If you are anything like us, your houseplants take a backseat during the summer and are finally noticed and appreciated again when the Holiday decorations are gone. They seem to shout “Hey, remember me!” Houseplants cleanse the air you breathe and enliven your home, so here are a couple of things to do to keep your houseplants happy and healthy.
- Repot. While some houseplants like to be rootbound (spider plants, mother-in-laws tongue) most would appreciate fresh soil and a slightly larger pot every year or two
- Give your houseplants a shower. Dust can build up on the foliage of your houseplants and inhibit the plants ability to exchange gases. Put all of your plants in the shower and give them a spritz with lukewarm water. If you have calcium buildup around the edge of the pot (white/yellow crust) you may want to flush the pot with water until it comes out the bottom. This will leach a lot of the salts from the soil. Be sure to let your pots drain completely before returning them to their spots in your home.
- Increase humidity. Most houseplants are from tropical regions where it is naturally humid. The dry air in our homes throughout the winter here in MN can have an adverse affect on them. Try placing smaller plants in a tray of pebbles covered with water. As the water evaporates it will create a more humid environment around the plants. I keep a spray bottle of water near my plants. Every time I go by I give them a spritz or two.
- Insects and Mites. The most common insects for houseplants in the winter are mealybugs and fungus gnats. Spider mites can also be a problem. Mealybugs look like small dots of cotton and can be very hard to control because they can get into small crevasses of your plant. Try washing them off and using Neem Oil or Horticultural Soaps as an organic way of taking care of them. If they cannot be controlled after two or three tries it is best just to get rid of the plant. Fungus Gnats are very small and you will usually see them flying near the bases of plants. They usually will do no harm to your plant, but they do have an ICK factor. They like moist soil, so if you let your plant dry out before watering this should take care of the problem. Spider Mites can be hard to see but you will notice their webbing. Before the webbing appears you may see tiny little dots covering leaves. The webbing will encase a leaf that usually curls under. Spider mites like it dry, so keeping the humidity level up or spritzing your plants with water will deter them. You can also use a chemical that is labeled as a miticide. An insecticide will not work because mites are related to spiders. Organic solutions contain horticultural oils. I have spider mite problems every year with the hibiscus plant I bring inside after spending the summer on my deck. I use a product called Mite X and that takes care of them.
I would also recommend using a systemic insecticide on your plants if they have spent the summer outside. Systemic insecticides get up into the plant and kill the insects when they feed off the plant.
These a just a few general tips to keep your houseplants happy and healthy throughout the winter.
Mickman Brothers Garden Center
14630 Hwy 65, Ham Lake, MN 55304
763.413.3000
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