How does your garden grow?

Cher_Alumni
Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
edited January 2021 in Coffee lounge

This week (January 11 -January 17 2021) is National Houseplant Week.  A time to celebrate all things indoor gardening and swap tips on how to get our buds to bloom! 


A wooden cabinet with a variety of plants sat on top of it all thriving
 

Top tips for indoor plants

Now, I’m no Percy Thrower and have mixed success with the unfortunate plants I have.  However, those in the know at Gardener’s World have produced the following handy pointers for ‘Winter care for house plants’.

Reduce watering
Dormant plants need very little water – too much and they’ll either produce soft, weak growth or will rot as water accumulates in the compost. For most house plants, reduce watering to once every fortnight. For succulents, only water every two to three weeks, and for cacti, stop watering entirely. The exception is winter-flowering plants, such as Christmas cacti and poinsettias, which need watering whenever the compost feels dry.

Move into the light
With shorter days and less sunshine over winter, it’s important to maximise the amount of light reaching your plants. Ideally, move them into a sunny conservatory or porch, so they get light from several directions. If you don’t have these, then move your plants onto a west- or south-facing windowsill. It’s also worth cleaning your windows inside and out to let in as much light as possible.

Clean their leaves
Indoor plants often accumulate a thick layer of household dust on their leaves. This reduces the amount of light that can reach the leaf surface, making it harder for them to manufacture food. Wipe off dust regularly using a damp cloth, or stand the plant in a luke-warm shower for five minutes. Leaf-cleaning products are available, but are only suitable for use on certain plants.

Keep them warm
Most house plants need a temperature of 12-18°C. They dislike large temperature fluctuations, so position them away from cold draughts and open windows or doors. If they’re on a windowsill, leave the curtains open if you can, as they trap cold air at night. Alternatively, move plants off the windowsill at night. Also keep plants away from heat sources such as radiators and fireplaces, which can scorch delicate foliage.

Over to you:

• Do you have any indoor plants?  If so, what sort?
• Have you any tips not listed above for getting plants to thrive?
• Do you have pictures of your own plants to share?  Drop them below!

Comments

  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
    Does anyone have advice for rejuvenating my floppy aloe vera?  Or, is it meant to be like this?  :D


  • endowarriorqueen96
    endowarriorqueen96 Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
    ooh this is nice
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,874 Championing
    House plants i am hopelesd and outside mainly evergreens lol 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,874 Championing
    I have a big garden I will start doing things in it this summer not long had it fenced off
  • Richard_Scope
    Richard_Scope Posts: 3,747 Cerebral Palsy Network
    edited January 2021

    Meet Sharon, Fabio and Ben. 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,874 Championing
    @Richard_Scope love your plants they wouldn't last five mins in my house lol I am more of a garden person 
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 14,991 Championing
    @Cher_Scope I used to have 4 aloe vera plants in my room. 2 were in the sun and 2 were in a slightly shadier area. The ones that were in the shady area looked like yours so you could try moving it to a sunnier place
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
    @66Mustang Thanks, that's really helpful.  It looks a tad droopy  :D   

    Very impressed with @Richard_Scope 's line-up, especially Sharon! 
  • willjacks009
    willjacks009 Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
    every 12 months I develop tomatoes in black 15 gallon pots on my deck. if I used sparkling cow manure inside the backside 1/three or so of the pot and cowl it with composted soil, all and sundry see a hassle with that? in any other case i will stick with year antique manuer as a whole lot as I will. My renter saved a pair heifers within the small place where we had a 12 months old manure pile so I now have a combination.
  • leeCal
    leeCal Online Community Member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    @Cher_Scope I’m no expert with aloe Vera but it looks as though it needs repotting to me. ?
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,464 Championing
    Welcome to the community, and thank you for sharing @willjacks009 :) 

    Just to make you aware, I've edited out the link from your signature as it appeared to be an advertising link.
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    I'm hopeless with plants or anything they only stay alive if they are artificial 
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,057 Championing
    I usually grow veg but decided not to any more, I've got a 12 year old rhubarb plant that has fed many people over years, but I'm giving it away. I just want minimal now in the garden, flowers that's it, I'm looking for a gardener now as well. But can't wait for it to get hot to sit out.

Categories