Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

Slowly move plants inside

Fall's cool nights have returned to remind us that frost and cold temperatures will be upon us in the not so distant future. Accordingly, it is time to clean up your houseplants and ease them back inside your house.

Start by doing your plants, self and home a favor. Remove dead leaves and blooms from stems and soil. Prune back leggy sections. Prune off dead stems and branches.

Next, remove insects. Use a strong spray of water to clean the underside and top surface of leaves. Check for aphids, spider mites, mealy bugs, white fly and scale insects. Follow up with an insecticidal soap spray. Soak the pot or root ball in a tub of room temperature water for about 15 minutes to flush unwanted insects out of the soil.

Check to see if any plants are root bound. When roots circle the interior of the pot, or replace most of the visible soil, either prune the roots or pot up one size to 2" larger pot. If you are pleased with the above-soil size of your plant, prune the roots back so that you can add new potting soil at the amount of one new inch all around and under the plant. If you want the above-ground plant to grow larger, loosen the roots and pot up one size. Add a small amount of slow release fertilizer to the soil as you repot.

The essentials of acclimatization include sun, temperature and water. The interior of your house is darker, with a more consistent temperature, but much less humidity than the outside environment.

For sun loving plants, gradually reduce light intensity by moving them to a shadier location for a week or two before you bring them inside. During the transition protect them from cold nights by setting them close to the house where they can benefit from heat released from cement or other masonry. Cold below 40 degrees damages most tropical plants; a few can't handle temperatures below 50 or 60 degrees. If you don't know a plant's specific requirements, be safe and put it on a porch in the garage when night temperatures are in the low 50s.

Once inside, place sun loving plants in front of, but not touching, a south window. An east window provides cool morning sun, and west window provides moderate afternoon light in winter. Place only shade plants in a northern exposure.

The ideal temperature for most houseplants is 70-80 degrees daytime and 60-70 degrees nighttime. Once you bring your houseplants inside, interior temperatures serve our houseplants quite well.

Enough humidity, however, is a concern. Locate plants away from heating vents and the draft from open doors. Take advantage of the fact that plants produce humidity. Mass houseplants together so they can benefit from each other. Add more humidity to their environment by grouping them around a tabletop fountain, placing pots on pebbles in a tray with water, and running a humidifier near them. Misting is a plus but does not add a significant amount of humidity.

Don't over water your houseplants. Press your finger into the soil to the depth of your first finger joint. If the soil is moist, don't water your plant. If it is dry, it likely needs water. When soil separates from the side of the pot it definitely needs water. Plants will not all need water at the same time. Those with thin or large leaves usually need more water than fleshy-leaved succulents.

Water properly and thoroughly. The easiest way to water plants is in a sink or tub where water can flow through the pot and the excess drains away. As part of the watering process, spray dust and any lurking insects off leaves. That will give your plants a good dose of humidity, too.

Typically house plants are tropical species or hybrids that can not tolerate frost. As tough as the transition to cold weather is for us, the move inside for tropicals can be even harsher. Plants grow better when we make their transition easier.