|
Tips On Caring For Your Houseplants |
PDF
|
| Print |
|
E-mail
|
|
Written by Tania
|
Looking after your plants properly is the best possible way of avoiding
trouble with pests and diseases. The following tips will help keep your
houseplants healthy and vigorous.
- Always ensure that your houseplants have sufficient light.
Foliage plants tolerate much gloomier conditions than flowering plants.
If the ratio of warmth to light is unequal, then the plants will start
to become leggy.
- It is better to have a consistent moderate temperature than
a
high one which fluctuates. Temperatures which vary cause growth to be
checked, often resulting in brown-edged foliage, flowers dropping off
and, in severe cases, complete leaf loss.
- All houseplants require consistently moist compost.
Fluctuations
in watering result in both leaf and flower drop. You can tell whether
the compost is sufficiently moist for most plants by pressing a finger
on the surface of the compost. If it is damp to the touch it is all
right; if moisture oozes out, it is too wet.
- If a plant has been over watered, remove it from it's pot,
shake
it free of compost, and re-pot in fresh compost. The compost is moist
enough when, if you squeeze a handful, it slowly crumbles as you open
your hand.
- Avoid draughts and never shut houseplants behind curtains
at
night. The temperature drop in the window area at night can be sudden
and considerable. Plants chill easily, and this causes their leaves to
flag and brown at the edges.
- A dry atmosphere often causes the leaves to brown and crack
at
the edges. To overcome this, create a humid micro climate around the
plant. Place the plant in its pot in a slightly larger container and
fill the gap with damp peat or sphagnum moss.
- The foliage of houseplants collects dust in the same way as
furniture does. Wipe shiny leaves with a cloth that has been dipped in
warm milk. This brings a shine to leaves of plants such as rubber
plants, Swiss cheese plants and philodendrons. Regularly sponge the
leaves of other foliage plants with warm water. Also, regular cleaning
with a soft artist's paintbrush will help keep plants free from
diseases or pest attacks thus avoiding the need to use a pesticide on
your houseplants.
- Give houseplants a liquid feed as soon as you see flower
buds and
until blossoming is over. Feed foliage houseplants regularly from
spring until autumn, but not during the winter.
- To encourage flowering, remove fading blossoms regularly
and also yellowing and unsightly leaves.
|
