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| Pothos, which is similar to Philodendron, is an easy houseplant to grow. |
Every time I talk to someone about houseplants, there's someone in the bunch who says, "I can't grow houseplants. I always kill them." You know what? I used to say that very thing, because it was true. I even turned over the watering duties to my husband because for some reason, he was better at it and if something ended up dead, I wouldn't have to take the blame for it!
Growing houseplants is not really that hard, if you choose the houseplants that fit your lifestyle. Some require much more care than others. If you don't want a fussy plant, choose something like a philodendron, a jade plant, a hoya, or a ZZ plant. They're very forgiving if you're sporadic about your watering duties.
But regardless of what you're growing in your living room, here are some things to remember:
- Don't overwater! Everyone says this, but it's true. More houseplants die from drowning than dehydration. Stick your finger into the soil about an inch deep and if you feel any moisture in the soil, don't water. Using a water meter is a great help, too. (I use one.) When you do water, water thoroughly, letting the water run out the bottom.
- Fertilize! Since plants are in a limited environment in their pots, they'll use up the nutrients in the potting soil and they'll need to be replenished. Potting soils are available that have slow-release fertilizer added and these feed the plants over a period of 3-6 months, but after that, you'll need to feed them. Nothing special is needed, just a general purpose plant food. Follow the instructions on the container.
- Light! Make sure you're meeting their light needs. There are many houseplants that don't require high light and most tags will indicate a plant's optimum light level. During the winter, most high-light plants will need to be in a sunny south window to receive enough light to do well, so if you don't have that available, look for plants that only require medium to low light.
2 comments:
I may be speaking out of turn, but isn't winter when the houseplants are dormant?
why would one fertilize more than one time per month if the plant is not going to be growing?
In our commercial growing operation trials, fertilizing houseplants in the midst of the winter months is futile practice.
It depends on which houseplants you're talking about. Many tropicals will continue to bloom and grow. And my geraniums (Pelargoniums) are in full bloom right now. I've got very few houseplants that stop growing and many bloom right through the winter.
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