PLANT CARE

Providing A suitable indoor environment for your plants is only the first step to growing them successfully. Next comes maintenance - watering, feeding, and grooming them so they will continue to thrive. The
guidelines given here are general; the captions accompanying each
plant photo is more specific.

When To Water

More plants die from too much watering than from any other cause. A dry plant can ask for water by letting its leaves droop. An overwatered plant doesn't send out warnings; it sits around looking fine while its roots are invisibly rotting away., and then one day it just keels over. At that point it is probably too late to save it. Because plant roots need oxygen as well as water, it is a good rule to let the soil dry out a little bit between waterings. Experience is the best teacher here. Does the soil look dry? Is it dry to the touch? It should not be so dry that it feels powdery. Have the leaves lost their firmness? That is a sign that you've waited too long. The best test is to lift the pot, if it is small enough. If it feels light, the plant needs water. Common sense, a little practice, and the understanding that it is usually better to err on the too-dry side will soon take the mystery out of watering. Meanwhile here are some general rules:

1. The warmer the room, the more often your plants will need water.
2. Plants in sun or bright light need more frequent watering than plants in medium or low light.
3. Small pots dry out faster than larger ones,clay faster than plastic.
4. Water is likely to run right through a rootbound plant without thoroughly wetting the soil. If the pot is too big for the rootball, the excess soil will retain too much water and the roots will drown. Repot your plant if either of these problems exist.

How To Water

Always use room temperature water and apply it thoroughly - until the water seeps through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. If this happens almost immediately, it may be because the soil is extremely porous - like African violet soil - or because the plant is too rootbound.. In these cases let the pot sit in the saucer of water on more than 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Never let it remain standing in water.

Even plants that like dry conditions should be watered thoroughly when they need water. Watering just a little each time will moisten only the top of the soil, while the bottom remains dry as a desert. The easiest and most satisfactory way to water houseplants is from the top, or as we here at Planet Flora water our plants, take the plant to the sink and either submerge the whole pot in a sink-full of water until the soil is covered. When the bubbles stop coming up from the soil you know the plant is thoroughly watered. If you have many plants this way of watering is easier if you use a clean trash can (preferably used only for watering), and do this out side. The leaves can be washed off with the water hose as you wait for the air bubbles to dissipate. All plants benefit from periodic showers as long as the water isn't alkaline. This is a good way of resusitating a plant that has dried out. Make sure it doesn't stand in the receding water.

About Fertilizer

To provide nutrients that your plants need for good growth, use any complete all-purpose houseplant fertilizer. Long-acting fertilizers can cause problems and are not recommended here.  

When To Fertilize

The feeding schedules suggested for each plant in the Encyclopedia are the optimum for plants growing under ideal conditions. If your plant is existing on the low edge of its light requirements, or if don't want a foliage plant to grow too large, feed it less frequently. Flowering plants may not bloom unless according to schedule. Some general rules are:

1. Dilute your fertilizer to a weaker strength than that recommended by the manufacturer. Never try to make up for a missed feeding by using a stronger solution. After overwatering, overfeeding is the largest cause of houseplant death.
2. Don't feed a newly purchased plant for 6 months, because it has been given long-acting plant food in the nursery. Feed flowering plants according to schedule.
3. Plants growing in soil can manage with less fertilizer than plants growing in a soiless potting mix.
4. Don't feed a plant when the soil is bone dry. Water it first.
5. Above all, remember that fertilizer is food - not medicine - and should never be given to a plant that is ailing or resting.

Grooming

When it comes to caring for houseplants, there is no bigger payoff for a small effort than in grooming. A yellowing leaf will never turn green again; a faded flower will never revive. Cut or pinch them right off. Neatly trim brown edges and tips of leaves. Pick fallen leaves off the surface of the soil - for sanitary as well as esthetic reasons. Gently wipe off large leaves with a soft, damp cloth or sponge. As well as making the leaves look dull, dirt blocks their pores so that the plant can't take in air and moisture. Don't apply commercial leaf "shiners" or milk or mineral oil to the leaves - they just attract more dirt.