Happy houseplants

Published : 11/02/2010 | Author: HOMEMAKERS | Annelien Nolte

To keep houseplants happy and healthy is not always such an easy task, because some species are not that easy to maintain. But if you get the basics done, you will most certainly succeed.

To some of us, having a house filled with beautiful plants is a must. It is wonderful to invite a piece of nature into your home, but it is not always easy to keep these plants happy and healthy and sometimes you think that you are just not blessed with those ‘green fingers’ everyone is talking about. The secret is to go back to the basic things that nature offers these plants – in other words you have to try and establish ideal conditions as it would be if they were growing outside. There are a few basic things that you have to keep in mind to ensure that your indoor ‘garden’ is everything you want it to be and more. Try the following guidelines to make your houseplants ‘smile’ all year round:

Don’t drown your plant

Over watering, just like with overindulgence in humans, is never a good idea. It is truly better to rather learn when your plant is thirsty and then water it, instead of drowning it with too much water. Remember that in normal conditions it will not rain outside everyday, so your plant is definitely not ‘naturally’ used to being watered all the time. There are various elements which can determine how much water your plant will need:

The plant’s growth cycle
Humidity in your home
The size of your plant
The size of the container it is kept in
Type of soil used in pot

Tips:

Water your plant well when watering, but not too often.
Touching the soil of your plant can help you determine if it needs watering, if it feels damp don’t water – wait until it is completely dry.
Use water at room temperature (20ºC) when watering your plant.

Expose your plant to light

Make sure your houseplants have bright, but not direct, light. A sunbeam’s brightness and heat can be intensified by windowpanes and scorch most houseplants. Different plant species have different ‘lighting’ needs – some need direct sunlight (window sills), some indirect (a place where the sun only shines for a few hours) and some even need a shady spot (hallways and corners). If your plant is not getting enough light it will grow very slow, have smaller leaves and little flowers. If it is exposed to too much sunlight leaves will dry out and fall off and the plant will also have brown spots. If you live in an area where there are little or no sunlight, it is possible to recreate natural sunlight.

Fluorescent lights are efficient because they provide the type of light (the blue and red parts of the spectrum) that plants need for photosynthesis. Plants that grow well in artificial light include violets and orchids.

Handle humidity

Plants generally need a higher level of humidity to thrive, because remember that they are constantly exposed to heat and sunlight in natural conditions. Humidity is also not only about the temperature in a certain area, it also has to do with the amount of moist in the air. Plants tend to fade during winter months when the air in your home is dry due to the use of heaters and other heating methods. There are a few ways to raise the humidity in your home:

A humidifier can be ideal, although it is not a convenient or energy efficient option.
Spraying the leaves of your plants with water regularly can assist in making them grow better.
Group plants together to raise the humidity in their growing area.

You will know when the humidity in the room is too low when the leaf edges turn brown and flower buds do not develop as they should.

Flower food

Like humans, plants also need ‘food’ to nurture them to strength and health. Feed your houseplants on a regular basis during the growth phase. During this active growing faze, the nutrients that are so vital to their growth, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, are gradually used up. But you can replace those nutrients in fertilizers or plant food that can easily be added to the soil. You will know that your plant needs fertilizer when the leaves and stems are weak and pale and the plant does not flower. Clear indications that your plant is being over-fertilized is misshaped leaves, white crust on the surface of the pot soil and brown edges on leaves.

Groom your plants

Not only will grooming your plants on a regular basis ensure that your plant has a neat appearance, it will also ensure that your plant grows faster. It also helps you to get rid of pests and disease. Pinching, pruning and deadheading are ideal ways to maintain the appearance of your plants and is a certain way to ensure that flowering will occur more often. You can also clean your houseplants by hand in order to keep them dust and insect free. Smooth leaves can easily be wiped clean with a damp cloth or a sponge dipped in water. Plants with hairy leaves, such as African violets, should be gently brushed with a soft brush. Fine-foliage plants, such as ferns, can be cleaned with a gentle spray of water. Take care not to spread disease from one plant to another – clean cloth or sponge thoroughly before moving to the next plant.

Pest control

Indoor pests multiply quickly, because there are no natural predators to destroy them. So it is your work to look out for them. Spider, mites, etc can cover a plant in just a few days. If severe enough, the plant may never recover. Control pests by washing the plant with various solutions, like alcohol, soapy water or commercial insecticides.

Tip: Do not expose plants to direct drafts as this might compromise growth.