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.