Everyday House Plant Care

This is the first of a series of articles we are going to write on House Plant Care.

We will cover:

• Everyday Care
• Plants that are easy to care for
• Choosing a house plant
• Top 5 indoor blooming house plants
• Top outdoor plants
• Decorating with house plants
• Best occasions to give house plants for
• When to re-pot your house plants and how
• When to bring in your plants or how to cover them for winter

Today we will discuss basic everyday care and handling tips for your indoor house plants.

Temperature: First off the best temperature that you can have for your indoor plant is 75 degrees.  If you are able your plants will also enjoy and indirect cool breeze.  Avoid placing your plant where it will receive cold drafts or great amounts of heat.  Never place a plant on a radiator or TV.  The heat that these will put off will dry out your plant and cause it to wither. 

Watering: One tip we love to share at the shop is our "Pencil Trick".  When you take a pencil and insert it into the soil and remove it check for moisture.  If your pencil is moist then your plant is fine and does not require water.  If your pencil comes out dry then it's time for a good drink.  Water your plant until the tray under it shows signs of moisture.  This will insure that you have moistened the soil all the way through.  Plants also like a nice misting with a water bottle even if it's not watering day.  You will also find that most plants will not need as much water in the winter so be sure not to over water during these months.  

Pruning & Shaping:  One thing that is common is letting a plants growth get out of control.  Do not be afraid to trim off a out of place, or out of shape, branch.  You can use your fingers, scissors, or a sharp knife to trim off these unwanted pieces.  Do not be afraid to prune your plants when needed, this will not harm your plants, it can actually encourage new growth.  Cleaning your plants can also help them grow and keep them green and healthy.  You can easily wipe the leaves with a soft dry cloth.  Avoid using any type of oils or cleaning sprays as this will clog your plants pores and damage the plant.  We do use Leaf Shine in the shop but we have not had any problems with this product damaging plants.  

     If your plant grows in a window you may need to turn it from time to time.  It will grow towards the light and this may cause it to grow unevenly.  Simply rotate your plant from time to time to allow for even sunlight.

If your plant is blooming~ remove any seeding blossoms quickly.  When it goes to seed it tells the plant that the growth process is done and no new blooms are needed.  If you remove the blossoms before the process you will see an increase in blooms on that plant.

     The more quickly you remove, dead, diseased, broke, or dieing blooms the healthier your plant will be.

These everyday tips should help your plants grow healthier and happier.  If you have any questions please feel free contact us.

Stay tuned for our next installment in our house plant series.