At this point in the year, the less-than-supportive indoor conditions tend to take their toll on our houseplants. Put another way, many are developing “Houseplant-itis”. The low humidity, reduced sunlight and cool temperatures next to the window glass often cause them to become lackluster. Fortunately, there are a few ways to encourage healthy growth between now and when they can be safely moved outdoors in May.
First, consider the 5 basic needs of most tropical houseplants, namely the proper amount of water, light, temperature, humidity and fertilizer for each one and strive to provide it. Check the plant care tag for specific information for each species. Many other growing techniques can help as well:
Dust the leaves. Removing dirt and grime allows more sunlight to reach their leaves. Misting them with a spray bottle, then wiping the leaves with a microfiber cloth or fuzzy socks will greatly increase their photosynthetic capacity.
Put a large plastic bag over the top of a wire cage to boost humidity around the leaves. A pebble tray and/or a room humidifier will suffice as well.
Use a fan to blow a gentle stream of air in their direction. A few weeks of this effort will result in stronger stems as they grow a bit thicker to resist the wind energy.
Turn plant pots to discourage leaning towards the light from the window. Generally, a ¼ turn on a weekly basis does a good job of keeping plants upright.
Consider a 2-pot approach – an attractive outer pot with a functional inner pot that has a drainage hole to allow excess water to escape. The hole-less, nice looking outer pot will keep your windowsill and end tables dry and unstained.
Use a chopstick, popsicle stick or even a small screwdriver to determine soil moisture. Most houseplants need to be kept evenly moist, so feel the end of the probe to see if it feels damp. Also, moist soils tend to promote gnat infestations. If you see little black bugs flying around, and they were outside in the summer, they’re probably being kept too moist. Checking before watering provides an insight.
For higher light requiring houseplants, try creating a grow box or similar flat surface to boost light levels. Cover a shoebox or cardboard shipping box with aluminum foil and lean it against the wall near the plant to reflect sunlight back to the leaf surfaces.
