HK 3rd sem
Indoor Plants
IHM BBSR
Indoor Plants
Points to be kept in mind while buying an indoor plant
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Check the compost (Potting Soil). If it has dried out the plants have been neglected. Don’t buy.
Lift & check the base of the pot. If lots of roots are coming out of the bottom, the pot should
have been reported sooner. A few small roots through the bottom of the pot is not a sign of
neglect, and is normal where the plants have been grown on capillary matting.
If buying a flowering plant, make sure that there are still plenty of buds to open, otherwise the
display may be brief.
Look critically at the shape. If the plant is loop sided, or the plant is bare at the base, choose
another.
Make sure the plant is labelled. A label should tell you how to take care for the plant, and
unlabelled plants suggest a lack of concern for plants & customers.
Avoid plants with broken or damaged leaves.
Turn the leaves over. Look for signs of pests & diseases. If you find any then leave the plant in
the shop.
Any plant kept in the protective sleeve should be checked properly by removing the protective
sleeve, before buying.
Caring For Houseplants
1. Creating the right environment
 Temperature:
Most plants will survive much lower than the temperature that is generally recommended. In
winter when the light is low the growth of the plant can be stimulated by high temperature. In
summer the plant should be kept out of the reach of direct sunlight with high humidity.
 Light & Shade: The best position of plant is in good sunlight but out of direct sunlight. The
plants that are generally placed outside should be placed in place where the sunrays would
either be passing through a glass or a net curtain so that it would not come in direct contact with
the sun’s rays. Only the plants from desserts, steppes etc should be kept in direct sunlight.
 Effects of Heat: Leaf Scorch is a main problem that is seen the case of plants (Brown marks or
blotches that leave the areas looking thin & papery). The problem can also be found if drops of
water are left on the leaves of the plant in the direct sunlight, as the water droplets acts as
magnifying glass spoiling the leaves.
 Humidity: Humidity is highly important for the plant. Humidity can be increased by placing the
potted plant on gravels with water. However, the plant shouldn’t be placed in direct water as it
will block the compost. Also the misting of the foliage plant should be done daily for the better
growth of the plant. While misting the flowering plant a cardboard or a piece of paper should be
used to cover the flower or the bud so that the water wouldn’t damage it.
SHREYA PRASAD
Assistant Lecturer
HK 3rd sem
Indoor Plants
IHM BBSR
2. Feeding: Plant should be fed when they are growing actively and when light & nutrients are
such that they can take advantage of it. Generally mid spring & mid autumn are the best times
for the plants growth. Fertilizers are of different types which would include liquid feeds (they are
quick acting and useful when a plant needs immediate boost), Pellets & Sticks (they are pushed
into the compost and then they release the nutrients slowly over a period of time), Slow release
sachets( Placed in the bottom of the pot. Useful while repotting), Soluble powders( they are
dissolved in the liquid and used as like the liquid fertilizer), Granular fertilizer( added directly to
the compost and spreaded using a fork)
3. Compost: it acts as a reservoir of nutrients & if the structure is right then achieves the right
balance between moisture & air. It also acts as a host to many micro organisms. Compost is
basically of 2 types ie loam based & peat based.
Indoor Plants Maintenance
While watering plants, keep a few things in mind:
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Check soil for moisture, if moist watering is not required. If you do expect a hot day ahead then
you could give it a bit of a sprinkle.
Make sure the soil is never left soggy for long periods letting it dry between watering. This will
prevent the plants from rotting due to suffocation. Plants like cactus need to be watered once in
a week and placed in full sun
The best time to water plants is in the morning, before the sunlight is at its strongest intensity as
this is the optimum condition for plants to photosynthesize.
If plants have plastic trays beneath them, make sure there is no standing water in the tray as
this could inhibit air flow to the roots. Once watered, make sure the tray is emptied of standing
water and placed back. Standing water can cause mosquitoes to breed and results in over
watering of the plants.
Make sure to thoroughly clean plants up to twice a week to keep them dust free. Dust interferes
with the breathing of the plants and if not cleaned, plants appear dull and tend to wilt.
Re-Potting
All potted plants need to be re-potted at least once a year to maintain stable growth and luster.
Some slow growing plants may take longer; hence pay attention to your plants. Some signs to
look out for are:
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Roots are visibly sticking out from the bottom of the pot as well as the surface.
Soil surface looks depleted of soil.
There is no space for you to apply any additional fertilizer.
The plant may look wilted and sick.
In that case, you must remove the plant from its pot and trim the roots. Be careful while doing
this as some plants may suffer shock and not recover. Ideally, plants should be placed in a
larger pot (approximately 2-4 inches larger) or the ground. Prune and re-pot the plant, making
sure you have added a good amount of fertilizer. After re-potting, water the plant thoroughly and
place under shade for two days till it settles and then reintroduce it to its desired location.
4. Fertilizing
It is mandatory that all plants be fertilized once a month. Make sure they are supplied a
SHREYA PRASAD
Assistant Lecturer
HK 3rd sem
Indoor Plants
IHM BBSR
balanced diet of NPK- Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium or any well-decomposed organic
fertilizer.
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Create a ring around the plant.
Dig about 2-3 inches in and sprinkle some fertilizer.
Cover it back with soil and then water.
For leaf shine and brightness, a weekly routine of spraying any organic liquid or soil fertilizer is
advised.
5. Trimming and Pruning
Pruning is a horticultural practice that involves the removal of certain unwanted, diseased, nonreproducing parts of a plant. It is advised according to a particular plant's growth habit. While
pruning, keep the following points in mind:
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Is it flowering time of the plant in question?
If it is, then wait until it is done flowering and then continue to prune.
How much you need to prune will depend on how much you expect it to grow within a certain
period. For example if you decide to drastically prune your bougainvillea, it will be another 6-10
months before you see in a lush bushy flowering state.
Pruning must be done systematically. A good method is to trim the young, wild, out of shape
branches before you tackle the older, more established ones. In this way you give the plants a
better form as it grows to increase its overall aesthetic appeal. It is advised that the cutters have
sharp blades or else they could damage the plant creating and open wound susceptible to
fungal and rust diseases.
6. Hydro Culture: Also known as hydroponics. It is a method of growing plants without soil or
compost. It gives us a successful plants with a little attention. Choose a young plant, wash its
roots carefully. Then place the plant in a container with a slatted or mesh sides. Pack expanded
granules along the roots and then place the pot into another larger water tight container. Insert
water level tube. Pack the whole with more clay granules to fill up the pot. Sprinkle the special
hydro culture fertilizer and add water to the maximum level. Relax for a few months now.
7. Trouble Shooting –
a) Eliminating Pests: Everyone gets pests in their houseplants. All need to be dealt with quickly
and efficiently. Most pest fall under the three categories given below:
 Sap Suckers and Aphids: They are perhaps the most common and troublesome, but are easy to
control provided you act as soon as they are infected (as they reproduce at a phenomenal rate).
They are not only important for the immediately damage they do but also because of the long
term heath risk to your plant. When aphids cluster on buds or tips of shoots, leaves and flowers,
they will often be distorted when they open up. Aphids can easily transmit virus diseases from
one plant to another because they tap into the veins of the plant. To control one can use
systemic, insecticides or impregnated sticks or simply swish the plant in water. Whitefly, looks
like tiny moths and rise up in a cloud when disturbed. The nymphs are green to white and scale
like, turning yellow when mature. Use repeated spraying of contact insecticide. Red spider
mutes are tiny and the actual insect may be missed. They are noticeable due to the webs and
yellowing, mottled leaves. They hate a humid place so mist the plant after spraying insecticide.
Mealy bugs and other saps sucking insects can be treated by dabbed them with a cotton swab
dipped in alcohol.
SHREYA PRASAD
Assistant Lecturer
HK 3rd sem
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Indoor Plants
IHM BBSR
Leaf Eaters: They are easily noticed by missing leaves and are relatively easier to control. Large
insects that remain on the plant(caterpillar, slugs, snails etc) can usually be picked off by hand.
Those insects that feed at night and hide during the day can be controlled by the use of insect
powders or traps (small ones filled with litter and left slightly open)
Root Chewer: One is unlikely to notice them until the plant collapses. If a plant looks sick, or
starts to collapse and there is no obvious cause such as over watering/ under watering, remove
the plant from its pot and shake off its compost. Examine the roots for pests, if any. Then dip the
roots into an insecticidal solution before repotting in fresh compost.
b) Dealing with diseases: Plant diseases can be disfiguring and even fatal, so always take them
seriously. If you cannot control them by picking off the affected leaves, rapid resort to a
fungicide may be the best solution. Fungal diseases are difficult to identify accurately but most
can be controlled by the same fungicide(only precaution is to read the label to check)
 Leaf Spots: Various fungi and bacteria cause leaf spots. If tiny black specks are seen on the
affected surface, they are likely to be spore bearing bodies of a fungus, so a fungicide may be
effective. If no specks are detected it might be a bacterial problem. Prune off and destroy the
affected leaves. Water with a systematic insecticide and avoid misting too often. Increase
ventilation if possible.
 Roots Rot: The first sign of this is the sudden collapse of the plant. The leaves turn brown/black
and curl up. The entire plant may wilt. This is almost always a result of over watering. If the plant
has not already deterioted too far, try drying it.
 Sooty mould: The fungus covers the leaves and the black growth looks like root. This does not
harm the plant but makes it unsightly. This mould lives on the excrement left by aphids and
whitefly so eliminating the insect to remove this mould.
 Mildews: This disease is seen as a white, powdery deposit. The problem starts in 1-2 areas but
soon engulfs the whole leaf. Pick off the affected leaf at an early stage, and then use a fungicide
to have its spread. Increase ventilation and reduce humidity around the plant till the disease is
under control.
 Viruses: The main symptom is stunted/distorted growth, irregular yellow blotches on foliage and
streaked petals on flowering plants. They are easily transmitted by sap sucking insects. There is
no effective control.
c) Disorders and deficiencies: Not all troubles are caused by pests and diseases. Sometimes
psychological problems such as chills and cold draughts, or nutritional deficiencies can be
cause. Look for anything that has disturbed the usual routine has the plant been moved,
watered more or less heavily, has the weather become much colder, have you turned on central
heating but not increased humidity and ventilation.
 Temperature: Plants cant take sudden change of temperature. If leaves drop, this may be due
to low temperature. Leaves that look shrivelled and slightly translucent may have been touched
by frost. Hardy plants drop their leaves and berries fall if the temperature is kept too high.
 Light and sun: Plants that need high light intensity will become elongated and drawn if the
illumination is poor, the leaves and flower stalks will be drawn towards the window. Lop sided
growth is another sign of inadequate light. If you cant move the plant into a lighter position, try
turning their pot round by 45 degrees each day. Do not put in direct dun light as it may scorch
the leaves (brown, papery areas on the leaf). Patterned glass is a particular problem as it can
act as a magnifying glass.
 Humidity: Dry air can cause leaf tips to go brown and papery on vulnerable plants.
 Watering: Too little water causes wilting and collapse. If the compost feels very wet, and the
plant collapses, suspect over watering
SHREYA PRASAD
Assistant Lecturer
HK 3rd sem
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Indoor Plants
IHM BBSR
Feeding: Pale leaves and short, stunted growth may be due to lack of fertilizer in the compost.
Try liquid feeding for a quick boost. Specific plants such as citrius fruits & rhodendrons, may
show signs of iron deficiency (yellowing leaves) if grown on alkaline compost. Feed with a
sequestered iron and next time you report use ericaceous compost.
Bud Drop: This is often caused by dry rot or dry air, over watering or by moving a plant once the
flower buds have formed.
d) Wilting and Worse: When a plant wilts or appears to collapse, its time to take drastic action. The
first priority is to decide what’s wrong, then if possible, to apply first aid measures without delay
to bring the plant back to health. Plants usually wilt due to too much/ little water(visible) and
insects and diseases affecting the roots. If the compost is neither too wet nor dry check the
base of the plant just above compost level. If the stem looks black or rotten, a fungal disease is
the likely cause and the plant is discarded.
If none of these symptoms are seen, remove the plant from its pot and shake off some soil. If
many of the roots are soft or black and decaying, a root disease is the likely cause. Look also
for grubs or other insects around the roots. The larvae of beetles such as weevils can
sometimes cause the plant to collapse.
e) First aid for root pests/ diseases: try drenching the compost with the fungicide, then after a
couple of hours letting it dry out on absorbent paper. If roots are badly damaged repot it
sterilized compost first after removing old soil as much as possible. If pest are not
controlled(wine weevil grubs etc) try shaking the old soil off, dust roots with insecticidal powder,
then repot in fresh, sterilized compost.
SHREYA PRASAD
Assistant Lecturer