The heliconia you mention are Psittacorum Heliconia and have been for me, over the years, some of the most difficult to over winter, even in my heated greenhouse. I would suggest you provide them with the most humidity you can muster and reduce the watering schedule to once a week. I don't think it would matter what kind of humidity you supply them with, they just like a lot of it. Watch out for spider mites as well. They love heliconia leaves is the winter.

Steve

thank you Steve..after the cool mist humidifier yesterday the S&C really looks bad..so sad. I already moved it into the kitchen near Andromeda since she's doing so well there. I hope S&C doesn't die on me. Also, I stuck my finger in one of the bottom holes, and it was really wet in there, even though I only watered it once so far, when i first potted it up. I wound up re-potting it again today and stuck some packing popcorn in there to help..I read that on here somewhere, maybe it was one of your posts. We'll see how she does. Only time will tell.
Thank you,
Daniella

I have a feeling that the problem with the S & C is the wet roots rather than the cool mist humidifier. Also,I should tell you that too much water makes the leaves curl inward and turn brown just like too little water. The symtoms are the same but the causes are different.

Steve

Thanks Steve, you are right! hopefully it will be ok now that it is moved and re-potted..soil is drying already, and the leaves are uncurling!!! Thank you so much!
Daniella :)

If you can give them some bottom heat in winter they will be even happier. They sulked as house plants for me here in California, where it dropped down to 60F at night. I am sure they would have been alot happier with nice warm 75F soil at the roots...

A small note. Most plants go dorment below 70* and then it takes them 2 weeks to grow again if it's warmer. Try and trick the plant into thinking it's in Florida all sunny and warm. That's why having a sunny warm room in New England makes plants grow like they were living down here

I was just wondering this morning if bottom heat would be good for them, instead of sitting on a cold kitchen counter! How does this sound? I have baseboard heat..I am thinking of moving them to another window, by my bed where they will have a south window, and a baseboard underneath for heat..then what if I double pot (each pot put inside bigger pot and then the inside pot sitting on something to raise it) so they get humidity from the water in the second pot but aren't sitting in it? Maybe still mist them 2x a day?
I do wanna turn my master bath into a kinda green room for the winter (I'm sure every1 here will just looove that! lol), but until that's done do you think this idea will be OK?
Thanks again, guys I really appreciate the help!
Daniella

If I understand you correctly, the pot with the heliconia will be put inside a larger pot. The larger pot will have water in it and the smaller pot with the heliconia will be elevated above the water line. If this is what you will do, it should work real well. You could also use a tray with gravel in it filled with water and put the pot of heliconia on top of the gravel. The evaporation will raise the humidity in either situation.

Steve

Daniella, if you decide to put a smaller pot in a larger, please make sure to set something to raise the inner pot, otherwise when you water, it'll build up..The inner pot will suck up water via drainage holes, keeping soil wet which can lead to rot..
The humidity trays a good idea, too..this way you can keep track how much water is inside the tray.
I bought my first Heliconia in fall, (H.rostrata/Lobster Claw)..does this Hel require a lot of humidity, too? Mine's in a west bathroom window, so it gets pretty good light (when it's sunny here) humidity since 4 ppl take daily showers, daily misting, tray w/gravel.
But most important is using a well-draining soil and mandatory for the container to have drainage holes. Toni

OK just a lil update, I have both plants in my kitchen on either side of the sink where the Andromeda was to begin with. The Strawberries and Cream is just as happy now as the Andromeda. And I have a baby popping up in the Andromeda.
I wound up NOT double potting since it is in a humid area now.
So far so good.
Thanks for all the help. :)
Daniella