Pete's Tips - House Plants
Houseplants provide a world of tropical pleasure to winter weary gardeners. It always surprises me that some of my best gardening friends don’t grow houseplants. I find myself looking to their leafy presence and possible flower on cold dreary days. My bright southeast facing dining room is jam packed with plants. Citrus trees mingle with philodendron, African violet, clivia, and begonia…and that’s just one window!
The compatibility between your home conditions and the perfect houseplant are worth exploring. Talk to us about your conditions and we can help you pick the right plant. First consider your winter light exposure (summer indoor exposure can be very different). Where does the sun come up? East. What side of your house is the sun shining brightly on at 12 noon? South. If there is nothing obstructing the sun, you can pinpoint fairly accurately these exposures. Once you know this, you have identified two excellent exposures. East is a default exposure meaning it will work for a large variety of houseplants; it is morning sun for about 4-6 hours. You could grow African violets, fern, pothos, cyclamen, ficus and diffenbachia. South is your strong afternoon sun and is perfect in the fall and winter for high light plants like succulents, citrus, herbs and flowering annuals you may have rescued from freezing temperatures outside. Your west exposure, if unobstructed, is going to offer pretty intense light on a cloudless day. You can park your cactus family, your aloe, jade and indoor rose or lavender plants. The last exposure, of which I have a lot, is the cold, dark north. You can still grow plants here such as dieffenbachia, clivia, ivy, fern, and cast-iron plant. Yes, there is such a plant and, as the name suggests, it is prized for its ability to withstand, low light, poor soil and little care! Take that, artificial foliage!
In most cases, your rooms probably have a dual exposure, such as northwest or southeast, so you will be doing some adjusting to find the right light. The plants will tell you either by turning very light green or stretching to what little light they do get, as this indicates too little sun. The opposite is sun-burnt foliage with compact growth. When selecting your houseplant, you will find that most carry little tags with very small writing and the majority will say bright light, moist soil, and warm temperatures. I can think of hundreds of plants that need that! Pay attention, because bright light is not direct sun like outside in the summer. Most of these plants are houseplants for a reason; they don’t need full sun. So bright light is considered to be 4 to 6 hours of winter sun a day.
Increase humidity around your plants with a humidifier, pots of water left to evaporate around your plants, trays of pebbles on which to sit your plants and frequent misting. Keep home temperatures between 60-70 degrees, avoiding drafts, sudden fluctuations and intense dry heat. What is comfortable for you will likely suit a majority of common houseplants.
Get to know your plants with daily or weekly checkups. You will find this type of indoor gardening very relaxing. You can detect insects and disease this way and be able to stop the spread of problems early. When you do find a bug (or twenty!), take the appropriate action either by thoroughly cleaning the plant to force the insect off or using a pesticide, preferably an organic one. Bring us a leaf in a plastic bag or a bug so we can advise you of the appropriate action to take.
Fertilize your plants weakly in the winter, if at all. Yes, I did say weakly, not weekly! You do not need to fertilize your houseplants heavily in the winter, as they are not growing very rapidly at this time. As the days lengthen, you will start to see discernible growth and you can increase your fertilizing. Remember, fertilizer is not medicine for an ailing plant, but rather food, so other means should be taken to help a sick or dying plant. You can usually find a reason, either insect infestation, over watering, an inadequate pot, or improper light.
When is it time to say goodbye? Even houseplants have a lifespan. Most people who inherited a plant from their long deceased aunt most likely have a cutting that is not as old as the original, unless of course she was an expert in the art of bonsai. It’s possible! Nonetheless, annuals or diseased, distorted, contorted and generally bad looking plants should be evaluated with a critical eye. You may be able to take cuttings or divisions from the original and start a fresher, healthier plant that you will enjoy far more than the pathetic (sorry) specimen. In doing this, its memory lives on!
If you remember that houseplants are a lot like us, needing light, water, a warm environment and a little attention, you will enjoy their company for winters to come.
