First of all, have in mind that im not a professional in any way - ive learned most things about plants from my mom or by simply teaching myself from books and the internet, also English is my 2nd language so I might use wrong terminology sometimes bcs you know.... this is a hobby to me.
First of all, let’s start out by finding out what ‘dormancy’ even means. You can read TONS about this, and learn about how different species have different needs (succulents and cacti have different needs than tropical plants and orchids for example...). However, as a plant owner I think the most important thing is to know about the phenomenon, not to be an expert.
Another important thing to have in mind are hardiness zones or plant zones. It has to do with sunlight and temperature, which is important to adjust during winter. This is also important to have in mind when you read plant advice online - something that works in one zone might be wrong in another hardiness zone.
Cut down on watering in general. Colder temperatures means less humidity means less evaporated water. The plant should be resting, and not encouraged to grow. By creating similar conditions as in real nature, you can give your plant its best life. For example, cacti needs less water and colder temperatures for a period of time to be able to bloom during summer.
If you’re like me - can’t wait until I finally get to see the sun again in April next year, the absence of daylight is a seasonal struggle. Even for the plants. Depending on your plants individual need, you might need to invent in some growing lights/light bulbs. I’ve moved all of my plants closer to my brightest window.
Remove yellow or damaged leaves, to prevent the plant from using energy to care for damaged parts. Rotate pots so plants grow straight. Try not to repot with new soil until next spring.
