CABOT – After a long season of tending flower beds and veggie gardens, how are houseplants looking? If you’re like me, it’s been all too easy to ignore the indoor denizens, and they are looking . . . um, not the best. But never fear! Here are some ways to rejuvenate (and apologize to) those indoor friends.
Most houseplants rarely get a good soaking, because that can get quite messy. Instead, we give them just a little, so we aren’t running for a towel when the saucer under them overflows. Over time, the soil can get very dry, to the point where it is hydrophobic. Think of a dried-out sponge, that sheds water instead of absorbing it. When watering a plant with hydrophobic soil, the water is often just running down between the soil and inner wall of the pot, with little reaching the roots.
A second problem is salt buildup. When the soil never gets flushed out, it starts to accumulate salts, which isn’t great for most houseplants.Treat plants to a relaxing soak. Set them in a deep dish (mixing bowls are great) and water them well. Let them sit in the runoff for 20 minutes, then dump the
excess water. You may be surprised how much of the water gets re-absorbed after initially running right out the bottom. A caution: I don’t recommend this spa treatment for succulents. They are adapted to dry conditions, and often to mild salt levels as well, and really don’t like being soaked.
Dusty plants can’t breathe. Their leaves are covered with little openings (called stomata) for exchanging air and releasing water vapor? Dust clogs up the openings, and that just can’t feel good. For tropical plants, give them a nice shower in the sink or tub, and gently rub the leaves clean. For desert plants, use a soft duster instead of water.
Periodically, houseplants appreciate a fresh soil. Purchase a good quality potting soil, and make sure it is the right type for your plant (succulent mix for desert plants, general purpose for tropical). Pop the plant out of the pot, gently shake off most of the soil from their roots, and replant with fresh soil. Once potted, hold the edges of the pot and tap it firmly on a work surface a few times, to help settle the new soil around the roots. Water well (also to help settle the soil around the roots). If you have plants that don’t need soil, such as orchids, check their growing medium (granular mix, or peat moss) to make sure it is draining well, and isn’t getting mildewed.
Sometimes houseplants suffer because they have outgrown their pot. There are two choices: either cut back the roots to make the plant smaller, or buy a bigger pot. I’m frugal, have a small house, and a lot of plants, so I usually opt to reduce the size of the plant, rather than dedicate even more of my home to my chlorophyllic buddies. For single plants, use sharp clippers to cut away some of the roots. Reduce some of the foliage as well, so that the roots and top maintain about the same proportion as when you started the operation. For plants that are crowded because they made copies of themselves, pick one, and give away or discard the rest.
Some plants, with a tendency to drape or trail (philodendron, tradescantia, ivy, angel wing begonia, etc), can become disheveled over time, with dead leaves or bare stems near the pot, and fresh leaves only at the far ends. Sometimes it is easiest to re-start these plants. Cut 8-10” off the end of the trailing part, strip off all but the last 2-3 leaves, and put the cut stem into a jar of water. Once it sends out roots in the water, plant it in fresh soil. Now you have a fresh, new plant, and can discard the original one.
Most houseplants are pretty darn tough: that is why they are still with you after all these years. But they do appreciate a bit of special attention, once a year or so. Happy indoor gardening.
Susan Socks, is known as the Garden Goddess. For gardening help, email [email protected], call (802) 498-7785, or visit SocksFamilyFarm.weebly.com.
