concerning houseplants

If you'd like to try more houseplants, but don't want to read several books just to keep them alive, I thought I'd share what I've learned. (Okay, so the truth is that thinking about this post gave me a wonderful distraction from thinking about all the stressful meetings that were awaiting me this week.) It seems to boil down to this:

1) DON'T WATER PLANTS TOO FREQUENTLY. Most plants do not need to be watered every day or even every couple days. I water most of mine more like every week or even every other week. I'm sure there are exceptions for more "finicky" plants, but the more sturdy, common variety seem to need some time between waterings to let their roots "breathe". I have found that, for most plants, even after getting very dry and wilted-looking (like after a long vacation), they can still make a surprising comeback if just given a good soak. Of course, the more frequently you check on your plants, the better.

2) BUT WHEN YOU DO WATER, WATER WELL. The idea is to give the roots a thorough soak without leaving them sitting in standing water. I've found the best way to do this is setting the entire plant in a shallow dish of water, leaving it there for several minutes to an hour, (until the soil on top feels wet to the touch) and then removing it. This way, you know the roots have gotten a really good drink (sometimes, if you water really dry plants from the top, the water just runs right out the bottom without watering the plant very well), and you know that the plant is not left in standing water. Of course, this only works for plants in containers that have holes in the bottom, like the cheap, plastic containers that most plants come in when you buy them. (I think it's generally much easier -and less traumatic to the plant- to just leave it in the container it came in and then set the whole thing in a cuter, outer "cache" pot.) This watering method still won't be possible for some plants (like ones in really big pots), so you will have to improvise. But watch out for standing water! -It kills plants and also brings gnats, as I have discovered from unfortunate experience on two occasions. You can usually just "tip out" the standing water. I've also tried watering plants in the sink or taking them outside to be watered.

3) MOVE YOUR PLANTS -if they are not doing well in a particular spot. If there's a spot that's not working for any plant you try, put some nice silk flowers there instead. Since I moved our gardenia to one of our smaller bedrooms, where it can get more light and humidity, it is doing much better.

4) FEED YOUR PLANTS. This really isn't too hard. I just bought a liquid fertilizer, and I put a few drops in the water every time or every-other-time I water.

5) AVOID HIGH-MAINTAINANCE PLANTS -if you don't want the hassle. Tropical plants, like my gardenia and sonic impatients, may refuse to bloom just because it is too dry for them. Misting them, I got slightly better results, but have not yet been willing to spring for a humidifier on account of my plants. Hibiscus will bloom, but the flowers drop after 24 hours or so, maybe for the same reason. Despite their reputation, orchids were not that difficult (just put a few ice cubes on top to water them every week) and the blooms lasted for a month! There are some plants that need very little care, like anything in the succulent/cacti family.