How Not to Kill Your Houseplant Page 2
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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18
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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20
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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22
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.”
024-025_pests.indd 24
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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