Basic Care for Your Houseplants

House Plant Care

Basic Houseplant Care
Indoor Plants Flowers

Basic care for your houseplants. If you are new to the world of houseplants, you may be wondering how to care for your new, green friends. Potted plants often come with instructions telling you to keep your plants "evenly moist" or to water a set amount at a certain interval.

The first part of good, basic houseplant care is to pick a day each week when you will take a little time to check on your houseplant and give it a little attention. Care for your houseplant on the same day each week.

On your houseplant care day the first thing you should do is check to see if your houseplant needs to be watered. Most plants will be fine if you allow the soil to dry half of its depth or more. So feel down half the depth of the soil. Is it dry all the way or is it still pretty wet or moist? You can use your fingers or a moisture meter. I use both at work, often relying on a moisture meter if the pot is larger and harder to dig down into.

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If you decide that your houseplant requires watering, grab your watering can and make sure to water thoroughly. You can immerse the entire pot and root ball into standing water until all the air has been displaced from the soil or you can top-water using a watering can. When using the top-water method, make sure to wet the entire soil mass. Water should drain out of the grow pot through the drainage holes. Houseplants should always be planted in containers that have drainage holes. The only exception would be if you are using a pot with a self-watering or sub-irrigation system. Room temperature water is best.

Next, remove all yellow and brown foliage. If you have brown leaves, spotted leaves, yellow leaves or leaves that are starting to turn yellow at the stem, remove them entirely. You can use scissors or pruners if you need to but many times you can remove leaves and stems with your hands. Woody plants may need pruners or scissors. If leaf tips have turned a little brown or black, you can trim them with clean, sharp scissors.

Take notice of your indoor house plant's appearance as you care for it. Does it droop a little or seem to be not so green and healthy looking as the week before? Or is it looking good, no spots, no brown tips and no yellow leaves?

Think about the last time you watered your plant. Did you have to water the week before? Or was the soil still wet or damp? Did you water it anyway? Or was the soil so dry the plant was beginning to wilt?

Watering your plant is very much a cause and effect event. If your plant is looking good - green, shiny and healthy looking - then you are doing the right things. If it is wilting, yellow or spotted, not much new growth, you need to review your watering habits and make adjustments.

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Indoor House Plants and Care

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You will know if you are doing the right things by the way the plant responds to your care. Remember, every plant is different. Only you can tell if your plant needs to be watered.

After you have watered your houseplant and cleaned it up of brown, yellow or discolored leaves, you can gently wipe the leaves with a clean, dry cloth. This may or may not be necessary and you can tell by looking at your plant if it needs cleaning. It is a good idea to clean or dust your houseplant's leaves occasionally.

The last thing you should do as part of your basic houseplant care is turn the entire plant half a turn. This will help promote even growth on all sides as a plant will orient the leaf surfaces towards the major light source.

Over watering is a big problem but insufficient watering or letting your plant wilt on a regular basis is not good for it. This will most likely cause browning or spotting of the foliage over time. Be sure to check your houseplants on a regular schedule. Pay attention to visual signs such as mild wilting, browning tips, etc. and you will soon learn how to gauge when your plants require watering.

Basic Houseplant Care
Things to Note

• When you water your plants, always water thoroughly.
• Water should be as close to room temperature as possible.
• Plants should always be planted in a container with drainage holes at the bottom. Exceptions would be certain types of planters with sub-irrigation.
• Aerating the soil before you water is also very beneficial.
• Make sure that any excess water is discarded when you are finished.
• Many plants are in a stage of no or very slow growth in the winter and should be allowed to become somewhat drier. Some plants may not need to be watered at all in the winter months, after a good soaking in the fall.
• If the heat is kept exceptionally high in the winter, it is also possible that your plants may use and need more water in the winter months.
• Some plants use more water temporarily as heating systems are turned on in the colder months.
• As the daylight changes throughout the year and as temperatures change, your plants water use will change accordingly.

Basic Houseplant Care
Watering Notes

• A houseplant that is set next to an air vent is going to require more frequent watering than one that is not.
• Plants that are in a new environment often use more water as they acclimate to new conditions.
• A plant with an abundance of foliage is going to require much more moisture than a very thin or sparse plant.
• If your plant is in a plastic container, it will stay moist much longer than a plant in a clay or wood container.
• Watering is very relative to the light that your plant receives. Finish this page and then read about the importance of good lighting for your house plant's health.

All of these things should be considered as you make the decision as you perform your weekly basic houseplant care. Hope these tips help you to keep your indoor houseplants green and growing. More flower and plant pictures, care, and contact information below...

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Houseplant Care Question?

Questions about your indoor house plants or plant care problems? You can send a house plant question, free of charge, no sign ups, registration or log in required!

Before you send a houseplant care question, please be sure to read this information on watering your indoor house plants, how to help keep your your indoor house plants root system healthy and lighting for your indoor house plants and flowers. These are most important for the health of your house plants and this is some of the information I will refer you to if you send an indoor house plant or flower care question.

You can post comments, find answers to plant care questions, or share some of your own plant wisdom on our plant care Facebook Page, Twitter page or visit my plant care blog. You can also find plant pictures, gardening ideas, and more at our plant and flower Pinterest page.

Thanks for visiting and come back soon as houseplant care information, pictures and more are being added all of the time. I hope that your indoor tropical house plants and all of your plants and flowers are happy, green and growing because that is why I started this indoor house plant and flower care website, PlantAndFlowerInfo.com.

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