How to Look After Houseplants

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House plants need care to keep them looking good, as well as growing. There is nothing that makes a house look warm and inviting as some nicely groomed houseplants. It takes a little effort, but you will be rewarded by their beauty and continued growth.

Steps

1. Buy good quality plants to start with. Check for discoloration of leaves, droopiness, disease or pests. Read the label if there is one! Different plants require different amounts of light, heat, and water.
   
2. Water regularly in the summer and sparingly in the winter. This way, your plants will remain healthy.
   
3. Remove dead leaves as these still use up energy from the plant. Re-pot when you begin to see or feel roots pushing against the bottom of the pot. Re-pot one size up only.
   

Tips

• When re-potting, spread one hand over the base of the plant, turn the pot upside-down and tap it gently. The plant should come out into your hand. A gentle tug may help.
  
• When re-potting cacti, use newspaper around the plant to avoid getting pricked.
  
• Group plants together. They grow better this way.
  
• Feed a houseplant in the summer food such as 'BabyBio' or 'Phospherogen'.
  
• Spray with a leaf shine for high gloss.
  
• Keep away from extreme heat, cold or droughts.
  

Warnings

• Do not over-water as this is as bad as not watering enough.
  
• Do not re-pot a plant into a much larger pot.
  
• When you spray with leaf shine, leave the room or aerate the room as the smell is quite pungent.
  
• Roots need air as well as water - keeping the compost soaked at all times means certain death for most plants.
  

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