SPRUCE UP PLANTS

BeFoRe summer ends, give evergreen houseplants a treat. on a calm, warm day, move them outside. With large-leaved types such as rubber plants, wash the leaves in lukewarm water. if you have a clean sprayer, use that for a final rinse.

Re-pot any that have become pot-bound — general-purpose houseplant compost is fine for most. But azaleas need ericaceous compost and should be doused with rainwater whenever possible, while orchids such as phalaenopsis need epiphytic orchid compost.

if the weather is warm and windless, leave your houseplants outside for a while, in a sheltered spot out of direct sun.