HOUSEPLANTS

Boy, wasn’t last week beautiful! But, unfortunately, winter is going to be around for another eight weeks yet. If you are getting some winter blahs, why not take advantage of some of the great house plant sales going on in local garden supply stores.

Or just treat yourself and your home to a new houseplant. First of all, before you leave the store with your new plant, be sure to ask the salesperson the name of your new plant so that you can look up care requirements from a house plant book.

The following are some considerations you should think about before and after you purchase a new houseplant: The most important factor in houseplant care is the light requirement. Study the light levels in your home or in the room where the plant will be living. Are you going to be displaying your plant in a sunroom or in hallway? Will the plant be next to a window or in a far corner away from a light source? Are you planning on providing an artificial light source?

Match the plant’s needs to your personal schedule. Certain plants require very little care, while others are very high. In addition, some plants can survive and grow well on an irregular watering schedule. Consider room and furniture dimensions. What size plant do you need? What is the maximum growth and height the plant will reach? Start out with the healthiest plants you can find. Go to a reputable nursery or florist. Examine the plants carefully. Plants should have only a few brown-edged leaves and only a few leaves should have been trimmed.

The plants should be full and bushy, with small spaces between leaves. Large gaps between new leaves can be an indication of over-fertilizing and crowded to induce rapid growth, or that it has spent some time under improper lighting conditions.

Inspect the leaves and stem joints on the plant for any evidence of insects or diseases. Bringing home an infected plant may be hazardous to any plant you already have. Flowering plants should have many buds that are just beginning to open. Plants in full bloom may soon lose much of their loveliness. More importantly, it may be impossible to get the plant to bloom again unless conditions are perfect.

Plants need to adjust to their new surrounding and may even go into a mild shock. Getting the houseplant use to its new home may take several weeks. Pay close attention to the plant’s needs. Try to have similar light conditions. Keep the plant moderately moist during this period, and do not allow it to dry out. To water your new houseplant, water thoroughly each time and discard the excess water from the drainage saucer. Once the plant has adjusted to its new living conditions, try not to move it.

These few points will help you select plants suited to your schedule, environment, and keep your plants healthier longer.