How Not to Kill Your Houseplant Read online

  watering. It can get quite tall, but

  it doesn’t take up much room as it

  has a very thin trunk. Keep it in a

  lightly shaded spot.

  See Dragon tree, p.69.

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  QUEEN’S TEARS

  Billbergia nutans

  BUG ALERT!

  (see pp.24–27)

  ouseplants

  This is one of the easiest bromeliads to

  Prone to mealybugs

  grow. Try displaying queen’s tears

  and scale insects

  The H

  in a hanging planter.

  on the foliage.

  HOW NOT TO KILL IT

  LOCATION

  Keep the plant in a room that is

  5–24°C (41–75°F). It will only flower if at

  the upper end of this range.

  LIGHT

  Place in bright, but indirect light.

  WATERING + FEEDING

  Water the “vase” (the centre of the

  rosette of leaves) with distilled, filtered,

  or rainwater, ensuring the water is always

  2–3cm (1in) deep. Empty and refill the vase

  every 2–3 weeks to prevent the water

  stagnating. Keep the compost just moist.

  Feed once a month in spring and summer

  by adding half-strength liquid feed to the

  central vase.

  CARE

  LEAF TIPS

  Place the plant on a pebble-filled

  TURNING YELLOW?

  tray of water for humidity. It will flower at Your plant has probably

  around 3 years old. Gently pull faded flowers outgrown its container.

  away. Repot after flowering in spring. It will SAVE IT Repot your plant

  produce “pups” (new plants at the base),

  in spring, after it has flowered.

  dying slowly in the process. Pot up pups when they are one-third the size of the parent.

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  BROWN LEAF TIPS?

  DRIPPING

  SHARE

  This could be due to dry air,

  FLOWERS?

  THE CARE

  or watering with hard water.

  This is nectar, which

  SAVE IT Mist the

  drips from the flowers

  leaves regularly, if warm.

  when they are moved

  Switch to distilled, filtered,

  or touched – hence

  or rainwater.

  Billbergia’s common

  name, queen’s tears.

  SAVE IT

  Do nothing!

  PINK QUILL

  Tillandsia cyanea

  This bromeliad has

  similar care needs to

  queen’s tears, but

  prefers a warmer room

  (14–25ºC/57–77ºF).

  Billbergia

  nutans

  Height &

  spread: up

  to 50cm

  (20in)

  NO

  FLOWERS?

  Your plant won’t flower until it’s around 3 years old. If you BLUSHING BROMELIAD

  have a mature plant, the temperature may be too low, or it

  Neoregelia carolinae

  may be in too dark a spot.

  f. tricolor

  Provide the same care as

  SAVE IT Move it to a warmer spot in a bright position.

  for pink quill. The central

  Avoid placing it in direct sunlight.

  vase turns red (“blushes”)

  before it flowers.

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  50

  PEACOCK PLANT

  Calathea

  ouseplants

  Most peacock plants are grown for their

  leaves. Calathea roseopicta leaves have

  The H

  red undersides.

  HOW NOT TO KILL IT

  LOCATION

  It is a rainforest

  plant, so keep it in a warm

  room (16–20°C/60–68°F). It

  needs humidity, so a bathroom can

  be ideal. Avoid rooms with sudden

  temperature fluctuations.

  LIGHT

  Put it in partial shade or bright

  light. Keep it away from direct sun.

  WATERING + FEEDING

  From spring to autumn, keep the

  compost moist (but not wet) at all times.

  Use distilled, filtered, or rainwater as these plants are sensitive to chemicals added to

  tap water. Ensure the pot drains well. Water

  more sparingly in winter. Feed once in

  spring, summer, and autumn.

  Cala

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  CARE

  ig

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  To maintain humidity, stand it on

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  a pebble-filled tray of water, and mist daily.

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  Grouping with other plants will also improve

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  humidity. Wipe the leaves occasionally to

  keep them free of dust. Repot in spring.

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  DROOPY LEAVES?

  SHARE

  This could be a sign of overwatering. Alternatively, your THE CARE

  plant may be too cold or exposed to draughts.

  SAVE IT The compost should be moist but not wet.

  Water sparingly in winter. Try moving your plant to a warmer, sheltered spot.

  BUG ALERT!

  (see pp.24–27)

  Prone to red

  spider mites on

  the foliage.

  Brown leaf edge

  PRAYER PLANT

  LEAF TIPS

  Maranta

  OR EDGES BROWN?

  A prayer plant has the same

  needs as a peacock plant.

  The air is probably too dry, you

  The leaves fold at night like

  may have overfed your plant,

  human hands in prayer.

  or it may be due to watering

  with hard water.

  SAVE IT Mist your plant

  daily and place it on a pebble-

  filled tray of water. Group

  with other plants to increase

  humidity. Switch to distilled,

  filtered, or rainwater.

  FADED OR SCORCHED LEAVES?

  Your plant has probably been in

  direct sunlight.

  STROMANTHE

  SAVE IT Move it to a shadier place.

  Stromanthe

  A stromanthe likes more

  humidity than a peacock

  Faded leaf

  plant. Keep it above

  18ºC (65°F) and don’t water

  it with cold or hard water.

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  52

  SPIDER PLANT

  Chlorophytum comosum

 
BUG ALERT!

  ouseplants

  Spider plants are ideal for beginners

  (see pp.24–27)

  as they are very easy to care for.

  Prone to red

  The H

  Display them in a hanging planter.

  spider mites on

  the foliage.

  HOW NOT TO KILL IT

  BROWN TIPS

  ON THE LEAVES?

  LOCATION

  Your plant can tolerate the hot, dry

  Keep the plant in a room that is

  air of centrally heated rooms, but this

  may make the leaf tips go brown.

  always between 7–24°C (45–75°F).

  Underfeeding or underwatering

  can have the same effect.

  LIGHT

  Place it in a bright spot, away from

  SAVE IT Cut off the

  direct sunlight.

  brown tips and move your

  plant to a cooler room.

  WATERING + FEEDING

  Make sure you feed and

  water it regularly.

  Keep the compost moist but not

  soggy. Water more sparingly in winter. Feed

  every few weeks except during winter.

  CARE

  BROWN STREAKS

  Repot young plants into a slightly

  ON THE LEAVES

  bigger pot every spring. Repot mature plants

  IN WINTER?

  when the white, fleshy roots begin to push

  the plant from its container, making it tricky This means your plant has

  to water. Mature spider plants produce

  been watered too much in

  cool conditions.

  “plantlets” or “babies” that can be cut off

  and grown individually. If they have tiny

  SAVE IT Remove any

  Chlo

  roots, plant them directly into new

  unsightly leaves. Make sure

  rop

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  yt

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  compost. If they have no roots,

  that you water your plant

  H

  s

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  place them in water for a few

  less during winter – the

  h

  2

  t

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  weeks until the roots appear.

  compost should be

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  just moist.

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  a

  brown

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  streaks

  2in)

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  YELLOW

  PALE LEAVES?

  SHARE

  LEAVES?

  Harsh sunlight, lack of

  THE CARE

  The soil around the roots

  water, or low sunlight

  is too dry, which might

  and low temperatures

  mean your plant needs

  in winter can all make

  repotting. Alternatively,

  the leaves turn pale.

  it may have root rot.

  SAVE IT Move

  SAVE IT Remove

  the plant out of direct

  any unsightly leaves. Water

  sunlight, and water

  well from spring to autumn.

  well. In winter, move

  Repot your plant if it is

  your plant to a warmer,

  bulging from its pot. Check

  brighter room.

  for root rot (see Plant

  diseases, pp.28–29).

  POTHOS

  Epipremnum

  This plant has similar

  needs to a spider plant,

  and will climb up a moss

  pole or trail from a pot.

  ARROWHEAD PLANT

  C

  Syngonium

  hlorop

  podophyllum

  co

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  m

  yt

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  s

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  Care for as you

  u

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  igh

  would a spider

  2

  t

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  plant. It will

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  climb or trail, and

  a

  3

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  looks great in a

  (

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  2in

  hanging planter.

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  POT MUM

  Chrysanthemum

  BUG ALERT!

  (see pp.24–27)

  ouseplants

  Blooms come in many colours and last

  Prone to aphids,

  for several weeks. Choose plants with both

  leaf miners, and

  The H

  red spider mites

  open flowers and opening buds.

  on the foliage.

  HOW NOT TO KILL IT

  LOCATION

  Keep the plant at 10–15ºC

  (50–60°F), as the flowers will last longer.

  A windowsill in a cool room is ideal.

  LIGHT

  Provide bright, indirect light;

  keep it out of direct sun.

  WATERING + FEEDING

  A pot mum likes water, so keep the

  compost moist (but not soggy) at all times.

  You could feed the plant after a few weeks.

  It won’t flower for long enough to need

  feeding a second time.

  CARE

  Deadhead any spent flowers.

  WILTING LEAVES?

  Plants are often discarded after

  flowering, but you could try planting

  The plant needs watering.

  yours in the garden. It will have been

  SAVE IT Water your

  treated with dwarfing hormones before

  plant and ensure you are

  it was sold, but should revert to its

  keeping the compost moist,

  normal growth habit outdoors, and

  but not soggy.

  may flower in autumn.

  Wilting leaves

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  SHARE

  FLOWERS

  FUZZY GREY

  THE CARE

  NOT LASTING?

  MOULD ON

  Higher temperatures

  THE FOLIAGE?

  will make the flowers

  This grey mould is called

  open more rapidly and

  botrytis, and may have

  fade more quickly.

  been caused by your plant

  SAVE IT Move it to a

 
sitting in its cellophane

  wrapping for a long time.

  cooler spot that is 10–15ºC

  (50–60°F).

  SAVE IT Remove any

  affected areas and treat

  with fungicide. For more

  information, see Plant

  diseases (pp.28–29).

  MINIATURE ROSES

  Rosa

  Potted roses should last for

  weeks indoors if cared

  for like pot mums. Try

  planting them in the garden

  after flowering. They go

  Fuzzy

  dormant in winter.

  grey

  mould

  BUDS

  Chrysanthemum

  Height

  WON’T OPEN?

  PRIMROSE

  & spread:

  The plant may not be

  Primula vulgaris

  up to 30cm

  (12in)

  getting enough light. If

  These bring some welcome

  the buds are completely

  colour to the home in winter

  green, they may not open.

  and spring. Care for them in

  the same way, and once they

  SAVE IT Move your

  have finished flowering,

  plant to a brighter spot.

  plant them in the garden.

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  NATAL LILY

  Clivia miniata

  ouseplants

  Natal lilies are native to South Africa

  and produce a beautiful, single, red, orange, The H

  or yellow flower in early spring.

  HOW NOT TO KILL IT

  BLEACHED OR

  BROWN PATCHES

  ON THE LEAVES?

  LOCATION

  The leaves are sunburnt.

  From spring to late autumn, keep

  the plant in a heated room. In winter, move it SAVE IT Move

  to a room that is 10ºC (50ºF) for 3 months to your plant out of

  rest – this will help initiate a flower bud. Then direct sunlight.

  return it to its spring-to-autumn position.

  Bleached

  LIGHT

  patches on

  Provide bright, but indirect light.

  the leaves

  WATERING + FEEDING

  From spring to late autumn, keep

  the compost moist. Reduce watering in

  winter so that the compost is almost dry.

  BUG

  Prone to mealybugs

  Feed once a month from spring to autumn,

  ALERT!

  and red spider mites

  and not at all during winter.

  (see pp.24–27)

  on the foliage.

  CARE

  Wipe the leaves occasionally. Don’t

  BROWN LEAVES AT THE

  move the pot when the plant is flowering or

  BASE OF YOUR PLANT?

  in bud. After flowering, cut off the dead

  This happens when the older leaves

  flower spike at the base. The plant may

  are dying back.

  produce a second flower in late summer.

  Natal lilies like to be snug, so repot the plant SAVE IT This is normal, just

  gently pull away any brown leaves.

  after flowering only if the roots are bursting out of the pot.