House plant care
Care should be taken to use the right kind of soil for your potted plants. It should allow for easy draining, writes Gillian Nantume
If you grow plants indoors, they definitely need good care just like the other plants that grow in your garden. Here are a few tips on how to keep your plants glowing so they can give that special décor to your home. The most important thing, however, is to try to learn a lot about the house plants you purchase from the shop were you buy them from.
1. A good container or flower pot, with holes at the bottom to allow for drainage, is the first step in caring for your house plants. The container should be big enough to accommodate the plant, allow for proper watering, and for re-planting in case you are replacing the soil in the pot.
2. Plants need light to grow and glow, so you may have to place an artificial light near the plant to give it that extra warmth. Alternatively, you can place them near, though not next to, a window to capitalise on the sunlight. In dry weather, the plant should be moved as direct sunlight might scorch it.
3. A very low temperature can have the effect of ruining your house plants, so if you can, in cold weather, leave some of the doors closed to preserve room temperature.
4. Care should be taken to use the right kind of soil for your potted plants. It should allow for easy draining. Visit any fertiliser shop for advice on the type of soil to use; the need to fertilise the soil, and the regularity, should also be discussed. Some plants need to be fertilised once a year.
5. Do not over-water the plant, even in the dry season. Over-watered plants will rot in their pots. It is always best to allow the soil to become dry before watering again. Take the plant outside, water it and allow the water to drain before returning it to its position.
6. You need to regularly clean the leaves because your plants breathe through them. Gently wipe them with a damp rug, or just dust them. Alternatively you can take them outside once in a while and hose them down to remove the grime off the leaves.
7. When the plants grow, change the plant pot to allow for more room. Often, once a year, the soil needs to be emptied and replaced with fresh soil.
