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Copyright 2011, Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Houseplant Growing Guide

Bold, texture-rich plants ormedium- to high-light areas


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Grow These!

Ample sunlight makes it possible to grow many kinds o houseplants with ease. Here are ve easy-to-grow

plants that have striking architectural orm. A single plant will make a bold statement in a room. Group three

or ve together to add distinctive color and texture to your space.

Blushing bromeliad (Neoregelia carolinae Tricolor)

The lipstick-red central leaves o blushing bromeliad look articial

because their color is so intense. Complemented by variegated lower

leaves, this bold houseplant makes a statement wherever it grows.

Growing conditions: Bright light; 65 to 80 F; keep water in central

vase o lea cluster

Size: Up to 1 oot tall and 3 eet wide

Note: When watering blushing bromeliad, deliver water to the central vaselike

structure o the plant instead o the soil.

Croton (Codiaeum selections)

Bright light brings out a rainbow o hues on croton oliage. Its gold,

pink, and orange tones glow when backlit rom a sunny window. It has a

pleasing, tidy, shrublike orm and a moderate growth rate.

Why we love it: It adds an exotic vibe to any room.

Growing conditions: Bright light; 60 to 75 F; allow the soil to

dry between waterings

Size: Up to 4 eet tall and wideNote: Croton is poisonous i eaten or chewed.

Learn more!

Pleomele (Dracaena reexa)

Song o India variety o pleomele, also called dracaena, has

bold variegated oliage. Its dense, upright growth is perect

or adding interest to a lackluster corner o a room.

Why we love it: Its bold oliage combined with its shrubby

orm adds great texture to a space.

Growing conditions: Medium to bright light; 65 to 75 F;

allow soil surace to dry between waterings

Size: Up to 3 eet tall and wide

Note: Pleomele is poisonous i eaten or chewed.

Learn more!

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Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)

Add height to a room with ponytail palm. Its graceul arching leaves are

a lovely complement to its swollen trunk, which holds moisture or

the plant.

Why we love it: Ponytail palm is so

drought-tolerant you can go withoutwatering it or a month.

Growing conditions: Bright light;

65 to 75 F; allow soil to dry

between waterings

Size: Up to 10 eet tall and 3 eet wide

Note: Keep your ponytail palm in a container

only a couple o inches wider than its trunk

base to control its size.

Learn more!

Ti plant (Cordyline selections)

Also called good luck plant, the ti plant has colorul,

straplike leaves. Look or plants with red-, orange-,

or pink-striped leaves. As ti plant ages, it loses its

lower leaves to reveal a woody stem.

Why we love it: Bright, colorul leaves give ti plant agreat appearance 365 days a year.

Growing conditions: Bright to

intense light; 60 to 85 F; keep soil

evenly moist

Size: Up to 6 eet tall and

3 eet wide

Note: Ti plant grows best in high

humidity. Place a potted ti plant on a tray

lled with pebbles and water.

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Copyright 2011, Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Page 4

Light

Houseplants, like all plants, need light to grow. Thankully, many happily unurl new leaves in low-light areas,

such as across the room rom a north-acing window. In the houseplant trade, light is oten described as

high, medium, or low. When purchasing a plant, check its label to learn about its light requirements.

High light is direct sun rom a south-,

east-, or west-acing window with no

obstructions rom trees, buildings, or

curtains. Keep an eye on porches

and overhangs. They can turn a high-

to medium-light area into a low-

light situation.

Medium light is indirect light rom a

window acing east, northeast, or west.

Plants do well 1 to 2 eet away rom the

window. I the only available window is

acing south, set plants that preer medium

light at least 4 eet away rom it.Low light is sun rom a north-acing

window, across the room rom a south-

or southwest-acing window, and in the

corners o a room.

Test Garden Tips

Lighten up. I your plant has a stretched or abnormally oppy appearance, it probably is not receivingenough light. The stems stretch toward available light hoping to capture energy required to sustain the

plant. Move the plant closer to a window or supplement with articial light.

Monitor temperature. Avoid placing plants directly on the windowsill. Although this appears to be a great

way to expose them to maximum light, the temperature near the window might be detrimental. In summer,

the windowsill might be blazing hot. In winter its oten rigid. A spot 3 to 4 eet rom the window is best.

Note: I a plant is sufering rom too little light, avoid ertilizing it. While ertilizing might seem helpul, it is not. The plant cant

process the additional nutrients without adequate light. Instead, increase the available light.


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Watering

Thoughtul, consistent watering creates conditions or a long-living, healthy houseplant. Overwatering

harms plants more than underwatering. As a general rule, delay watering until the soil dries to a depth o

1 to 2 inches. Follow these easy watering tips.

Check soil beore watering. Plant growth, humidity, pot size, and light intensity are all actors that afect how

ast soil dries. Always sink your nger into the soil about an inch or so beore watering. I the soil is dry, water

I it is moist, wait a couple o days and check again.

Watch or water to drain. When watering, you will know you have applied enough when water drains out the

bottom o the pot. This drainage is important as it ushes salts out o the soil. Excess salt buildup can injure

plant roots.

Keep oliage dry. Invest in a watering can with a long, narrow spout. This will allow you to direct water to the

soil and avoid getting the leaves and stems wet.

Use room-temperature water. I necessary, allow water to sit on the counter or an hour or two beore

watering plants.

Water some plants rom the bottom. Arican violets grow best when regularly watered rom the bottom.To do this, set the plants in a sink or tray lled with 1 to 2 inches o water. Remove the plants when you see

bubbles o moisture on the soil surace. Once every couple o months, water plants rom the top to get rid o

excess salts in the soil.

Add humidity. The air is oten dry in winter,

causing soil to dry quickly. Increase the

humidity around your plants by placing

the container in a tray or saucer lled with

pebbles or pea gravel. Add water to the

saucer or tray so it is just below the bottom

o the pot. Humidity will also increasewhen plants are grouped together to

create a microenvironment.

Note: Some plants enter multiweek rest periods

where they grow slowly. They require little water

during this time. Only water plants when the soil

is dry.

Test Garden Tips

Prevent root rot. Always empty excess

water rom a plant saucer ater the waterhas nished draining rom the soil. This will

allow the roots to easily access oxygen.

Dont overwater. Signs o overwatering

include yellowing lower leaves and brown

or black spots on leaves. Always check the

soil beore watering.


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Planting and Soil

Planting houseplants is similar to planting a container o colorul annuals or your patio or deck. All you need

is a container with a drainage hole and good quality potting soil. The plant likely will grow with ease in the

container or a couple o years beore needing to be repotted. Fresh soil and a larger pot provide additional

nutrients and space or the plant to grow even more.

Healthy soil. Packaged potting mixes specially designed with indoor plants in mind are the way to go.

Available at your local garden center or home improvement store, these easy-to-use potting mixes includevaluable nutrients or houseplants.

Drainage is essential. When selecting a container or your houseplant, be sure to choose one with a hole in

the bottom so water can escape.

Time to repot. Its time to repot a plant when the roots reach the edge o the container and begin growing

along the outside edge o the soil ball. Repot the plant in a container that is 2 to 4 inches greater in diameter

than the previous pot.

Tidy up. Potting is a good time to remove broken stems, brown leaves, and wayward growth.

Test Garden Tips

Add water. Water plants a ew hours

beore repotting to encourage the

soil to cling to the roots. The moist

soil will help keep the root ball intact

during repotting.

The soil in terra-cotta containersdries out aster than soil in containers

made o other materials because

terra-cotta is porous.


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Houseplant Care

Provide houseplants with adequate

light and regular water, and youre

well on your way to growing lush,

healthy plants. Encourage your

plants to produce strong stems and

new growth with these tips.

Increase humidity. Most

houseplants benet rom moist,

humid air. Increase the humidity

around your plants by setting

the pots in a saucer or tray lled

with pea gravel. Add water to the

reservoir until it almost covers the

gravel. Humidity will also increase

when plants are grouped together

to create a microenvironment.

Fertilize with care. It is easy to

overertilize houseplants. Newly

purchased plants rarely require

ertilizer as the soil usually has

enough nutrients to sustain the

plant or two to three months.

As the plant ages, aim to provide small amounts o ertilizer as its growing. Liquid ertilizers labeled or

indoor plants are an easy-to-use option. Apply them at the recommended rate and requency. Cut back on

ertilizing in winter as many houseplants enter a rest period, which slows their growth and lessens their need

or ertilizer.

Grooming details. Even with the best care, plants occasionally develop brown, yellow, or ragged edges on

their oliage. Use scissors to trim the ofending edges, ollowing the natural outline o the lea as closely

as possible.

Keep an eye out or dying or spent owers and leaves. When owers ade, pinch them of using your thumb

and index nger. Use the same technique on sot, pliable leastalks. Trimming thick wood leastalks requires

pruning shears or a pair o scissors to avoid damaging the main stem.

One good turn. Ensure that all sides o a plant receive an equal share o light. At least one side o a plant

growing in or near a window is shaded rom the available sun. That causes it to bend toward the light and

grow spindly on the shaded side. Prevent the distortion by giving the plant a quarter-turn every week.

Test Garden Tip

Pest patrol. The best deense against pests is prevention. Begin at the garden center. Careully inspect any

plant you want to buy, checking careully or signs o insects and disease. Combat pest problems at home by

providing optimal light, water, and humidity.

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