~~~~Gardening~~~~

Thanks for stopping by my gardening page.

In case you didn't know, houseplants are very beneficial to your health. They 'breath in' the carbon dioxide in the air and 'breath out' fresh oxygen.
The best plants for this is the Peace Lily, Pothos, Spider Plant, Ficus, Ivy, Philodendrons, Dracaena, Palms, African Violets and Ferns.

Spring Plant Care:

With March upon us, Spring is almost here!
It is still a bit too early to get into our gardens to really play in the dirt, but now is a good time to do some pruning and replotting of our houseplants.

The daylight hours are becoming longer (finally!) and this means that plants are actively beginning to grow again.

This is a good time to start fertilizing again.
Most houseplants should be fertilized once a month
spring through fall.
Flowering houseplants should be fertilized
twice a month spring through fall.

I recommend a good all purpose
water soluble fertilizer (20-20-20)

Slow release granules are a good way to feed your plants if you have a hard time remembering to mix the blue powder into your water.  All you have to do is sprinkle them on top of your soil and water them to start a slow release feed that usually lasts 4 - 6 weeks.

This is also a good time to prune back any branches or stems that have grown gangly or out of shape to make your plant look respectable again.

Don't be afraid to give your plants a 'haircut' now and then!
They always look better afterwards.
Just be sure to leave several leaves on the branch or stem you are pruning. This helps the plant to rejuvenate faster.
Some plants can be cut back completely.
They will sprout new growth to look young and fresh again.
Check in a houseplant book or at your local garden center houseplant department if you are not sure about pruning specific plants.

If your plants are completely pot bound, or have not had fresh soil in the past 2 or more years, now is a good time to replot.
If replotting into a larger pot, only move up 2 - 4 inches in pot size. You are not doing your plant any favours by getting too big when replotting. You can shock a plant to death by giving it too much room all at once.

If you do not want to replot into a larger pot you can do a root pruning, add fresh soil and replot into the same pot. You may prune up to 1/3 of the roots of your plant with no adverse effects.  You should prune the plant back a bit if you root prune.  It makes it easier for the smaller root system to sustain a smaller plant. 

When placing your plant in its new, or the old pot, keep it at the same level it was before.  In other words, never sink the plant or pile up soil around the stem.  You can cause shock or stem rot by burying the plant too deep. 
Place soil in the bottom of the pot if you need to raise the plant but always leave an inch or two between the soil line and the top of the pot.  This way when you water the plant it will soak into the roots instead of running out over the edge of the pot.

Don't forget to clean the leaves with a moist cloth to remove dust build up, and you will have some very happy houseplants this spring!!

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