Submitted by Joan Regan
Christmas is put away, the house plants all back in place and happily waiting for the attention from Mom that they’ll get for awhile.
For those of you wanting to add another house plant to your collection, just a few reminders about adding another to your plant tribe.
Before leaving the store make sure the plant is completely covered and protected from the cold. I have an old bath towel in my car just in case any plants get unruly and want to run away to my house. The towel will stay put till she is home in her new house and getting used to the new temperatures. They are Tropicals remember, and cold just might be their demise.
Once home and warm, the foil wrapper comes off and in she goes to a new pretty pot. The pot she came in stays put, I don’t remove her from it. House plants do not mind being a bit tight in their pots and this is not the time to mess around and take her out of the home she has known for awhile.
After checking for any bugs and yellow leaves she goes to the spot that I picked out for her, no drinks for a couple of days, letting her settle in, then slowly introducing a drink. I use the finger test to check for watering, poked into the second knuckle – if it feels dry I water.
I have found they do so much better in pots inside of a decorative ones. They can be watered easier from the bottom or just sat in a sink of slightly warm water till the soil is damp. Less disturbance being kept in her original pot and put back into the pretty one, pot and all, and she is happier.
I have a Peace Lily well over five years old and she is doing great still in the pot she came in. Lots of new growth this year and flowering as well. She just might need a larger pot soon.
I remember buying plants years ago, getting them home, dividing them up and putting them in separate pots. More bang for my buck. NOT. They took forever to grow, if they even survived the abuse.
Funny how these plants all turn towards the light. Now that they’re back where they usually stay I notice they are all turning around to face the light they were in earlier. They will stay put right where they are happy and it’s time I take a look at another plant that is not looking happy at all and not one that was moved around. So ? ? ? Hmmm.
Happy Indoor Gardening,
(another day closer to Spring)
Joni
jpregan@amtelecom.net 519 596 2389
