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Houseplant Problems
Becoming Pot Bound
Sooner or later a healthy, growing houseplant is going to out grow its pot. When
a plant gets too large for its pot, the roots circle around inside the pot and
start to restrict themselves. If your plants seem to dry out more quickly than
they used to, but are otherwise healthy, they are probably pot bound. There are
simply too many roots in the pot and not enough soil is left to hold and
distribute water. Re-pot your houseplant into a pot an inch or two larger. Don’t
try to go too large, as too much soil means the roots will be sitting in damp
conditions and the roots will begin to rot.
Pests
Indoor pests multiply quickly. There are no natural predators to keep them in
check, so checking frequently for symptoms. Spider mites, aphids, mealy bugs and
scale can cover a plant in days. If severe enough, the plant may never recover.
Keep an eye out for leaves that become discoloured or curled and for plants that
look limp even when they’re watered. Learn to spot the following common
houseplant pests.
Spider Mites leave telltale webbing, especially on the
inner joints of plants and in plants with lush foliage. The tiny mites are about
the size of a pinhead and attack plants by sucking their juices. Leaves will
have yellow stippling. As the infestation gets worse, the leaves will turn
totally yellow and brittle and die. To get rid of spider mites, spray the
affected plants with insecticidal soap.
Mealy Bugs are small cottony white blobs, usually attached
to the plant at the stem joints, but they may also be found along the stems.
They feed off the plants by sucking. Plants infested with mealy bugs often look
like they are drying out, even when they've been watered. Mealy bugs are very
hard to get rid of. If you catch the problem early, cut out the infested
branches. If your plants become severely infested, it would be best to just get
rid of them.
Scales are small insects that attach themselves to the
stem of a plant and cover themselves with a hard, oval shaped shell. Like mealy
bugs, they slowly suck the sap from plants, leaving them weak. They are very
hard to get rid of so it is probably best to replace the plant.
Aphids look like small green, white, yellow or black spots
that can surface on all parts of a plant. Aphids can reproduce so quickly that
an infestation will cover the plant in days. They are soft bodied insects and
can be killed quite easily by a strong blast of water or repeated sprays of
insecticidal soap. But they are persistent so you will need to keep an eye on
these plants and treat regularly.
Heat
Many
gardeners think they are doing their houseplants a favour by placing them in a
warm spot, but placing your indoor plants near a direct source of heat, like a
radiator, will dehydrate the plant very quickly. Even if you are careful about
watering the soil, the foliage will quickly become dehydrated.
Draughts
Placing an indoor plant, especially a tropical or blooming plant, near a
frequently opened door to the outside or too close to a window with limited
insulation will have the same effect as leaving the plant unprotected outside.
You will probably first notice leaves dropping and the plant may look like it
needs water, when actually it needs warmth.
Light
Plants that are not getting as much light as they need will look pale, rather
than a healthy green and new growth is spindly, as it reaches for the sun. You
may also notice that the new leaves are smaller than usual. However, most
houseplants don’t like to be placed in the direct sun of a windowsill. Strong
sunlight may actually burn their leaves. Only plants that specify bright, direct
sun, like Cyclamen, gardenia, geranium and other indoor plants grown for their
flowers, should be sited in a south facing window. Low light plants, like
Philodendron, will be fine placed further in a room where indirect sunlight
reaches. Those in between are the houseplants you’ll need to keep watch on. East
and west facing windows are fine for most plants, but if your home lets in a lot
of light, you may be able to grow houseplants well away from the windows.
Humidity
Lack
of humidity can kill indoor plants. You may first notice this as browning leaf
tips before the leaves die and drop. If your house tends to be dry, you can
increase humidity around your houseplants by placing a tray of pebbles under the
pots, filling the tray to just below the pot’s bottom. Do not let your plants
sit directly in the water. You can also provide some humidity by misting your
plants each day. If you have lots of houseplants, you may want to invest in a
humidifier.
Salt Build-up
Water your potted plants with enough water so the soil gets wet and is allowed
to drain through. Not watering enough can lead to salt build-up which can
inhibit growth. You may not notice it until you start to see whitish crust on
the soil or sides of the pot. At least once a month, water your potted plants
thoroughly, so that excess salts will be flushed out the drainage hole of the
pot.
Watering
The
number one killer of houseplants is over watering, which leads to root rot.
Plants take in air through their roots and if the soil is constantly wet, they
can’t do this. Instead you’ll be encouraging root rot, which can kill a
houseplant. Don't let your plants sit in water and don't automatically water all
your houseplants on a schedule. Check to see if the soil about 1" below the
surface is dry, before you water. When you do water, water thoroughly. Water
until you see the water coming out the bottom drainage holes. It will also help
if you use a light potting soil instead of garden soil, which tends to be heavy
and doesn't allow water to drain through.
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Over-wintering Tender Plants
Outdoor plants can be brought indoors as houseplants for the winter. However
there are some points to remember:
Keep only healthy plants
If
something has been struggling all summer under the best of conditions, it is not
going to improve indoors.
Never bring in a plant with pests or disease
Problems spread more quickly among indoor plants than in the garden.
If the plant looks good as a house plant, bring it in and use it as one
Many
people have the light to successfully winter geraniums and begonias in full
bloom.
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