Look After Houseplants

Indoor plants or houseplants come in all different shapes, sizes, foliage and blooms in every colour. Apart from regular watering and feeding, most house plants are easy and straight forward to look after. This simple guide will give you a few tips on how to look after your houseplants which need to be indoors all year.

Cultivation

Most house plants require bright filtered light. Light levels decrease rapidly as plants are placed further back from the window. It is important to avoid sun through glass as this can scorch the leaves of tropical plants.

As light levels fall in the winter some plants may benefit from being moved to a lighter position such as nearer a window as long as the minimum required temperatures can be maintained.

Most house plants thrive in warm rooms and even temperatures all year round.

During winter, move plants to rooms which are not overheated during the day, but maintain the required minimum temperatures. Avoid placing plants near open fires, radiators, in draughts, or on windowsills on frosty nights.

Tropical plants require a humid atmosphere. Mist plants daily, or, better, place on a tray of damp gravel, expanded clay granules (Hydroleca) or recycled lightweight aggregate (Hortag). Plants grouped together will create a humid micro-climate around their leaves.

Feeding

Liquid feeds are generally the best. Choose one high in potassium for flowering plants. For foliage plants a more balanced feed is suitable. Controlled release fertilisers will last the growing season.

Specialist feeds are available for certain groups of plants such as orchids.

Most plants should only be fed when actively growing in March to September and reduce feeding in winter and do not feed plants that are resting.

Pruning and Training

Pinch back shoots of young plants when in active growth to encourage branching. Trailing plants usually benefit from this. Most leafy, mature foliage plants don’t need to be pruned.

Many houseplants, with the exception of orchids and palms, can be renovated by cutting the old or damaged foliage back to base or by pruning to a healthy bud in spring. Water and feed well to aid recovery.