TOP 5 TIPS TO CARE FOR YOUR HOUSEPLANTS
You want your house to be as gorgeous as possible at the moment.
Healthy house plants are an important part of this.
Making sure they are fit and healthy will make your house look better and you feel great.
1. WATERING Be consistent. Keep the potting soil oist, but not wet. Use water that is at room temperature. Let the surface of the compost dry a little before applying more water. Allow the plant to take up water as it is needed or allow excess to drain away. Do not let the plant sit in water. Waterless in winter, allowing soil to dry out between waterings. Tip: Set weekly alarm on your phone to ‘water plants‘. If you ignore this put in a differnt time tha suits you better
2. LOCATION Choose the right place. Don’t move your plants around a lot. Read the label when you buy a plant. Choose the right amount of daylight for the plant. Most houseplants thrive in warm rooms and even temperatures all year around. Tip: Take a quick walk around all your plants now. If they aren’t thriving, notice and try a differnt spot.
3. FEEDING Liquid feeds are generally best for flowering plants. Foliage plants do well with controlled release fertilisers. Most plants should only be fed March to September. Tip: Set a 2 weekly alarm on your phone to ‘feed plants‘. No need to feed in winter.
4. TIDY Remove old brown stems or leaves to avoid disease and pests. Late winter is a good time to prune and encourage new growth in the spring. Tip: This is really theraputic to do, get your kids or housemates involved. It can be fun, and teaches kids about plants, check labels for toxic plants first.
5. REPOTTING Check if your plants need repotting. Look for roots growing out of the bottom of drainage holes. Plants may need repotting every 1-2 years. Never repot unless it needs it. Tip: Spring is the best time.
By Imogen on 27th March 2020 https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice