1.Fertilizer – Most houseplants want a balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20 every 2 weeks from April until October. Or you can use the slow release Osmocote 14-14-14, every 3 months. Blooming plants like kalanchoe, anthurium and others benefit from a fertilizer with a high middle number like Superbloom. Some plants like cactus, orchid, and African Violets have special fertilizers. Don’t feed in the winter. Houseplants active growth is slower in the winter because of the short days and they won’t use the fertilizer.
2.Drainage – Very few houseplants like to sit in water. When people bring sick houseplants in the nursery for us to diagnose, most of the time they planted in a pretty pot with no drainage hole or sitting in 2 inches of water in a deep saucer. If you have a decorative pot with no hole in the bottom, put several inches of gravel or Styrofoam in the bottom and keep the plant in a separate light weight plastic pot. You can put decorative moss around the top to disguise the plastic pot. This way you can occasionally pull out the plant to dump off the extra water or take it to the bath tub to give it a real soaking.
3.Watering – The amount of water a plant needs will vary greatly depending on the size pot it is in, how large the plant is compared to the pot, and whether it is near a vent. With most plants, if you stick your finger in the soil ½ inch and it feels dry, it needs water. If the soil has pulled away from the sides of the pot it needs to be watered twice, the second time a few minutes after the first because the soil needs time to expand. Plants that like to be kept moist, like peace lilies and ferns should be moist to the touch all the time. Don’t let plants sit in water.
4.Humidity – Most houseplants prefer the type of weather that we Southerners complain about during the summer – hot and humid. To add humidity to houseplants in the home you can place smaller houseplants on a tray that has decorative pebbles or seashells on it. Put the houseplant pots on top of the pebbles or shells. Keep water in the tray, but don’t let it touch the bottom of the pots. You can also mist plants with water in a spray bottle. This is especially important for orchids, ferns, and palms.
5.Light – Bright light means within 3 to 4 feet of a sunny window. Medium light is usually 4 to 8 feet from a window. Low light is farther away than 8 feet. These numbers are smaller if the window is shaded by large trees. Occasionally moving plants from low light areas to bright light areas will keep them healthier.
6.Insects – Occasionally the insects that like to snack on your outdoor plants will venture inside. Without the natural predators they would have in the yard, they can multiply quickly. The best thing to prevent insects is to use Disyston, a granular insecticide that you sprinkle on the soil every six weeks or so. This is absorbed by the plant’s roots and becomes a part of all its leaves and blooms. When a small insect like a mite or aphid tries to feed off the treated plant, they are killed before they can reproduce. Always use this on ivy topiaries, because they are susceptible to spider mites, and large palms, because they won’t tolerate insecticide sprays. Plants with smooth, waxy leaves like pothos, ficus, and many others can be treated with a spray containing pyrethrums at the first sign of problems.
7.Temperature – The average household temperature is good for houseplants all year long. Many people however, put their houseplants outside for the summer. When you move your plants outdoors, you want to wait until night time temperatures are no lower than 50 degrees. In the fall, move plants back inside while the nights are still above 50 degrees. If you wait until right before the first freeze, the plants may have started to rot from the cool nights and may shock when brought into your much warmer house. Over the winter, houseplant leaves that touch cold windows can freeze, so allow an extra inch or two of space. Plants that shock easily like ficus should be kept away from doorways, because frequent drafts will cause them to drop leaves.
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The Barn Nursery • I-24 at the 4th Avenue exit • Chattanooga, Tennessee • 423-698-BARN
General Houseplant Rules
