How To Keep Happy And Healthy Houseplants

2008-06-03T06:45:00.000-07:00

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If you're the type of person that tends to worry about your houseplants here are a few helpful tips to ease your mind. By following these tips regularly you will keep your plants happy and healthy.

First of all lets get the technical jargon out of the way. Certain plants such as orchids and cacti need special fertilizers in order to flourish. Talk to the supplier where you purchased you plants or your local garden center to insure you're feeding them correctly. Flowering plants need K20 and foliage plants usually need high nitrogen content.

In either case slow release fertilizers can be mixed with compost to meet these needs. Again your local gardening center can advise you on the best type and mixture. You should also make sure your plants are well fed during their most active growth period.

Most houseplants are pretty hardy and can survive in cooler temperatures. What you should avoid is stressing your plants with drastic fluctuates in temperature. Don't keep it near a door that is constantly opened and closed in the wintertime, you'll dive it crazy and it could get pretty sick or even die.

In the summertime if you have plants that like the warmer climates its not such a great idea to set them near an air conditioner, since they have no knees you'll probably hear their little stems knocking together.

House requiring a humid environment can be helped in a few simple ways. Keeping them close to each other in a group creates a mini atmosphere that they can benefit from; in this setting they kind of help each other retain moisture.

If on the other hand you only have one or two of these moisture-loving plants, fear not, you can still keep them happy by putting the pot into a larger pot and surrounding it with compost or stones to stop the moisture from evaporating so fast.
When the temperature begins to rise make sure you spray water directly on the plant once a day, twice a day if it gets really warm.

When you purchase any type of plant they should always have a label attached explaining the care they need. If there's no label ask the salesperson about it. Buying a plant with no instructions is like owning a car with no gas; you'll get nowhere pretty quick.

You should follow the direction to a tee. Each plant needs its own treatment, just because one plant is happy when you water it twice a day doesn't mean the one will react the same. What's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander.

Certain plants like sunlight, others like to stay in the shade. Spider plants need semi shade; you can put them near a window that does or doesn't get sunlight.

Aspidistra and Sanseveria require no sunlight so they can be placed away from a window. This is where the label comes in handy; it would be terrible to jeopardize your plants because you didn't know any better.

You should also know if you're plants require re-potting for optimum growth or if they are going to be upset by switching homes. Some have a smaller root system and are quite happy spending their lives in the same pot, you can actually damage them severally if you transplant them while other will wilt and wither a way if you don't re-pot them.

You should spend the time to find out before you decide to switch them. If you can't find the answer there is one way to check for yourself that's pretty accurate. Tip the plant upside down and tap on the bottom of the pot until the whole plant, soil and all slides out.

If you see nothing but a whole tangle of roots then its a good bet its time to re-pot.

It's sad but true. A lot of people kill their plants by over watering. Plants should be watered when its needed not by a schedule.

The worst thing you can do is water them on a daily basis because its convenient. Always check the soil by sticking your index finger down to the fist knuckle. If the soil feels dry then its time to water the plant.

This test should be used for each plant you own as the water content will vary from plant to plant.

Plants are beautiful and with a little tender care can be kept healthy and happy. It doesn't take much of your time to keep them this way. All you need to do is learn the different requirements for each and make sure they receive them.

About the Author
If you'd like more tips and tricks on gardening visit my blog at: http://misstsgardeningnews.blogspot.com/