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houseplant (dict)
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HouseplantA houseplant is a plant that one grows in a dwelling, such as a house or office. Houseplants may be herbs, but are usually decorative. Caring for a Houseplant In addition to providing higher air quality and a natural elegance to your home, a houseplant can also provide a healthy hobby for anyone interested. However, caring for a houseplant involves a lot more than one might think. Fortunately, even though there is a lot to consider, usually once one has a basic understanding of what plants need, then raising houseplants can be an easy and rewarding experience. The major factors that should be considered when caring for a houseplant are water, light, soil mixture, temperature, humidity, fertilizers, potting, and pest control. The following includes some general guidelines for houseplant care. For specific houseplant needs, check the tag that sometimes comes with a plant, the package, or online. Watering Both under-watering and, surprisingly, over-watering, can be unhealthy for a houseplant. The best way to determine whether a plant needs water is to check the soil moisture. To do this, simply feel the soil on the surface and slightly below the surface. Soil moisture can range from very damp (as it would feel just after watering) to very dry. Typically a houseplant needs to be watered about once a week, though setting a rigid watering schedule is not recommended. If a plant does need to be watered, pour water evenly over the surface of the soil until it begins to drain out the bottom of the pot. - To check moisture level, simply feel the soil
- Plants usually need to be watered about once a week, but avoid rigid schedules and water only when needed
- Make sure to completely saturate the soil when watering
Lighting Through the process of photosynthesis, plants use light to make energy. Two things should be kept in mind when trying to provide light for a houseplant: intensity and duration. Different plants require different light intensities. Intensity, or quality, of light is difficult to measure without a light meter. It is usually measured in foot-candles (fc), that is the amount of light one candle gives off from one foot away. 100 fc or less is usually considered low intensity or indirect lighting. 1000 fc or more is usually considered high intensity lighting. Direct sunlight can equal 10,000 fc or more. The duration of light exposure is just as important as the quality. Usually quality exposure of 8 16 hours is ideal. Windows are the most common sources of light for houseplants. Southern facing windows have the most sun exposure, while western, eastern, and northern facing windows have progressively less exposure. Although direct sunlight is ideal, it should be noted that natural sunlight through windows is unpredictable; seasonal changes, cloud covering, even window treatments can affect the amount of light passing through a window. Artificial light sources can provide an easily manageable alternative or supplement to window lighting. Fluorescent lighting provides excellent light quality whereas standard incandescent bulbs do little to promote plant growth. Cool, or blue, fluorescent fixtures provide the light needed for green foliating plants, while warm, or red, fluorescent fixtures provide the light needed for blooming flowers. Electric companies now produce affordable fluorescent bulbs that fit into standard screw-in light sockets. - Different plants require different light intensities; it can be measured with a light meter
- 8 16 hours of quality light exposure is ideal for most plants
- Windows are the most common light sources for houseplants
- Southern Facing Window: Most light
- Western Facing Window
- Eastern Facing Window
- Northern Facing Window: Least Light
- Fluorescent lighting also provides quality lighting for plants
Soil A good potting soil mixture provides the plant with nutrients, support, adequate drainage, and proper aeration. Most soils contain a combination of dirt, peat moss, and vermiculite or perlite. A nutrient rich dirt can usually be bought wherever potted plants are sold. To use local dirt, it must first be heat sterilized. Heat sterilization is an easy process, simply place the dirt in a 180 degree oven for at least 30 minutes. This will insure that the soil does not contain any harmful bacteria. Although it is possible to use native soil, usually it has a very high clay content which is not ideal for plant growth. Peat moss is used to increase aeration and make heavy soils more absorbent. It looks like a very fine bark mulch, and a potting soil with a high peat moss content will feel spongy. Vermiculite and perlite are those tiny white pebbles that are found in a good potting soil mixture. They aid in drainage in a soil mixture. Perlite is recommended over vermiculite because it does not break down as easily. A coarse grade sand can be used as a substitute for a drainage mechanism if needed. These three ingredients can be mixed in varying ratios to create different potting soil types. For a plant that requires fast drainage, such as a cactus, use plenty of perlite. For a plant that requires plenty of moisture, use more peat moss. A good all purpose soil mixture is 2 parts dirt, 2 parts peat moss, and 1 part perlite or vermiculite. It is also possible to make a soil mixture that actually contains no soil by mixing equal parts peat moss and perlite (or vermiculite). The soiless mixture will retain more moisture. Temperature Temperature is one of the easier things to control because most houseplants ideally grow in a tropical climate which ranges from 60 80 degrees. This is perfect because most homes are kept around this temperature anyway. Humidity Humidity is a little harder to control than temperature. Most plants thrive in 80% relative humidity while most homes are usually kept around 20% - 60% relative humidity. Besides buying a humidifier, there are a few things that can be done to increase humidity around the houseplants. One of the most popular methods used to raise the ambient humidity around a houseplant is to use a pebble tray. To make a pebble tray, fill the drainage tray that your pot usually sits in with small pebbles, rocks, polished glass or some other like material. Then fill the tray with water as high as the pebbles are. Finally set the pot on the pebble tray. Over a few days the water will evaporate (thats the idea), so make sure to keep the pebble tray full of water. Other easy steps taken to raise humidity are to group plants close together and avoid placing them in drafty areas. Fertilizers In a potted environment, soil nutrients can eventually get depleted. Adding fertilizer provides the plant with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the elements they need during a growth period. Careful consideration must be taken before fertilizing a plant because too much fertilizer can be harmful, however, if a plant shows slow growth, yellow leaves, or drops new leaves, then it might need to be fertilized. Fertilizers are usually marked with a number such as 20-20-20. These numbers indicate the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. A 20-20-20 mixture is usually good for green foliating plants, while a 10-20-10 is usually better for blooming plants. To safely administer fertilizer, use a brand that can be diluted. Most fertilizers come with diluting instructions on the package, but it is usually safe to mix 1 tablespoon to every gallon of water (remember that it is better to under-fertilize than over-fertilize). Use the diluted mixture to water the plants. Monitor the growth of the plant to determine how often to use the fertilizer mixture when watering. Schedules can range from every other week to every three months. - Fertilizers provide the plants with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, elements that are needed for growth
- Numbers such as 20-20-20 that are on fertilizer packages indicate the percentage contents of each element
- A 20-20-20 compound is usually recommended for green foliating plants
- A 10-20-10 compound is usually recommended for flowering plants
- Determining whether a plant needs fertilization can be difficult, and it is always better to under-fertilize than over-fertilize
- Dilute the fertilizer to about 1 tablespoon of fertilizer to one gallon of water
- Closely monitor plant activity after fertilization to see if it is helping or harming
Pot Types and Sizes Proper pot size is an important factor to consider. A pot that is too large will cause root disease because of the excess moisture retained in the soil, while a pot that is too small will halt a plants growth. Generally a plant can stay in the same pot for two or so years. Pots come in a variety of types as well, but usually can be broken down into two groups: porous and non-porous. Porous pots are usually clay and are highly recommended because they provide better aeration as air passes laterally through the sides of the pot. Non-porous pots such as glazed or plastic pots tend to hold moisture longer and restrict airflow. Another potting essential is drainage holes. Usually pots come with a hole in the bottom to allow excess water to flow out of the soil, which helps to prevent root rot. If a pot does not have drainage holes, a substitute drainage mechanism can be made by placing clay shards or pebbles at the bottom of the pot before filling it with soil. Then the excess water will pool in the bottom of the pot instead of the soil. Before reusing old pots, make sure to wash them in the dishwasher to kill any bacteria that might be left behind. List of Common Houseplants Tropical houseplants Others See Also
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