Over
the years I have heard so many times, “I can’t grow houseplants, I have a black
thumb!” and have often wondered why. I thought at first it was simple lack of
interest. After all, everyone has different hobbies than me. I love plants;
maybe you enjoy knitting, baking or extreme snowboarding, who knows? Then I
realized people genuinely want green and growing things in their home, but do
not know what to do with them. Whether you are wanting to grow stately palms or
ficus trees as focal points in your living room or simple pots of herbs or
African violets on your kitchen windowsill, hopefully I can help.
First
of all, if you receive plant advice, don’t listen to anyone who claims they can
grow anything. They are lying! I have more houseplants than you can shake a
stick at, but unfortunately, the sticks you are shaking are from my countless
houseplant victims that have died from some exotic mystery plant illness (ok, I
did it…). Most successful “green thumbs” will admit that they have seen
their fair share of prized plants go belly up. I try to determine the cause
(usually me), give them a proper burial and learn from my mistakes. I have also
thrown many plants away that were struggling too much or that just became
downright ugly, without regret. If you are willing to accept defeat
occasionally, realize this is part of the territory and bring home a new green
buddy to love. One thing I have learned is that most average houseplants thrive
on a little neglect. Most of them seem to be perfectly happy with this
arrangement and I don’t annoy them with too much attention. Although, once in a
while, I will walk around and stroke their leaves, poke their soil, coo over
them and tell them how green and sexy they are looking, but I have to make sure
I don’t do this too often or they will drop some leaves just out of spite.
Successful
plant owners start by purchasing healthy plants instead of bargain ones and
inspect them carefully to ensure success from the beginning. Sick plants aren’t
usually worth your time, they never look much better. When you adopt a plant,
find out as much about it as possible. Not every plant has the same
requirements; some may need brighter light or less water than others. Success
is easier if you treat plants like individuals with their own needs. Also, some
plants are simply high maintenance indoors compared to others, such as fern or
ivy. Some very easy and popular choices are: philodendron or pothos, ficus
tree, rubber plant, parlor palm, snake plant, Chinese evergreen, peace lily,
spider plant, cacti and succulents. Blooming indoor plants such as cyclamen,
mum, bromeliad or gloxinia are usually short-lived, so know this and enjoy them
while you have them.
Less
is more!
It is easy to kill a plant with kindness faster than you can say root rot. Over
watering of houseplants, especially in winter, is the #1 killer of houseplants
and the major cause of “black thumb.” Most indoor plants do not need to be on a
tightly scheduled regimen of water and do not like wet feet. If you are guilty
of this sometimes it helps to pot them in clay pots, as plastic holds water in
longer and is not porous. They need to be in a pot with drainage and never
allow them to sit in water. If they become very dry, let them soak water from
the bottom for ½ hour or so, but empty any excess water out of the saucer. Be
extra careful watering large floor plants because they may need water less
often than smaller pots and do not dry out as quickly. Some of my very large
plants are lucky if they get watered once a month. Once again, it depends on
the plant. A woody plant such as ficus will need more water than a
fleshy-stemmed one such as a dieffenbachia or snake plant. Make sure to adjust
water and fertilizer as the seasons change. Houseplants are semi-dormant in the
winter just like garden plants and need no fertilizer and less water than
during summer. I usually sling some granular slow-release fertilizer like
Osmocote on my plants a couple times a year. In the spring, I may give them a
quick shot of liquid fertilizer when I notice new growth.
Here
are a few more of Dawn’s houseplant rules of thumb: Inspect plants once a month
or so for insects and treat with multi-purpose insecticidal soap if needed. Horticultural
oil works great indoors as well as outdoors for smothering hard to kill insects
such as mealy bugs, spider mites and scale. Trim dead and dying leaves and
stems periodically, as this can breed fungus or critters. This may also promote
new growth. Don’t be afraid to poke the soil with your fingers to check for
water needs, as soil may look dry on the surface, but may be wet otherwise. If
it feels damp, leave it alone! Plants love to live in groupings together
instead of alone in the corner. They are very social creatures and get lonely
sometimes. Also, this raises the humidity level around them, as they exchange
moisture and oxygen. The air in a home is extremely dry, so a tray of clean
pebbles and water set amongst them, or using a mist bottle or a humidifier in
their room helps. Occasionally, move them to the bathtub and give them a shower
of tepid water; they love this too! This washes dust and grime off the leaves
and flushes built-up minerals and salts out of the soil. Large unmovable floor
plants benefit from an occasional wiping with a wet, soft cloth. When
repotting, always use sterile, professional potting mix, never garden soil or
topsoil. Most plants will live great in a fairly bright room, either natural or
artificial light. Direct sun will burn them, so watch those south-facing
windowsills! Also, so-called low-light plants only tolerate low light;
they prefer brighter surroundings, no dark corners. Most houseplants are native
to the tropics and humid, jungle environments. They benefit hugely from being
put outside (well after the frost-free date) in the shade (since they are not
used to direct sun), and checked for water on a daily basis, much as you would
a container garden with summer annuals. Bring them inside in the fall after
spraying for insects, before night temps fall below 50 or so, if possible.
Houseplants allowed to live outside for a few months look phenomenal, with lush
growth, much more so than if left inside 365 days a year.
All
green plants filter the air in your home and make it cleaner. They add life and
character to a home. Once you know the basics, plants are easy, fun and
rewarding. With all this talk about thumbs, here’s hoping yours turns from
black to green!
Dawn
Leith
Durham
Garden Center