Types of Pots for Container Gardening – Red Clay

Red Clay Pots:  Red clay pots are the best containers you can buy to grow your plants in.  Why?  Because clay pots are fairly inexpensive, most nurseries or garden centers carry them in all different shapes and sizes, and their reddish-brown color usually blends in well with most home decors.

It’s also important that clay pots are porous, which as far as your plants are concerned, means that moisture is absorbed easily and that air circulation is very good.

Because of their excellent absorption of moisture, plants kept in red clay pots will generally require more frequent waterings than plants kept in other types of containers.  However, if you soak your newly bought clay pot in water for several hours before planting anything inside of it, you will lessen this condition somewhat.  Regardless, make sure that you check plants kept in this type of container often for signs of dryness.

Another advantage of clay pots is that they will actually warn you if you are giving your plant too much fertilizer, or if the water you are giving your plant is too hard.  If a white film builds up on the outside of the pot, then there is a problem with either the fertilization or the water.

Finally, if you wish to reuse a clay pot, make sure that you scrub it thoroughly in wrm water.  Better yet, sanitize it by placinbg the pot in an oven at 180 degrees for thirty minutes, or soak the pot in a solution made up of one part household bleach and ten parts water.

How To Care for Houseplants – Light

Deciding how much light your plant needs can be a very tricky decision to make.  If a plant is receiving too much or too little light, it could die.

In general, foliage plants need less light than flowering plants and most houseplants enjoy plenty of partial sun or bright light rather than direct sunlight.

However, these are only very general rules and they do not apply to every plant.  Therefore, in order to help you make sure that your plant is getting the right amount of light, become familiar with these terms to describe lighting conditions:

• Direct Sun – This type of sun is normally foundin areas with south facing windows.  Sunlight pours in for at least 5 hours a day.  Only a few plants can tolerate this much light, mainly Cacti and certain Succulents.  However, many sun loving plants, if given some shade protections and lots of water, will survive in these locations.
• Partial Sun – this includes locations which have windows facing either east or west, and which thus receive direct sun for less than 5 hours per day.  flowering houseplants especially enjoy these locations, but you must provide adequate shade protection in west facing windows during the summertime.
• Bright Light - These are areas which receive a great deal of light through the reflection of sunlight off of ceilings and walls, but which do not receive any direct sun.  The majority of the foliage plants you will buy enjoy this type of light.
• Filtered Light – This refers to light which shines through either an overhang or trees and bushes outside of the window, or through blinds or curtains inside of the window.  Normally, an area approximately five to ten feet away from a window which receives direct sun for a portion of the day may fit into this category.  While only a few flowering plants can tolerate this fairly low lighting condition, many foliage plants can adapt very easily to this type of atmosphere.
• Shade - This type of light can be found in interior rooms which receive no light from windows.  Most houseplants cannot survive in such conditions without the aid of artifical lighting.

When choosing a lighting condition for your plant, the most important thing to remember is that both the intensity of the light and the length of time the light hits that particular spot in your house are the two factors which will affect your plant the most.

You must also be aware that the growth of your plant will depend on the seasonal increases and decreases in light intensity.  Therefore, during the summer, when the intensity of light and heat is at its strongest, plants will grow faster and will need mroe moisture and fertilizer than during winter months when the light is less intense.

The portion of the country that you live in also affects the amount and intensity of light your plants take in.  If you live in a high elevation, your plants will receive a higher intensity of light than someone who lives at sea level.  Snow, smoke, haze, fog, screens, porches, shrubs growing outside of windows, there are many things that can influence the type of light your plants will get in your home.   Because there are so many different factors which alter the amount and type of light your plants are taking in, it is extremely important to be on the lookout for signs that your plant is receiving too much or too little light.  Too much light will cause a plant to wilt and its beautiful green leaves to fade.  Too little light forces a plant to drop many of its leaves and to grow unusually thin, long leaves.

Another important lighting tip concerns plants which are kept near a window.  Always be sure to turn these plants every now and then or else the plant will begin to grow in the direction of the window, where its source of light is coming from.  Be aware that windows can magnify the heat from the sun, and that plants kept near a sindown during summertime are susceptible to leaf burn.

If the space you choose for your plant does not offer it a sufficient amount of light, you can either boost the amount of light it is receiving through the use of artificial light, a fluorescent light fixture is the most efficient way to do this, or simply give the plant less fertilizer, thus discouraging it from growing at a rate which would require a type of light you cannot offer.

How To Care for Houseplants – Humidity

Humidity and temperature are very closely related.  When air becomes warmer, either naturally, or artificially, the humidity level tends to decrease quickly.  This is most evident in regions where temperatures are extremely warm during the summer months, or during wintertime, when the heating unit in the household is being used.

While houseplants such as Cacti or Succulents require dry air condtions, the majority of the plants you will be growing in your home need humid conditions in order to survive.  The easiest way to determine the humidity level of your home is with a hygrometer, a device that measures the moisture in the air.  These are readily available at most nurseries or hardware stores.

If the air in your home tends to be on the dry side, less than a 50% level, you should try one of the following methods of increasing the humidity in the areas where you keep your plants:

• Humidifiers:  A cool vapor humidifier placed in an extremely dry home will not only increase the level of comfort for your plants, but for your family too!  Portable humidifiers can be placed wherever needed, while a humidifier installed as a part of your central heating unit can increase the humidity level in your home by as much as 25%.
• Misting:  This is the easiest and least expensive way to boost the humidity level for any plant.  Ferns and Orchids respond especially well to misting, but be aware that certain fuzzy-leafed plants, such as the African violet, should not be misted as spotting may result.  It is best to mist in the morning with luke warm water.  Spray with a fine mist so that a cloud is created around the plant, being careful not to damage furniture or other household items that may be harmed by the falling mist.
• Humidity Trays:  These are another popular method for dealing with low humidity levels.  Begin with a tray at least two inches in depth.  Make sure the tray is waterproof, that is, one made out of such materials as metal, rubber, plastic or glazed ceramic, clay trays should be avoided for they will retain moisture and may damage any furniture they are resting on.  Fill the tray with pebbles, pea gravel, perlite, vermiculite, or small rocks and add water, stopping just below the top of the pebbles.  When you place the plant’s container on top of the rocks, make sure that the pot does not touch the water, which could result in root rot.  Your plant will enjoy a higher level of munidity, you can check the level with a hygrometer, just make sure you take the reading close to the plant itself.
• Naturally Humid Rooms:  Another way to boost the humidity for a particular plant is to place the plant in such naturally humid rooms as the bathroom or the kitchen.  The hot water used in these rooms generates humidity that certain moisture craving houseplants love! 
• Grouping Plants:  If your plant desires just a litle bit more humidity, grouping it together with other houseplants can give it the extra moisture it needs.  Since water evaporates from any plant’s leaves during the natural process known as “transpiration,” the area immediately surrounding a group of plants wil be naturally more humid than an area whwere a plant sits alone.  Additionally, your plant will enjoy the company of the other plants!!  Just make sure to leave enough room between the plants to allow for proper air circulation.

How To Care for Houseplants – Temperature

Fortunately, the majority of the houseplants being sold today have no problem adjusting to standard indoor temperatures.  There are essentially three temperature ranges found in the average household:  Cool (55 to 65 degrees), average (65 to 70 degrees), and warm (70 to 85 degrees).

Since a thermostat only records the temperature of the particular room it is located in, you should take a thermometer and check the temperature of the different areas where you plan to keep your houseplant.  While most plants will adapt to any of these three temperature ranges, certain plants will grow better in particular temperatures, so it’s best to check a guide.  There is a guide provided at this site.

Most plants prefer a drop of at least five degrees in the temperature at night, as this allows them to relax after a busy day of growing.  The main thing to remember is to avoid putting plants through extreme changes in temperature.  Plants kept near windows often have to endure much warmer temperatures during the summertime and much cooler temperatures during the wintertime.  In these instances, when the weather becomes too extreme, keep a careful watch on plants in these locations and move them if they show any sign of deterioration.

Make sure that you do not place plants near air conditioning or heating vents, fireplaces, radiators or any areas where appliances which give off heat and moisture, such as a dishwasher, oven, or washing machine, are located.  An exception to this rule are tropical houseplants, which may enjoy a location in a sunny kitchen or bathroom, where moist heat and direct sun combine to recreate the warm, humid conditions these plants need.

On this note, allow me to add that I like to keep my cool-loving plants such as Camellias, Azaleas and certain Orchids, in rooms where bright or indirect light keep temperatures relatively lower than in other areas of my home.

How To Take Care of Houseplants

Tools

If you are serious about giving your plants the proper care which they deserve, it is important that you have some basic tools and materials at your disposal.  While many gardening tasks only require tools you already own, your finders and hands, there are certain jobs which will demand tools other than these parts of your body.  Virtually everything I recommend owning can be bought inexpensively at any garden center or your favorite discount store.

To begin with, a watering can and a temperature gage to measure the temperature in various rooms in the house are both important items to own.  Additionally, if you think that the humidity level in your home might be a problem, a hygrometer, a device which records the humidity levelin the air can be a useful instrument to purchase. 

I also believe that it is a good idea to have a solid countertop or table to do your work on.  Since this will be the area where you will be doing your potting, pruning, grooming, and other assorted and often messy tasks, the surface should be made of material that is easy to clean.

The most basic tool every plant lover should own is a quality pair of standard pruning shears.  In addition, a sharp knife often comes in handy.  These two items are essential for grooming, pruning, and propagating your plants. 

Various kinds and sizes of containers, both plastic and clay are also a good thing to have around for the differenty types of planting tasks you will be engaging in.  Along with these pots, a collection of small broken pieces of pottery is mandatory for any potting job.  Don’t pitch the broken pots, use them to help provide drainage for the other potted plants!

A bag of all-purpose soil, along with certain additives like peat moss, compost, or ground bark is also helpful to keep handy for all of your planting needs.

Liquid fertilizer and powdered rooting hormone are also essential materials for any houseplant owner. 

While you may not yet understand why it is necessary to own some of these materials, don’t worry!  Read more ar this site, and you will soon know how each of these tools can help you maintain and grow happy, healthy houseplants!