How to Care for Houseplants -- Water, Warmth and Nitrogen Smoothies

Last week he set out for his first solo road trip. Minus his sleepy co-pilot, Dad joked that he'd always driven alone anyways.  But we all know it's not the same.


It hasn't been that long at all.  "I've lost half of me" he says matter of factly when I ask how he is. That about sums it up.  Still, my father is doing amazingly well.  Rarely complains and he's learning to cook.  One night he had us over for a pasta dinner which far exceeded expectations.  But then, so has he this past year. If you'd asked me one year ago to wager on the likelihood that my strapping father's Christmas gift list would have included a cookbook, I'd have put the odds near being kidnapped by aliens.  He needs a little work with his houseplants though.

Carol's twenty year old poinsettia

"I thought they were fake?"  This was the excuse offered as I removed two crumbling poinsettia from atop the china cabinet.  Same fate as the pansies and mums.

The prime culprit is overwatering.  Too much of anything can cause complications.  Outside, in nature, there's accomodation for absorption and run off that's simply not available in the dining room without causing serious water damage.  Dad's plants were swimming in a pool of H20 without life vests.  Well intended, but roots need oxygen--not soggy soil. 

The closest to natural irrigation is the kitchen sink.  Set the faucet on spray setting, and aim lukewarm water at the base of the plant, avoiding the leaves.  Other than fern, which like a fine mist on the leaves, plants all drink from their roots.  Water on the leaves indoors may cause spotting or mildew as drying winds and open sunlight are not in abundance. Leave the plant in the sink overnight. Repeat each three to five days when the soil no longer feels spongy or damp to the touch.

Second is location.  No direct sunlight, but plants can't survive tucked in a dark corner or windowless room either. Rotate the plant each time it is returned from a water break to encourage fullness.

Tropical plants crave steamy conditions so steady warmth and humidity are needed to flourish.

Finally, keep an empty plastic milk or juice container stored below the sink.  Add a teaspoon of plant food, put the lid on and shake.  Every third watering  give the roots a dose of this "smoothie."

The rest is no different as if the plant were outdoors.  Pinch back when leggy, remove spent blooms. 

It's tough to send a teenager further than the supermarket,  much less a lone octogenarian across five states.  There are some things you just can't think about too much.  Overattention can smother tender roots and signal a contagious lack of confidence.  The key, as in anything, is balance. 

Later, the call comes--the happiness in his voice a welcome relief.  An uneventful yet cathartic journey. 

"By the way, did you water my houseplants?"

Articles of Interest:

Perpetual Poinsettia -- How to Care for a Poinsettia

Layered Planting -- Should I Cut Back Faded Bulbs?

Yellow Flowers -- Blooming Sunshine

New USDA Planting and Gardening Zones -- The Blog formerly known as Zone Five and a Half *

Change was clearly coming, but ever resistant, the news is still challenging.  The signs were all there, liriope looking green and hardy in March, snowcaps poking out in December, and those resilient weeds, poison ivy for example, just about everywhere.  One bottle of Calamine lotion used to last ten years, but no longer.

Global warming, heat islands created by urban concrete and steel, whatever the reason, the United States Department of Agriculture has made it official, our ZIP code now firmly lands in Zone 6a.  The higher the zone number, the warmer the climate.  This new zone extends even north of Eight Mile Road. 

Likely the true cause is the addition of more subzones, and the recognition that the former sweeping zones were a bit too broad.

The significance to the gardener?  Plants which are marginally hardy are more likely to survive.  This doesn't mean less snow in the winter or hotter temperatures in the summer, but merely that the average lower temperatures haven't plummetted consistently as expected.  The lower range in still rather chilly at -10 to -5 degrees Centigrade.  The absence of snow this winter is palpable to all, and a bit weird, but harken back to last year when the shoveling was endless.  Climate changes are gradual and imperceptible.  Next year we could be up to our knees in the white stuff. 

If pop stars* and athletes can change their names, I suppose this humble blog could do so also, but then the nice lady from Rockford street might not find it.  So, at least for now, the name will remain. 

Don't plant any palm trees or orange groves just yet, though.

Garlic Mustard -- Winter Weeds and Good Deeds

Gardening sometimes seems like a solo sport, good for distraction, great for contemplation.




Garlic Mustard

Even in the winter the gardener is always looking forward, evaluating the past growing cycle yet planning for the next.  The best tool in a gardener's apron is flexibility, followed by durability.  Winter conditions have nearly as much impact on the summer yard as the spring rains.  Global temperature changes, however slight, have a huge effect on the overwintering of marginal plants, especially weeds.



Where trillium bloomed Garlic Mustard prevails

Weeds, poison ivy and other invasive plants scramble to survive, thus when the temperate scales tip upwards towards the next USDA Zone, they are first to "welcome" change.



Purple poison ivy vines

Before snow blankets the yard, after warm weather perennials have retreated to root status, take a tour with spade in hand and note the bright green weeds which may have hidden behind the skirts of the hosta, or in the shadow of bright coneflowers.  Ahead of the freeze, take a few moments to pry those sneaky scoundrels out of the soil, saving time and effort for later in the year.  Point, pop and pull.

Insert a narrow spade a few inches from the central base of the weed, press downward on an angle and pop the miscreant right out of business.  Tap rooted weeds require full removal to prevent a reappearance.



Before

A great tool for this quick task is a telescoping spade which pulls out up to three feet, then twists and locks into place.  Perfect for sensitive backs or knees.  The bright orange handle makes it easy to spot when left behind.

Garlic mustard, an invasive and agressive weed which allegedly made its way to Zone Five and a Half from Europe, is nakedly visible in early winter.  Left unchecked it'll take over the yard and any vacant patch of soil.   It will also smother native woodland plants like trillium and trout lilies. Best to remove this pest when its bright green leaves outshine all else.



After

Every good deed in nature, whether pulling an invasive weed or planting a tree, pays it forward.  One blooming weed can spawn a hundred seedlings, smothering out native growth.  Five minutes in the garden can make a difference in aesthetics as well as environmental impact.

Point that spade, pop and pull. 

Not bad for the waistline, either.

Related articles:

Hey, Look What Survived the Winter In My Garden!

Winter Porch Pots -- Greenery Containers

 

Winter Interest In the Garden