Your houseplants will f lourish... if you can follow the inside story
HOUSEPLANTS get a lot of attention when we’re cooped up indoors during the colder months, but when summer arrives they tend to be overlooked. Some are resilient enough to cope with a bit of neglect, although they might end up looking a little shabby, while others will deteriorate beyond the point of no return.
In order to ensure all of your interior treasures flourish, make certain they are in a spot that provides the right amount of light and attend to their watering, feeding and general maintenance needs. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be onerous. Ten minutes twice a week should suffice, unless you’ve got an indoor jungle to nurture.
The amount of light houseplants receive will make a big difference to their health, wellbeing and appearance. Most prefer a bright position without direct sunlight. You can achieve this by setting them close to an east or west-facing window, or by placing a few feet back from a south-facing one.
Poor watering is by far the biggest killer of houseplants so be guided by their needs. Those that come from a desert environment, such as cacti and yuccas, won’t be fazed if compost is bone-dry. Leafy plants need watering regularly during the growing season, allowing the compost to almost dry out between applications.
As a general rule, it’s best to give plants a drink first thing in the morning so any water splashed on to leaves or stems has a chance to dry before night. Either apply carefully from above using a watering can with the sprinkler removed or stand and the th container in a bowl of water and allow it to be taken up from below.
Many houseplants come from tropical parts of the world, where they flourish in humid conditions. An easy way of raising humidity around vulnerable plants is to mist them regularly. Apart from keeping plants in good health, raising humidity keeps sap-sucking red spider mites, which thrive in dry conditions, at bay. Among those that like a spritz are spider plants, parlour palms, umbrella trees and flamingo flowers, above, but take care to avoid spraying flowers as excessive moisture can result in them withering prematurely. Avoid misting cacti, succulents, fiddle-leaf fig and those with fuzzy leaves, like Tolmiea menziesii and African violets.
Houseplants are sold in compost that contains low levels of fertiliser that are used up quickly by plants. The lack of nutrition affects their vigour and ability to produce a succession of flowers.
As a result, weaker and stressedout plants are more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Sustain foliage plants by feeding every couple of weeks with a fertiliser that’s high in nitrogen (Baby Bio is ideal), and giving flowering ones high- potash feed, such as Flower Power. I think it’s best to satisfy the appetite of orchids, succulents, palms and citrus plants by using a specialist fertiliser.
Pinch off the blooms of flowering houseplants once they’re past their best and tie in wayward stems of climbers to supports with soft twine. Dust blowing in from outside will land on leaves and block pores, hindering photosynthesis – keep large, shiny leaves clean by wiping with a soft, moist cloth.