Article
Springtime Is Plant Maintenance Time
By Susan Foster
Springtime is usually considered a time of fresh initiatives and rebirth. For plants it is a very active period as they wake from their winter nap. For gardeners this is a very spirited time for not only outdoor plants but our house plants as well. Springtime is the best time for house plant maintenance.
Fertilizing plants in the spring and summer seasons will provide the best results. A useful rule of thumb to call upon when fertilizing is that less really is more. Don't fertilize a plant that has recently been re-potted for a few months or a new plant just brought home from the nursery. The fertilizer nutrients are already in a nursery plant and the fresh soil of a re-potted plant.
I also check my plants in the spring to ascertain if they need re-potting. There are 3 standard methods to determine if your house plant requires re-potting:
- If the roots are protruding out of the drainage hole.
- If the roots have totally filled the pot and are growing around in circles.
- If, after adding water, it suddenly runs out the bottom. This is a problem of either the soil totally drying out, or the roots so thoroughly filling the pot that they are self-strangling and can't take up any water at all.
After re-potting, it's a good time to consider showing off your plant in a gorgeous, natural-looking macrame plant hanger.
Macrame plant hangers are also a good method to move that plant that requires more or less light into a better location to get its needed light. Most plants come with a guideline on the amount of light that is ideal for them. During the winter, less sun comes inside than in the spring and summer. It's good to know which windows have the less to more sunlight that comes through on any given day with sunshine. The north exposure has the least amount of light. The east exposure has the next brightest; the west exposure is the next brightest with the south exposure being the brightest of all.
Pruning a plant to improve its appearance and cultivate more even blossoming throughout the plant is also best accomplished in the early spring or late summer.
During this spring I am enjoying the blossoms of my many African Violets and the spring blossoming of my Christmas Cacti. I also have many macrame plant hangers throughout my home so they can all have their individual showplace. It's fun indulging your plants...they love it!
About the Author: About the author: Susan Foster has been an a master macrame crafter since the 1970s. She's still designing new projects and now providing house plant information. Get her newest macrame plant hangers at macramenia.com! Have your indoor plants at their peak with Susan's Top 10 Indoor Plant Survival Tips.
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