Houseplant Care
What determines the amount of water a plant needs
?
There's no general rule that works for every plant. It depends on the following:
The plant's environment: higher temperatures, lots of light, and breezes or drafts will dry out a plant faster. Plants in small pots will need more water and those in unglazed clay pots also, since the porous sides allow moisture to pass through. The type of potting soil is also a factor -- more about this in another installment.
The type of plant: plants such as cactus that are native to a dry climate may not need much watering at all. Other plants with large, soft leaves need more water, as do plants that are blooming. I water my new cuttings daily, to stimulate root development.
Do all these factors mean that I just have to guess? ... not at all. Just use the "feel the soil rule". When the soil in the pot is dry to a depth of an inch or so that's the time to get out the watering can.
How to water:
Always give your plants a good soaking. It"s much better for them than small amounts applied more frequently. every month or so, I like to just put the whole pot in a large bucket for a few minutes to make sure that all the soil is getting dampened.
Symptoms of impending disaster:
How do you know if you're doing it properly? It"s pretty easy to tell when a plant needs more water. Its leaves will begin to droop. Too much water is a more common mistake. It causes black spots, mold, or a "mushy" feeling in the stems.
How to save the day:
If your plant is parched, just soak it for a while in a bucket. Mushy plants are more difficult to remove them from their pot and examine the roots. If they're mushy too, it's probably best to throw out the plant. Otherwise, replace most of the soil, and just keep it drier from now on.
Some other problems:
Root-bound plants will need more water than usual. It"s best to re-pot them. Ceramic pots with no drainage -- just be conservative, and watch for symptoms of over-watering.
After re-potting a plant, the new soil will stay moist much longer, since there are no roots in it to take up moisture, so you need to water it less often. Once you get to know your plants, it's much easier. You"ll develop a pattern, and you'll learn to recognize possible problems before they get too serious.
In order to survive, your houseplants need two kinds of nourishment. We discussed one of these, water, in part ii of this series. They also need minerals. When a plant is outdoors, it can usually get enough minerals from its surroundings all by itself. But houseplants need more attention - the nutrients available to them indoors must be provided by the gardener.
What do those numbers on the fertilizer bag mean?
Most fertilizers have the three minerals necessary for plants: nitrogen (n), phosphorus (p), and potassium (k). The numbers on the bag represent the percentages of these three nutrients. A fertilizer labeled 20-10-15 has 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 15% potassium. These are not the only elements that a plant needs, but other elements are required in much lower quantities.
How much of each mineral does my plant need?
This of course depends on what type of plant you are fertilizing. it is very important not to give your plant too much or too little food. This is a decision that must be made for each individual plant. You should carefully read both the label that came with your plant if there is one, and the label on the bag of fertilizer. If you're still not sure, ask the person at the plant store for advice.
What does each of the minerals do?
This topic is continually being researched by scientists. For the purposes of gardening, we can say that phosphorus is needed in greater amounts for flowering plants, while leafy plants like plenty of nitrogen. Potassium is particularly required for plants that bear fruit, since it helps to carry other nutrients through the plant tissues.
What are the symptoms of poor feeding?
Insufficient fertilization can cause the plant leaves to turn pale, or not to grow as large as they should. This can be remedied by using a fertilizer solution, so that the plant can absorb nutrients faster. If plants are over-fertilized, the leaves may wilt or begin to turn brown at the tips. in this case, you should thoroughly soak the plant in water to rinse the excess minerals away.
How do I fertilize my plants, and how often?
My personal preference is to use "liquid" fertilizers, since that makes it more difficult to over-fertilize. Dry fertilizer is dissolved in water using the directions given on the package. Then the plants are soaked by pouring the solution into the pot until it begins to flow out the holes in the bottom. I do this every two months - a bit more frequently during the blooming season. If you use care in feeding your house plants, they will not only stay alive, they'll become luxuriant. And don't forget to ask for advice if you're having difficulties. Your plant store should be happy to help a good customer.
by: Lovelyn Reyes
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