| While houseplants
don't get the flu as we know it, the winter months can make them more
susceptible to a variety of diseases. To keep indoor plants healthy, the
following are some tips offered by plant doctors from
The American
Phytopathological Society.
Although plants have been grown in homes
for thousands of years, it hasn't been without a few problems, states A. R.
Chase, professor emeritus, Mid-Florida Research and Education Center,
University of Florida. "Plants didn't evolve in our homes which means they
don't naturally adapt to the
environmental conditions that occur there, especially during the winter
heating season," she said.
But, Chase states, there are a few simple
things that you can do to keep your houseplants healthy during the winter
months.
- Inspect a plant before you buy it. Don't
buy plants with leaves that are dried and brittle, have spots, or are
yellowing or wilting. Look carefully for mites, mealybugs, scales, and
aphids, which can resemble plant parts. These pests often hide underneath
leaves or on the leaf stems and may move when disturbed.
- Put a new plant in a separate room away
from other plants for a while. This helps to prevent infecting your other
plants with anything brought in on your new plant. If the plant still
looks healthy after three or four weeks in its new home, you can move it.
- Be sure your plant pot has good
drainage. Excess water drowns roots and encourages root rot.
- Make sure your plant gets what it needs.
Not all houseplants are alike and many vary considerably with regard to
moisture, temperature, and fertilization needs.
- Clean the foliage. Dust and dirt can
interfere with a plant's natural processes. Every few weeks, clean your
plants by wiping the leaves with a damp cloth or by putting them in the
shower or sink and rinsing with lukewarm water.
- Avoid temperature extremes. Placing
plants near large windows, radiators, or furnace vents often creates more
extreme temperatures than people realize and plants can tolerate.
- Be careful about moving plants. For
example, do not place a plant in a sunny south window if it has been grown
in a less bright location, otherwise a white to brown burning of the
leaves may occur.
- Don't mist your plants; it promotes
disease. Use a humidifier or place pots on a bed of wet gravel if more
humidity is needed.
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