Care of Indoor Plants
1. Repotting:
The house plants soon fill the pots with its roots and often need a large pot for satisfactorily continuing its growth. It is I hen shifted to a pot a little larger on size with its root and soil intact. This process is known as ‘Repotting* Plants should never be repotted when the soil is in a dry state.In this condition they should be watered some time before potting is commenced, sq that the surplus water will have to drain away. Soil used for potting should be sufficiently moist to hold together when pressed in the hand, but not wet.
2. Watering:
Pot plants require to be watered much more carefully than those growing in the ground. Applying too little or too much of water is undesirable. When the leaves droop it is a sign that the plant is either in need of water or suffering from soil stagnation at the root Always use soft water for watering the potted plants.
3. Syringing :
It refers to the operation of spraying the plant surfaces through a fine syringenose. It is essential to the health of plants, growing under cover where the natural rain does not reach them. Syringing creates a.moist atmosphere, cleans the leaves and thus assist in promoting their functions.
4. AH plants growing in a varandah should be frequently turned round in their position so as to equalize the effect of the light odierwise their growth will be top sided.
5. Too much light is just as detrimental as too little and the majority of indoor plants should not be placed in full Sun. Sun scorch or leaf bum will soon make them very unattractive. Requirement for light varx with the individual plants. Most flowering plants require considerable light to bloom, while most foliage plants need diffused light. The only exception to this rule is plants that have variegated leaves. When a variegated plant is placed in a dark corner, the few green cells present in the leaves can not manufacture enough food to maintain a healthy growing condition. Flowering plants since require more sunlight for profuse flowering can be better located near the windows.
6. The humidity of air in the house or room is very low. Many house plants require a higher humidity than is normally present It is often difficult to provide the necessary humidity in the room. The humidity around the plants can be increased by the following ways:
i) Use trays of pebbles in which water is poured to just below the tops of the pebbles. Place the pots on the pebbles, being certain that the bottoms are not sitting m the water.
ii) Another method is the single plant may be top dressed with sphangnum moss and the moss kept nicely damp.