Gardening Tips for houseplants

1. Watering your Houseplants.

Each houseplant has a different watering requirement depending on its growth and the season, different plant care. Watering your houseplants should be done as needed, not according to a schedule. Plants that have been grown in well-drained soil should be watered only when the soil is dry to the top. Cacti and succulents require less water, while flowering plants need more. Houseplant death is most commonly caused by overwatering. It’s better not to know how much water to give to your houseplants.

2. Fertilize your houseplants regularly

There is no easy way to determine how much fertilizer to apply. It all depends on the plant’s growth rate, age, and time of the year. Spring and summer are the best times to fertilize houseplants. Most houseplants won’t require much fertilizer during the shorter days of winter and fall. To determine how much food you should use, refer to the label.

Overwatering is the same as overwatering. It’s important not to fertilize your houseplants too often. Overfeeding your houseplants can cause damage to their roots and slow down their growth. Use a fertilizer with three numbers (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) that are fairly equal for flowering varieties. A high nitrogen content can cause the plant to produce a lot of leaves but not many flowers.

3. Propagate houseplants

Many houseplants can be propagated using division or other methods every once in a while. It can be used to revive an old plant or encourage new growth. It’s also an economical way to grow more plants from the ones you already own.

Bromeliads and other houseplants like bromeliads can send up new shoots at their base or offsets. These are easy to divide and place in new pots. Houseplants that climb, such as pothos and philodendron, form new roots when their stems contact the soil. This makes them a good candidate for cuttings. You can also root African violets using a single leaf. Just soak the stem in water for a few weeks.

Some houseplants like strawberry begonia and spider plants reproduce by sending runners that have new plantlets at their ends. Rooting these plants is easy. You just need to soak them in water for a few more days to allow them to develop roots. Then you can plant them in the soil.

4. Repot overgrown houseplants

Are you unsure if your houseplants require repotting? You should inspect the root systems. It is possible to repot the pot if the roots are growing into the container. You can transfer the plant to a larger container if it has outgrown its current pot. You can keep the plant in the same pot by removing some roots using a sharp knife. Then, replant the plant into the container with fresh potting soil.

It’s a great time to repot houseplants and also to split those with multiple stems in order to make new plants. Repotting houseplants is best done in spring and summer.

5. Get rid of dust from plants

Regular cleaning is a must for all houseplants. If your plants have hairy leaves, you can wash them with room-temperature water. Dust builds up on the leaves. You can also gently wipe off the dust from smooth leaves with a cloth. This will not only improve the appearance of your plant but also help it absorb more light.

6. Prune and pinch back houseplants

While you can prune at any time of year, fall is the best time to get out your pruning tools after a long summer of growth. Pruning houseplants is a great way to improve their appearance and prevent them from growing too big. Rejuvenating overgrown houseplants is similar to propagating.

It’s important to cut them back to 4 to 6 inches in height. This is a great way to encourage new growth in trailing plants like pothos and Swedish ivy that have fallen at their base.
Cut just above the set of side shoots or buds on the stem you wish to trim back. These are the places where new growth will begin.
To prevent the problem from spreading, you should also remove dead or diseased stems and leaves.

Pinching is the act of removing the stem tips with your fingers or pruners. To encourage side buds to grow, pinch off the tips of the stems and the topmost leaves. Regular pinching is a good way to encourage rapid growth.

7. Take out dying leaves and deadhead flowers

To encourage more flowers and prevent diseases, remove faded blooms from your plants. Make sure you remove any yellow, brown, or withered foliage while you are at it. To make a clean cut, use a narrow-bladed hand pruner or sharp scissors. To prevent spreading pests or diseases, it’s a good idea for your pruner blades to be wiped with rubbing alcohol before you move on to another plant.

8. Controlling Insect Pests

Many insects are known to attack houseplants. The most common soft-bodied pests, such as spider mites and aphids, can be treated with insecticidal soap. It is easy to use and effective. The hose can also be used to forcefully spray the pest population. Rub alcohol with a cotton ball on waxy insects such as mealybugs and scale.

Be consistent, regardless of what treatment you choose. You may need to treat plants every other week to get rid of fast-reproducing pests like aphids or spider mites.

Fungus gnats, tiny black flies, are common pests of houseplants. They often confuse fruit flies with them. When plants are overwatered, you will often see fungus gnats in large numbers. You should allow the soil to dry between waterings. Also, make sure you remove any dead leaves from the soil surface. You may be able to repot your plant in fresh soil and a new container in extreme cases.