In our last article, we talked about two of the
six basic considerations which must be kept in mind in the selection
and care of any house plant or group of house plants: ight and Sun,
Temperature and Humidity. Our article today will deal with Ventilation
and Watering.
Ventilation
More than a need for "fresh air" as such, house plants need a daily
change of air. In any house, gases, smoke and dust particles will
accumulate in the air. Over a period of time they can become quite
harmful to any house plant.
The big offender in this category is
manufactured gas. A pilot light that has blown out, and whose gas
exhalation is so slight that normally the odor will go unnoticed until
the next time you go to light the stove, is enough to kill almost any
plant in a matter of hours. Giving your indoor garden enough
ventilation in the warm weather is no problem - just open the doors and
let the air circulate. In winter it's a different story, however.
You should try to see that the plants get a daily change of air but
that they are never subjected to a direct draft. Allowing plants to
stand in a freezing winter draft for even as short a time as fifteen
minutes can sometimes kill the hardiest of individuals.
The roots of your plants also need a kind of ventilation. The surface
of the soil should be turned over every now and again to the depth of
an inch or so to allow air to get in among the roots - and also to
allow the plant foods to reach down to where they will do the most good.
Watering
We can't think of a question about house plants that arises more often
than, "How frequently should I water my plants?" And unfortunately,
there is no set answer to it. We would like to be able to say, "Every
day," or "Once a week," but we wouldn't be giving you good advice if we
did.
Plants should be watered whenever they need it - and that depends
on a number of factors - humidity, heat, drainage, the size of the pot,
and the type of plant you are dealing with.
Obviously, in a hot, dry room your plants are going to need more
frequent and more thorough watering than in a cooler climate in which
there is plenty of moisture. Also, those plants whose natural habitat
is one in which they get only occasional moisture, like that of the
desert cacti, will need less watering than those, such as most ferns or
Wax Begonia which are used to a plentiful rainfall.
The best rule to follow is that if the surface of the soil in the pot
feels dry to the touch, the plant needs water. Remember, over-watering
can be as dangerous as under-watering. A plant whose roots are
constantly soaked with water will rot and cease growing.
Too many people, in their zeal to make sure that their plants are kept
moist, get into the habit of giving them a little water every time they
think of it, and as a result end up with waterlogged soil in which the
plants quickly die.
It is better to water less frequently but more completely. Give the
plant a good soaking, making sure that all the soil gets the benefit of
the watering and not just the top inch or so. As we said earlier, there
is no set rule as to how often you should water. But it shouldn't take
long for you to find out by observation just how often each of your
plants are going to need care.
If you can, work up a schedule and keep to it. It's no trouble, and
you'll find that it pays tremendous dividends in the life and health of
your indoor garden. And don't worry if for any reason you have to let
your plants go without water for a day or so. They'll survive it. But
like anything else, they will do better with regular rather than
sporadic care.
Read Part III here
