How Not to Kill Your Houseplant Read online

before concealing it in an ornamental container.

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  WHERE TO PUT IT...

  LIGHT

  Light is a houseplant’s source

  To find the right spot for your plant, think about of energy, and some plants need

  temperature, light, and humidity. Consider your plant's more light than others. Most

  natural habitat – plants native to the rainforest floor houseplants do well in bright,

  won't enjoy a sun-baked windowsill. Check your plant’s indirect or filtered light, out of

  needs and put it in a place that suits it, not you.

  direct sunlight. They are usually

  best placed around 1m (3ft) away

  from a north-, east-, or west-

  facing window. Bear in mind that

  TEMPERATURE

  the light can change during the

  Most houseplants enjoy the same conditions we course of the day, and at different

  do – warm during the day, and cooler at night.

  times of year.

  Some plants, such as ivy and cyclamen, prefer lower temperatures. Houseplants do not enjoy

  significant fluctuations in temperature,

  so avoid the following places:

  Near a radiator

  Near an air-conditioning unit

  In draughts

  Aloe vera

  (pp.38–39)

  On a windowsill, behind curtains at night

  You could use a thermometer

  to check room temperature

  HUMIDITY

  Most houseplants need more humidity than is available in the average, centrally heated home, but some rooms, such as bathrooms and kitchens, are more humid than others. To create humidity, fill a tray or dish that is the same width as the plant with pebbles or gravel. Pour in water, keeping the level at just below the top of the pebbles. Then place your plant on top. The water will produce humidity as it evaporates. Alternatively, mist the leaves of your plant using a hand mister. Mist in the morning, so the leaves dry before night.

  How often your plant needs misting depends

  on the room. Look for signs that your plant

  needs humidity, such as brown leaf tips,

  increasing how often you mist if they occur.

  Use distilled, filtered, or rainwater if your area Parlour

  has hard water. Grouping

  Kentia

  Boston fern

  palm

  palm

  plants together will also

  (pp.96–97)

  (p.85)

  (pp.84–85)

  increase humidity.

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  WATER IT

  Incorrect watering is the main reason that houseplants The Basics

  die – particularly overwatering. Here are the best methods to water healthy plants and save wilted ones.

  HOW TO WATER IT...

  Most plants can be watered from above. If

  your plant has hairy leaves, however, or the

  foliage covers the compost, water it from

  below to avoid splashing the leaves. Orchids

  FROM ABOVE

  can be dipped and drained – it allows their

  For most plants, use

  coarse compost to absorb the right amount

  a thin, long-necked

  of water. Water your plants with tepid water

  watering can so that

  so that the water temperature doesn't shock

  the spout can reach

  them. It's also worth leaving a bucket

  the compost easily.

  outside (if possible) to collect rainwater.

  Water around the base

  of the plant so that the

  Some plants, such as bromeliads, prefer it,

  compost is evenly moist,

  as they are sensitive to the chemicals in

  and allow the excess

  Dumb cane

  hard tap water.

  water to drain away.

  (pp.62–63)

  FROM BELOW

  DIP & DRAIN

  Use this method to avoid

  A good technique for

  splashing the leaves,

  watering orchids – place

  which will create

  the pot in a container of

  ugly marks and

  tepid water and leave

  lead to the leaves

  it to stand for around

  rotting. Stand the

  10 minutes. Let it

  pot in a saucer of

  drain thoroughly.

  water for around

  30 minutes. Drain

  any excess water

  from the saucer.

  Cyclamen

  Moth orchid

  (pp.60–61)

  (pp.102–103)

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  HOW MUCH WATER...

  Here are some things to consider when working out whether your plant needs watering, and how much water to give it.

  Overwatering is the number one cause of houseplant death. But be sure not to underwater either.

  Don’t water to a timetable – get to know your plant’s needs instead.

  Most plants only need watering when the top 1-2cm (1/2–3/4in) of compost is dry – gently poke your finger into the soil to test it. If a rosette of leaves is covering the compost, go by the weight of the pot – a very light pot will have dry compost.

  Aim to make the compost moist, but not wet. Most houseplants hate sitting in soggy compost, so always let excess water drain away.

  Compost in terracotta pots dries out more quickly than that in plastic or ceramic pots, this is because terracotta is a porous material.

  Most plants need less water in winter as they are not actively growing.

  Some plants need this period of winter rest to reflower.

  WILTING DUE TO

  WILTING DUE TO

  UNDERWATERING?

  OVERWATERING?

  If your plant has wilted, it may be due to

  Plants can also wilt due to waterlogging.

  a lack of water. Check that the compost

  This is much more serious as it can kill your is dry to ensure that your plant has been

  plant more quickly than underwatering.

  underwatered, as overwatering can have

  SAVE IT Remove your plant from its the same effect.

  pot(s) and wrap the root ball with newspaper SAVE IT Move your

  or paper towels, replacing them until they plant somewhere shady

  have soaked up all the moisture. Repot the and fill a bowl with

  plant into fresh compost and keep the plant tepid water. In just its

  out of direct sun. Keep the compost just moist plastic pot with

  for a few weeks.

  drainage holes, dunk

  your plant into the

  water, weighing it

  down if it floats.

  Soak for around 30

  minutes and drain.

  The plant should

  Remove your

  revive within an hour.

  plant from

  both its pots

  Peace lily

  African violet

  (pp.124–125)

  (pp.112–113)

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  FEED IT & LOVE IT

  You need to do more than just water your plant to keep The Basics

  it alive – most plants need feeding too. It's also worth spending a few minutes each week examining and grooming your plant – it will thrive on your attention.

  FEEDING

  All plants need food to thrive. Carnivorous

  plants capture prey to feed on, but most

  houseplants will need to be fed. Y
ou should

  start feeding your plant a few weeks after

  you get it home, or around a couple of

  months after it has been repotted.

  In spring and summer, add a liquid

  houseplant feed to your watering can –

  usually around once a month. Be sure

  to follow the manufacturer's instructions

  and don't be tempted to add extra –

  overfeeding can damage the plant.

  It's best to feed when the compost is

  already moist – that way it will reach

  the roots directly and won't drain away.

  Alternatively, add slow-release

  pellets or spikes to the

  compost as a more low-

  maintenance approach

  – they’ll release a little

  food every time you water.

  Don’t feed houseplants

  Umbrella tree

  in winter, unless they

  (pp.118–119)

  are winter-flowering.

  Add liquid feed

  to the water

  Add fertilizer pellets

  to the compost

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  EXTRA CARE

  GROOMING

  Remove old leaves and deadhead

  Get to know your plant by spending a minute or two flowers – this will encourage

  every week examining it and making sure it looks good.

  more blooms and will prevent dead

  This is not only an important way to keep it healthy, but petals from landing on the foliage,

  will mean you'll spot signs of problems more quickly causing it to rot.

  when they occur.

  CLEANING

  Wipe your plant’s leaves (especially those

  with large leaves) with a clean, damp

  cloth to keep them dust-free, as dust can

  prevent light getting to the leaves. Stand

  palms in a a tepid shower in winter, or a rain Remove

  shower in summer. Furry-leaved or prickly

  plants are best cleaned with a soft paintbrush.

  old, brown

  leaves

  Dragon tree

  (pp.68–69)

  INSPECTING

  Prevention is better than cure.

  Use a

  If you notice that your plant is

  paintbrush

  looking sickly, check your care

  for furry

  regime and look for signs of

  leaves

  pests or diseases before they

  have a chance to cause significant

  problems (see Plant pests,

  pp.24–27, & Plant

  diseases, pp.28–29).

  Use a damp

  cloth to wipe

  waxy leaves

  Whitefly

  Aphids

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  REPOT IT

  is

  Sooner or later, your plant’s original compost will be exhausted, so your plant will need repotting. Chances The Basc

  are that the plant will have grown, too, so the plant will need “potting on” into a slightly larger pot.

  WHEN TO POT ON

  Most plants need potting on when their roots are curling around the edge of the compost; carefully remove the root ball to check. When repotting, choose a pot that’s only slightly larger than the previous one – an extra 5cm (2in) in diameter is about right. A much larger pot will house too much compost and get waterlogged. Most plants are happy in multi-purpose or indoor plant compost, but some need a

  specialist mix, such as orchids and

  cacti. Do not use garden soil. The

  best time to pot on is spring or

  summer. Some plants can look

  a little unhappy shortly after

  repotting, but they should

  recover – just continue to

  care for them as normal.

  Fresh

  compost

  PLANTS IN

  PLANTS IN

  SMALLER POTS

  LARGE POTS

  Repot smaller plants

  It can be hard to take large,

  into a new, larger pot,

  mature plants out of their

  with fresh compost.

  containers, so “top dress”

  them instead. Remove the

  top 5–8cm (2–3in)

  Roots coming out

  of compost with a small

  trowel or spoon (take care

  Dumb cane

  of the bottom of

  not to damage roots) and

  Fiddle-leaf fig

  (pp.62–63)

  the plant pot

  replace it with fresh.

  (pp.76–77)

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  HOW TO POT ON

  Follow the steps to pot

  on your plant correctly.

  You will need a new pot

  and fresh compost.

  1Water your plant the

  2Add fresh compost to

  3Holding your plant

  day before you repot it.

  the base of the new

  upside down around

  It will be easier to remove

  slightly larger pot.

  the base of the stems, tap

  and less likely to be

  it out of its pot.

  “shocked” by repotting.

  6Water your plant,

  allowing any excess

  to drain away.

  Leave 2–3cm

  “After

  (1in) at the

  top of the pot

  repotting your

  plant, continue

  4Sit your plant in the

  new pot. Leave space

  5Add compost around

  the root ball, firming

  to care for it

  between the surface of

  it in gently.

  the compost and the top

  as normal.”

  of the pot.

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  24

  PLANT PESTS

  Houseplants can be troubled by small unwelcome The Basics

  guests that can damage and even kill them. Here's how to identify the signs of a pest infestation, and what you can do to save your plant.

  HOW TO STOP PESTS

  The best way to avoid pests is to keep your

  plant healthy – pests are more likely to

  attack stressed, unhealthy plants.

  If your plant does become infested with

  a pest, in many cases you will be able to

  treat it with an insecticide, either

  chemical or natural. Natural products

  are derived from plants or other

  natural substances.

  Sticky traps are especially good

  for trapping aphids, whitefly,

  and thrips, and can help you

  monitor the level of infestation.

  Sticky trap

  If you have a lot of houseplants

  in one place that are all suffering

  from the same problem, you could try a

  biological control. These natural products

  are available by mail order and work by

  introducing predators (usually invisible

  to the naked eye) to attack the pests.

  Begonia (pp.44–45)

  Key

  Where you will

  “Pests are more likely

  find the pests

  on your plants

  Buds

  On the

  In the

  to attack stressed,

  & stems

  leaves

  soil

  unhealthy plants.”

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  THE PESTS

  LEAF MINERS

  Look for brown, white,

  You may find signs of these pests on your

  or opaque meandering trails on

  houseplants. Plants that are particularly

  the leaves, where the grubs have

  prone to infestation will have more details

  “mined” them. There may also

  on their care page.

  be white dots on the leaves.

  TREAT IT Remove

  the affected leaves. Spray

  WHITEFLIES

  with an insecticide.

  They hide on the undersides

  of leaves, and clouds of tiny

  The grub tunnels

  white insects will fly up

  through the layers

  when your plant is disturbed.

  of the leaf

  TREAT IT Take your plant outside

  and dislodge the insects with

  a spray of water; you could

  Pot mum leaf

  also dunk the whole plant

  (pp.54–55)

  in a bowl of tepid water.

  A sticky trap hung near

  the plant will trap large

  THRIPS

  numbers of insects.

  Also known as thunder

  Begonia leaf

  flies, these tiny brown or

  black sap-sucking insects

  may be seen on plants that have spent

  time outdoors. Signs of infestation

  FUNGUS GNATS

  include dull, mottled leaves, silvery-

  Also known as sciarid flies, these

  white streaks on the leaves or flowers,

  tiny brown or black insects fly

  and distorted growth.

  around the plant. They aren’t

  TREAT IT Sticky traps – especially harmful but they are annoying. Their

  blue ones – can reduce their numbers and

  maggots mostly feed on organic matter

  can help you monitor the problem.

  in the compost but can sometimes attack

  Spray your plant with

  plants’ roots. Healthy plants can withstand

  insecticide or try

  this, but young or weak ones won’t.

  a biological

  TREAT IT Allow the top 1–2cm

  control.

  Mottled

  (1/2–3/4in) of compost to dry out before

  watering – this suits most plants anyway.

  patches

  A yellow sticky trap will attract the insects away from your plant. Cover the surface

  of the compost with a mulch of fine gravel or Croton

  pebbles to prevent the gnats

  leaf (p.119)

  laying their eggs.

  continued

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