Houseplant Information
House plants often suffer from accumulation of dust during winter. This
is difficult or tedious to remove by hand washing-when such method is feasible.
The easiest way to get rid of it and also red spider (which thrives
in dry air) is to spray the plants forcibly with clear water. This
is usually impossible in the house. The best way to do it is to take
the plants out of doors on mild, sunny, breezy days between
eleven and two o'clock and spray them, especially on the under sides
of the leaves. The force must be gauged to the nature of the plants
themselves. For instance, palms and rubber plants will stand far more
than will begonias and fuchsias. After the plants have ceased to
drip take them back to the house.
Evergreens in outdoor window boxes, urns, tubs, etc., suffer much less
during winter from freezing than through lack of water. To bring them through
the cold months successfully drench the soil every time it thaws. Both
trees and soil may freeze without damage - if always wet. In spring transplant
the specimens to open ground where they may remain permanently and start
the boxes for the following winter with a new set of evergreens in
fresh soil after the summer plants have failed-in September or early
October.
Plants to be removed to the house from the garden in late summer or
early fall may be potted then but kept plunged rim deep outdoors until
frost threatens. Tender ones must be taken into the house sooner
than hardy ones. The latter are benefited by being left out rather
late.
Plant lice on house plants may be controlled by spraying with a solution
of two teaspoonfuls of nicotine sulphate and two tablespoonfuls of soap
flakes in a gallon of water.
Potting plants is often done incorrectly by amateurs with the result
that the plants are often more or less disappointing. When the soil is
not packed firmly enough around the roots too much air enters, the
water quickly evaporates and the plants suffer from thirst,
fail to develop properly and die.
Copyright Information: Gardening
Short Cuts
Non-Poisonous Houseplants
Houseplant Insects
