Houseplant Myths

If your outdoor gardening skills don’t seem to translate indoors, you might be laboring under one of these misconceptions

take on it : you are conk out to adopt something green and grow into your home . But you waffle . Although you might be a mavin in the garden , somehow translate those skill onto the windowsill gives you a crippling slip of cold feet . True , with lower light level and furnace blasting , indoor horticulture sure get dissimilar challenge . Plus , rather than share the obligation with Mother Nature , you are responsible for every facet of guardianship . But add nature into your home can spell the conflict between debilitating cabin fever and mirthfully hunkering down at home with your best botanic buddy ( or pal ) by your side . And really , houseplant are not as scary as they seem . Here comes a serial publication of common misconceptions about houseplants pair with mere solution . you may do it !

Myth:I have a full-time job; therefore, I don’t have time to run relays with watering cans to quench the drinking habits of thirsty plants.

Reality : Although some citizenry have a drunkenness problem , most houseplants do not . As long as you are home every three days or so for an hour , you’re able to probably fit houseplant chores into your busy docket . It ’s true that houseplants depend solely on you to keep them quenched , but indoor plants are commonly not as thirsty as plants grown in containers outdoors because of the lower amount of light they receive . In fact , most indoor gardeners are guilty of overwatering houseplants in their ardor to play the undecomposed master of ceremonies . Do n’t douse your houseplant — they do n’t want or need constantly marshy soil . Check the grime before lachrymation . compass a finger just below the surface , and water your plants when the soil is dry to the spot . When you water , fulfill the pot to the rim with water and permit it dowse in . If a industrial plant is constantly teetotal , check the root organization and graduate to a larger container if necessary . ( Skipping to a much larger pot is not the solution , though ; overly generous repotting lead to perma - soggy land ) .

Myth:My home is so dry that the cat sends out sparks. A plant cannot survive in my Sahara-like environment.

realism : A tropical , humidity - loving plant adapt to a rain forest environment as its aboriginal dig probably will not be happy . But there are pot of other options . take from the immense array of cacti and succulent as well as peperomias ( also known as radiator flora ) that thrive in low humidity as long as you have sufficient light . Or take steps to counteract the Death Valley effect by develop lots of houseplants , clustering them together , and keeping them sufficiently watered . Or plant the menagerie on pebble tray ( a baking cooking pan does the trick , as long as it has a flange ) filled with an column inch of pebbles above half an inch of piss , fill again the water as it evaporates around the plants . Or — and this is definitely the prosperous fix — get a humidifier . What does n’t bring , and can even be detrimental , is misting your houseplants . Practically speaking , you would have to spritz around a industrial plant several time an time of day 24/7 to bring up the humidity . Besides , not many works jazz having their foliation always wet , and you are romance all sorting of foul disease that cover on dampish leaves — not to mention the ills of sleep deprivation while care that Mr. .

Tip:Take your plants to the bathroom

If your flora call for moist air , grade it in the bathroom , which often has the proficient conditions for many houseplants . But if you try the tray of pebbles to increase humidity , make trusted the pot is determine above the body of water floor . Otherwise , the soil will absorb the water , potentially keep it too tight .

Myth:My home is a clean machine, and houseplants make a mess.

Reality : Not so ! you could find plenitude of respectable , neatly dress plants that remain fastened down and keep their act together without require a cleaning work party . Again , some plants tend to pour forth leaves or ( even bad ) develop brown ones . Avoid spider plants , and steer by from plant that sprinkle spent flowers all over the place . ( Loropetalum chinense , this means you . ) Remember to water on a regular basis . Many plants ( hibiscus and zonary geranium come to mind ) signal discontent by dropping folio . A little nurturing goes a long means . While you ’re watering , give plant life a quick inspection , removing anything that looks off - color . It ’s call grooming , and any live on thing will benefit when you keep up appearances .

Myth:I’m phobic about bugs, and houseplants are magnets for “wildlife.”

realness : The huge bulk of houseplants are not prone to germ problem ; that ’s why indoor gardeners for the last century or more have managed to successfully host houseplants . concede , houseplants such as fuchsias , flame nettle , genus Abutilon , bougainvilleas , and hibiscus can attract insects , but they are the elision rather than the rule . And keeping the bug aside is not only about plant selection . Treat your plants right , and insects will be less prostrate to beleaguer them . In general , try plants fall prey to all manner of bad things . How do you prevent tenseness among your plant ? Water them regularly ( not to the point of sousing , however , which can woo fungus gnats ) , give them sufficient light according to their pauperization , do n’t crank up the thermoregulator so that you ’re sweating , and remove expend flowers as well as browning leaves . Taking these steps will reduce the likeliness of your plants being victimized by predator . Another effective idea : Monitor new plants before bring them into the flock . fit cautiously for dirt ball at the baby’s room , and keep starter segregated from works already in residence .

Myth:Who wants drips all over the place? Houseplants are going to ruin my furniture.

realism : That ’s why God produce saucers . Every houseplant should be matched with a saucer . Think of it as a design challenge . Whether you choose an old enamel dish or a newly purchase terra - cotta translation says a set about who you are creatively , so tap into your inner admixture - and - matcher . But all saucers should postdate some important specs : They need to be at least an inch wider than the infrastructure of the mass they ’re servicing ( even wider is better ) . They utterly have to be waterproof ; if a saucer is terra cotta , it should be glaze to keep seepage ( in other actor’s line , it require to be chance event - proof ) . And find free to be obsessional with doubled safeguards when putting plants on any worthful furniture — even for a few minutes . Put a bobfloat round or a alloy tray beneath the dish aerial as further protection , or just find somewhere less dicey to demo your plants . No need to court cataclysm , right ? Plus , leaks are less likely to come about if you water properly . Fill the container once to the rim , and let the body of water inebriate in . Do n’t ram further drunkenness on the poor green thing .

Myth:Houseplants need bright light, and I don’t have a greenhouse. My house is not as dark as a dungeon, but it’s definitely not crystal clear.

Reality : True , some houseplant need smart light and might observably suffer on a sill facing east , west , or north . Do n’t go there . Steer away from nonnegotiable sunshine worshippers such as succulents , cacti , bougainvilleas , hibiscus , and most herbaceous plant ( mint is an exception ) . Although gruelling bloomer are probably not in your cards , there are plenty of houseplants in the spectrum that thrive in scurvy Inner Light . For exemplar , begonia , peperomias , prayer plants ( marantas , ctenanthes , and calatheas ) , cissus , jasmine , bromeliads ( vriesias , tillandsias — alias air plant — cryptanthus , neoregelia , etc . ) , hoyas , and members of the African violet clan are just a few representative of plant life that are o.k. with an east or west window , especially if it is unobstructed by trees or neighboring building . Got a northerly pic ? Try ivies , ferns , and moss . How can you recite if your light floor are in synch with your plant ’s needs ? delay out consistency language . A plant life doing a yoga stretch toward the light or make lank outgrowth is place a strong hint that its light want are not being met .

Myth:I pile on the sweaters in winter. My house is too chilly for houseplants.

realness : Some like it cold-blooded . If your lips are n’t turning blue inside your home , you could find houseplants that will survive . Complain about the cold all you need , but the plants wo n’t listen . In fact , most houseplant are ok with temperatures that dip to 55 ° F at night with a hike to 65 ° during the day . Some houseplants — zonal geraniums , camellias , most herbs except Basil of Caesarea , and agaves follow to take care — can tolerate even cooler temperatures . Of of course , there are exceptions . Members of the African violet kindred , alocasia , most orchids ( except cymbid ) , hibiscus , calatheas , heliotropes , gardenias , and bougainvillea might resist or unceremoniously drop leaves when temperatures are not toasty .

There are perks to giving plants a slightly parky response . Atmospheric humidness is unremarkably higher , and insects that tend to be active and breed in hot , ironical climates — such as aphids and red wanderer mite — are not as much of an event when the furnace is n’t blasting hot breeze .

Tip:Get help remembering to feed and water

If you sometimes ( or oft ) forget to urine or to feed your plants , your smartphone can avail . Simply set a admonisher for the time interval — say , three weeks for prey . Amazon ’s Echo gimmick can do the same matter .

Myth:Houseplants are hungry, and I have a family to feed. Who has time to serve another set of meals?

Reality : People overfeed their plants . But in your defense , the gardening manufacture has localise up a system that puts your potted plant ’ nutritional need solely on your shoulder . I ’m not an proponent of soilless mixes . Instead , I use an constitutional potting soil with compost include . Because the plant life has access to oomph in its grime , eating is n’t a lifetime - or - death factor . Additionally , from March to November , I serve up a 2 - 4 - 1 fish fertilizer debase according to the label directions once every three hebdomad . This works beautifully to perk up houseplants , even though it ’s not a balanced fertilizer . The higher phosphorous loony toons keeps the flowers add up , while the atomic number 7 ration pleases the leafage without urge a plant life to muscle into the next - size container with lightning speeding . ( Most of us have finite window space and do n’t need to deal with a jolly green giant . ) In winter , serve intellectual nourishment only on demand ( pale foliage can signalize hunger in a houseplant ) . The vast legal age of houseplants do not need food throughout winter when they ’re in a defend pattern . labor emergence when light levels are miserable lead only to leggy , spindly growth , or worse .

Myth:I’m an organic gardener outside, and houseplants wouldn’t work with my ethics.

Reality : Put the connection between problems and houseplants out of your mind . First of all , a intelligent plant life is not buy the farm to court insects or disease . But if problems do strike , there ’s no motive to whip out the cloggy artillery . Nowadays , you may discover everything from organic potting soils for your houseplant to organic solutions for pest and disease issues at local glasshouse . Stock your weapon cabinet with license organic products rather than ruffianly stuff . key out the enemy , and check label to make certain the Cartesian product you choose is recommend to battle the issue you present . Check the living cycle per second of the foe , and apply the product as frequently as necessary to keep the enemy in checkout . To be absolutely good , I work houseplants outside even when I implement constitutional products . But again , proper growing techniques and wise plant selection will eliminate or thin problems . “ Right plant , right place ” is as valid indoors as it is in your garden . And hopefully , your plants will become such an important part of the phratry , you wo n’t stargaze of neglecting their needs .

African reddish blue . picture : Friedrich Strauss / gapphotos.com

Begonia . Photo : Friedrich Strauss / gapphotos.com

Fishbone prayer industrial plant . Photo : Friedrich Strauss / gapphotos.com

Houseplants that thrive in low light

Wax works . pic : Howard Rice / gapphotos.com

Zonal geranium . Photo : Heather Edwards / gapphotos.com

Houseplants that can take it cool

Cape primrose . Photo : gapphotos.com

Gardenia . photograph : Clive Nichols / gapphotos.com

Houseplants that need it warm

Jade flora . Photo : Howard Rice / gapphotos.com

Pincushion cactus . Photo : Maxine Adcock / gapphotos.com

Houseplants that take low humidity

Tovah Martin is the author of several Word of God , includingThe Garden in Every Sense and SeasonandThe Indestructible Houseplant . She gardens in Roxbury , Connecticut .

illustration : Elara Tanguy

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