Temperatures and falling and so are the leaves. But there is still plenty of time to get in the garden before the first …
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House Plants 201
House Plant care requires non-stop learning. Once you have the basics down, it’s time to take your knowledge to the next level to watch your plants really thrive. Here we talk about advanced care tips, propagation, repotting and more!
Know the Basics
Basic care and maintenance are essential for the health and longevity of your plants. Brush up your plant care knowledge here: House Plants 101
KEEP THEM THRIVING
It’s time to take your indoor plant care to the next level. Learn how to go beyond mere survival and foster an environment where your plants truly thrive.
Prevent Pests and Diseases:
The first step in advanced care is pest and disease prevention. Identifying pest and disease issues right away is key to lessening their impact on your plant.
It’s important to inspect your plants regularly. At the very least, give them a thorough once over each time you water.
If you see brown spots, curling or distorted leaves, black spots or white fuzz, bag a sample area from your plant and bring it to our Garden Pharmacy so we can help diagnose and treat the issue.
Some ways to minimize the impact of pests and diseases are:
- Don’t overwater
- Ensure good circulation
- Quarantine new arrivals
- Ensure adequate light
Trimming & Maintaining:
Regular trimming and maintenance helps your plant stay healthy, strong and look its best. Removing leggy or dying steams and leaves helps keep your plant full, and puts more energy into the new growth.
It is best to do any major trimming or cutting back at the beginning of a growth season, which is typically late winter. You can remove dead steams and leaves at any point by using your fingers to snap them off.
Use a good pair of pruners and cut just before a leaf node. Cut as close to the main stem as possible, but do not remove more than 25% of the plant.
Most plants can be trimmed. However, plants like Norfolk Pine and Palms cannot be cut back. This will damage the plant.
Repotting Tips & Tricks:
Repotting can be more than just changing pots. It’s an opportunity to refresh soil, pot mix, and provide your plants with a new opportunity to grow.
Repotting is best done Spring through Fall while your plant is actively growing.
- If changing pot sizes, select a new container that is 2-inches larger than your current pot. You do not want to go any bigger than 4-inches up in size.
- Fill your new container 1/3 of the way with potting soil. A house plant mixture like Miracle-gro Indoor Potting Mix is a great option. Do not reuse old potting soil or anything made of outdoor gardening.
- Remove your plant from its old container, and gently remove as much soil from the roots as possible.
- Place the plant in its new container. Make sure the base of the plant is at least 2-inches below the rim of the container.
- Fill the rest of the container with fresh soil.
- Water the soil thoroughly.
Learn more about Repotting Your House Plants Here
Propagating:
What’s better than using your well-loved plants to make more! Propagating is a great way to do that. There are a few ways to get started.
- Cuttings-when you cut off part of another plant. Usually a stem with at least one leaf on it.
- Division-when you take a mature plant and split it at the roots to make more plants
- Offsets-when you use “pups” or baby plants to start a new plant.
Once you have your piece to propagate, place it stem side down in water. Make sure none of the leaves are touching the water.
Move your plant to a place with lots of light and wait for roots to grow.
Once roots form, place your new plant in soil and enjoy!
Propagating is as much of an art as it is science. So don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work at first.
Successfully Transferring Plants:
Just like people, plants love a good vacation outdoors for the summer. When temperatures are consistently over 50 degrees overnight, you can start to make the transition outdoors.
You’ll want to start slow. Put them in a fully shaded area for the first week. Then move them to a partially shaded area for one week. Most house plants cannot tolerate direct sunlight and need to protected from direct morning sun for the summer.
Learn more about moving your house plants outdoor for the summer.
Similarly, you’ll want to make the transition back indoors before temperatures drop below 50 degrees, this usually happens early October.
Before bringing inside, you’ll need to treat for pests so you don’t risk hitchhikers. Using an insecticidal soap should do the job. Treat them about one week prior to bringin indoors.
You want to make the transition back inside as slowly as you did the one outside. Start by just bringing them indoors at night, and then in a week, bring them indoors for the daytime too. Make sure you provide as much light as possibel at first.
Don’t be alarmed if your plants drop leaves after the move. This is total normal.
Learn more about transitioning your house plants indoors for the winter.
By incorporating these advanced tips into your indoor gardening routine, you’ll not only keep your plants alive but create an environment where they can truly flourish. Visit an of our English Gardens locations and talk with an expert for any of your plant care questions.
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