Houseplants that bloom help us to get through winter while awaiting next year's flowers in the garden. But often houseplants suffer from problems that we must address promptly to save a plant's life.
First and foremost, we need to recognize which plants need frequent watering and which ones, like a cactus for example, need water only once a month. If you see that a plant is stressed, immediately segregate it in another room to avoid the spread pf pests and disease.
Help chlorine to evaporate from water by leaving a pitcher full of water for a day before watering your plants with it. That practice also ensures that the water is at room temperature when you do water, as well as adding extra humidity to the air.
If you detect pests on plants, put the entire pot in a plastic bag with a rubber band securing the stem above the soil. Then wash the leaves well in a tub with soapy water. Use 2 tsps. of soap, not detergent, in one gallon of water to wash insects off the leaves, including their undersides. This will rid the plants of scale, mealybugs, spider mites, and whiteflies.
Also, always remember to hose all houseplants with water before bringing them indoors each fall if they summer outdoors. Always bring all houseplants indoors at least 3 weeks before the heat will be turned on in the house each fall.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on houseplants that bloom.
