My houseplants seem a little weak after this winter. What should I be doing now?
With the longer daylight periods it’s time to bring your houseplants out of their winter resting period. Are the roots coming out of the drain holes? Does the plant wither a day after watering? Is the new growth stunted or yellowed?
If so, it’s repotting time!
Select a pot a few sizes larger and deeper. Start with a good quality weed free, soil less mix. Pesche’s potting soil is a perfect choice for your houseplants. Horticultural charcoal at the bottom of the pot 1 to 2 inches deep helps hold air and keeps the container fresh. Pre-soak terra cotta pots before transplanting. Place a small mound of new potting soil at the base. Gently loosen up the root ball without disturbing too much of the original soil. Trim off any yellow or rotting roots. Position the root ball into the mound of soil at the base, fill in the sides lightly packing in soil to fill in air gapes. Finish up by watering using tepid water that has been set out for a few days allowing the chlorine to evaporate and is room temperature.
It’s time for a bath!
Your plants are probably dusty after a winter of warmth from the furnace. Adjust the water temperature as close to the room temp.as possible and turn on the shower. Put a few drops of dish soap on a sponge, suds it up and gently wipe off the leaves, tops and bottoms. Rinse for a few minutes, then let the containers dry for an hour or two. A clean plant is a healthy plant; it breathes and feeds easily through clean open pores! African violets and cyclamens should be dry cleaned with a soft brush.
After a good bath it’s time for a meal!
Some nutrition will move the plant out of its winter rest to a spring growing mode. Most water soluble fertilizers can be sprayed on the foliage. Don’t forget to spray the undersides of the leaves. Pesches offers a wide variety of fertilizers as well as vitamins and plant hormones. Stop in for advice on product selection. It’s time to get growing!
