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