| Gardening indoors includes houseplants and | | | | plant, near a frequently opened door to the |
| plants that are just indoors for the | | | | outside or too close to a window with limited |
| winter.The heat and light indoors calls for | | | | insulation will have the same effect as |
| special care of your houseplants and over | | | | leaving the plant unprotected outside. You |
| wintering of tender garden plants. There are | | | | will probably first notice leaves dropping |
| other problems which need consideration | | | | and the plant may look like it needs water, |
| including salt build-up, humidity, drafts, | | | | when actually it needs warmth.Light Plants |
| pests, how you water your plants and what to | | | | that are not getting as much light as they |
| do if they get pot bound.The best thing you | | | | need will look pale, rather than a healthy |
| can do for your indoor plants is to learn | | | | green and new growth is spindly, as it |
| something about the growing conditions your | | | | reaches for the sun. You may also notice that |
| particular plants like and provide as close | | | | the new leaves are smaller than usual. |
| to those conditions as possible.If you see a | | | | However, most houseplants don't like to be |
| problem developing, take action | | | | placed in the direct sun of a windowsill. |
| quickly.Houseplant ProblemsBecoming Pot Bound | | | | Strong sunlight may actually burn their |
| Sooner or later a healthy, growing houseplant | | | | leaves. Only plants that specify bright, |
| is going to out grow its pot. When a plant | | | | direct sun, like Cyclamen, gardenia, geranium |
| gets too large for its pot, the roots circle | | | | and other indoor plants grown for their |
| around inside the pot and start to restrict | | | | flowers, should be sited in a south facing |
| themselves. If your plants seem to dry out | | | | window. Low light plants, like Philodendron, |
| more quickly than they used to, but are | | | | will be fine placed further in a room where |
| otherwise healthy, they are probably pot | | | | indirect sunlight reaches. Those in between |
| bound. There are simply too many roots in the | | | | are the houseplants you'll need to keep watch |
| pot and not enough soil is left to hold and | | | | on. East and west facing windows are fine for |
| distribute water. Re-pot your houseplant into | | | | most plants, but if your home lets in a lot |
| a pot an inch or two larger. Don't try to go | | | | of light, you may be able to grow houseplants |
| too large, as too much soil means the roots | | | | well away from the windows.Humidity Lack of |
| will be sitting in damp conditions and the | | | | humidity can kill indoor plants. You may |
| roots will begin to rot.Pests Indoor pests | | | | first notice this as browning leaf tips |
| multiply quickly. There are no natural | | | | before the leaves die and drop. If your house |
| predators to keep them in check, so checking | | | | tends to be dry, you can increase humidity |
| frequently for symptoms. Spider mites, | | | | around your houseplants by placing a tray of |
| aphids, mealy bugs and scale can cover a | | | | pebbles under the pots, filling the tray to |
| plant in days. If severe enough, the plant | | | | just below the pot's bottom. Do not let your |
| may never recover. Keep an eye out for leaves | | | | plants sit directly in the water. You can |
| that become discoloured or curled and for | | | | also provide some humidity by misting your |
| plants that look limp even when they're | | | | plants each day. If you have lots of |
| watered. Learn to spot the following common | | | | houseplants, you may want to invest in a |
| houseplant pests.Spider Mites leave telltale | | | | humidifier.Salt Build-upWater your potted |
| webbing, especially on the inner joints of | | | | plants with enough water so the soil gets wet |
| plants and in plants with lush foliage. The | | | | and is allowed to drain through. Not watering |
| tiny mites are about the size of a pinhead | | | | enough can lead to salt build-up which can |
| and attack plants by sucking their juices. | | | | inhibit growth. You may not notice it until |
| Leaves will have yellow stippling. As the | | | | you start to see whitish crust on the soil or |
| infestation gets worse, the leaves will turn | | | | sides of the pot. At least once a month, |
| totally yellow and brittle and die. To get | | | | water your potted plants thoroughly, so that |
| rid of spider mites, spray the affected | | | | excess salts will be flushed out the drainage |
| plants with insecticidal soap.Mealy Bugs are | | | | hole of the pot.Watering The number one |
| small cottony white blobs, usually attached | | | | killer of houseplants is over watering, which |
| to the plant at the stem joints, but they may | | | | leads to root rot. Plants take in air through |
| also be found along the stems. They feed off | | | | their roots and if the soil is constantly |
| the plants by sucking. Plants infested with | | | | wet, they can't do this. Instead you'll be |
| mealy bugs often look like they are drying | | | | encouraging root rot, which can kill a |
| out, even when they've been watered. Mealy | | | | houseplant. Don't let your plants sit in |
| bugs are very hard to get rid of. If you | | | | water and don't automatically water all your |
| catch the problem early, cut out the infested | | | | houseplants on a schedule. Check to see if |
| branches. If your plants become severely | | | | the soil about 1" below the surface is dry, |
| infested, it would be best to just get rid of | | | | before you water. When you do water, water |
| them.Scales are small insects that attach | | | | thoroughly. Water until you see the water |
| themselves to the stem of a plant and cover | | | | coming out the bottom drainage holes. It will |
| themselves with a hard, oval shaped shell. | | | | also help if you use a light potting soil |
| Like mealy bugs, they slowly suck the sap | | | | instead of garden soil, which tends to be |
| from plants, leaving them weak. They are very | | | | heavy and doesn't allow water to drain |
| hard to get rid of so it is probably best to | | | | through.Over-wintering Tender PlantsOutdoor |
| replace the plant.Aphids look like small | | | | plants can be brought indoors as houseplants |
| green, white, yellow or black spots that can | | | | for the winter. However there are some points |
| surface on all parts of a plant. Aphids can | | | | to remember:Keep only healthy plantsIf |
| reproduce so quickly that an infestation will | | | | something has been struggling all summer |
| cover the plant in days. They are soft bodied | | | | under the best of conditions, it is not going |
| insects and can be killed quite easily by a | | | | to improve indoors.Never bring in a plant |
| strong blast of water or repeated sprays of | | | | with pests or diseaseProblems spread more |
| insecticidal soap. But they are persistent so | | | | quickly among indoor plants than in the |
| you will need to keep an eye on these plants | | | | garden.If the plant looks good as a house |
| and treat regularly.Heat Many gardeners think | | | | plant, bring it in and use it as oneMany |
| they are doing their houseplants a favour by | | | | people have the light to successfully winter |
| placing them in a warm spot, but placing your | | | | geraniums and begonias in full bloom.Linda |
| indoor plants near a direct source of heat, | | | | Peppin runs The Gardening Register which is |
| like a radiator, will dehydrate the plant | | | | an easy to follow, informative website |
| very quickly. Even if you are careful about | | | | covering all aspects of gardening. For more |
| watering the soil, the foliage will quickly | | | | gardening related articles visit her site at |
| become dehydrated.Drafts Placing an indoor | | | | articles on her website must not be copied or |
| plant, especially a tropical or blooming | | | | used elsewhere. |