the leaves in the morning. This provides a temporary humidity boost but needs to be done daily to have any meaningful effect. Avoid misting in the evening as this can encourage fungal disease.

Avoid placing money plant directly above or next to a room heater. The hot, dry air from a heater is very stressful for the plant, drying out leaves rapidly even when the room appears comfortably warm.

Common Winter Problems and How to Fix Them

Problem 1: Yellowing Leaves

Most likely cause in winter: Overwatering and root rot. In 80 percent or more of winter yellowing cases, the cause is excessive moisture in the root zone. Cold, wet soil has very little oxygen, root function deteriorates, and the plant cannot absorb nutrients even if they are present — leading to the yellowing that looks like nutrient deficiency but is actually a water problem.

Fix: Let the soil dry out completely before watering again. Check roots for rot. If rot is found, treat as described earlier. Reduce watering frequency going forward. See our comprehensive guide on money plant leaves turning yellow.

Problem 2: Brown Leaf Tips

Most likely causes in winter: Low humidity from indoor heating; less commonly, accumulated fertiliser salts in the soil from autumn over-fertilising. Brown tips from humidity stress are dry and crispy from the very tip of the leaf. Brown tips from fertiliser accumulation often have a slightly yellow halo.

Fix: For humidity-related tips: increase humidity as described above and move away from direct heater airflow. For fertiliser-related tips: flush the soil by watering heavily several times to leach out accumulated salts, and do not fertilise until spring. See money plant leaves turning brown at the tips.

Problem 3: Drooping or Limp Leaves

Most likely causes in winter: Cold damage (particularly if the plant was near a cold window or outdoors on a cold night); root rot from overwatering; less commonly, actual underwatering.

Fix: First, check for cold damage — were recent temperatures very low? Move to warmth. Second, check soil moisture — if the soil is soggy, it is root rot and you need to address the water issue. If the soil is bone dry, water thoroughly and the plant should recover within a few hours. See our guide to drooping money plant leaves for more detail.

Problem 4: No New Growth

Explanation: In winter, money plant slows its growth dramatically or stops entirely. This is completely normal and is not a problem requiring intervention. A money plant that produced several new leaves per month in summer may produce zero new leaves during the coldest months. This is the plant's natural response to lower light and cooler temperatures. Do not fertilise to try to force growth — it will not work and will damage the roots.

Fix: Nothing. Wait for March and warmer temperatures, when growth will resume.

Problem 5: Pest Outbreaks

Winter, particularly in heated rooms, can bring increased risk from certain pests — especially spider mites, which thrive in warm, dry indoor conditions. A money plant weakened by cold stress, low light, or overwatering is more susceptible to pest infestation.

Fix: Inspect the undersides of leaves weekly. For spider mites — fine webbing on the undersides of leaves and tiny moving dots — treat with neem oil spray or insecticidal soap. Increasing humidity also reduces spider mite populations, as they prefer dry conditions. See our full guide on spider mites on money plant.

What NOT to Do in Winter

A few actions that are beneficial in summer can cause significant harm in winter. Avoid these during the cold months:

Do Not Repot in Winter

Repotting causes root disturbance and stress. In summer, a healthy money plant bounces back from repotting stress quickly because it is in active growth. In winter, when the plant's metabolism is slow, repotting stress can cause prolonged wilting, root rot susceptibility, and leaf drop. Unless there is a genuine emergency (severe root rot that requires immediate intervention), wait until March to repot.

Do Not Take Cuttings for Propagation

Propagating money plant from cuttings requires the cutting to form new roots, which requires active metabolic function. Winter cuttings root extremely slowly or not at all, and are very prone to rotting in the cool, damp conditions that are provided to encourage rooting. Spring and early summer are the best seasons for propagation. See our propagation guide for seasonal timing.

Do Not Give a Heavy Prune

Pruning stimulates the plant to produce new growth. In winter, the plant lacks the light and warmth energy to respond to this signal effectively, and heavy pruning in winter can weaken the plant. Light tidying of dead or damaged leaves is fine at any time. Save significant pruning — to reshape or encourage bushier growth — for spring when the plant can respond vigorously. See our money plant pruning guide for the right approach.

Do Not Mist with Cold Water

If you mist leaves in winter to boost humidity, always use water at room temperature. Cold water misted onto leaves in a cold room can cause temperature shock and contribute to fungal spots on the leaves. Slightly warm water is ideal for winter misting.

Region-by-Region Winter Care in India

India's climate varies enormously, and "winter" means very different things in Chennai compared to Delhi. Here is how to calibrate your winter care by region:

Preparing Money Plant for Spring After Winter

As temperatures begin to rise in February and March and the days lengthen, money plant will naturally begin to come out of its winter slowdown. This transition period requires some adjustments to prepare the plant for the active growing season:

• Gradually increase watering — do not jump from once every two weeks to once every five days overnight. Increase incrementally as you see the soil drying faster.
• Resume fertilising when new growth is visible — the first few unfurling new leaves are your signal that the plant's metabolism is active enough to use nutrients.
• Inspect and clean the plant — winter is tough; remove any dead or damaged leaves, wipe the remaining leaves clean with a damp cloth (this removes dust and improves photosynthesis), and look carefully for any pest populations that may have established over winter.
• Move back to regular position if applicable — if you moved the plant closer to a light source for winter, you can return it to its usual location as light levels improve.
• Repot if needed — early spring (March to April) is the ideal time to repot a rootbound money plant or to refresh the soil with fresh potting mix.