Watering your houseplants

GardenAdvice top four tips on caring and watering your houseplants

Most plants need and enjoy humidity and that’s the main problem with houseplants. Most residential properties have a very dry atmosphere due to modern central heating and insulation.

In addition, plastic pots and modern compost are not helping to maintain your houseplants

The GardenAdvice top four tips are 

• In most cases you should report your house plants into John Innes soil-based compost normally using John Innes compost number 1 or 2 – it’s a lot easier to regulate the moisture content in the compost. 
• Use a cheap clay pot with a drainage hole, this type of pot will soak up the water and give it off as humidity around the plant. The clay pot can be placed inside a more decorative ceramic pot or similar type.
• With a clay pot, it’s easier to tell when it needs watering by simply tapping the clay pot. If it creates a ringing sound then you need to water if it’s a solid sound then it has enough water. 
• Most houseplants suffer from house dust so placing them in a shower or outside in the winter will help remove the dust. 

When to water your houseplant

If your houseplants are grown in clay pots its possible to tap the pot with a pen, stick or similar if the pot produces a ringing sound the clay pot is dry and needs to be watered, if the pot produces a solid dull sound then to pot and compost has enough water.

These general tips should keep most of your houseplants in good health. Some houseplants such as orchids will require a slightly different approach asks your MyGardenTeam expert gardener for advice 

For information on getting your houseplants to recover Click Here