What should I be aware of when taking care of my houseplants?
The wiki tells you more about which factors play a role in finding the right care for your houseplant. In addition, you can navigate from this page to specific care tips per type of plant.
nLocation
Keeping a plant beautiful can be a challenge. Choosing the right place for your plant plays a major role in this. Different types of plants also have different light and location needs; sunny, partial shade and shade.
nHumidity
Because many plants naturally come from a humid/tropical climate, they need high humidity. When there is (too) low humidity in the immediate vicinity of the plant, the plant often gives signals that indicate this. Curled or drooping leaves, brown tips or leaf margins are an example of this. The ideal humidity in the house is between 50 and 60%. For comparison; the humidity in a jungle environment can sometimes even reach 60 – 90%! You can measure the humidity in your home with a hygrometer.
nWhen a plant requires high humidity, it is a good idea to spray it regularly. When a plant does not tolerate mist very well (eg due to small hairs on the leaf or stem), the humidity can be increased by using a water container on the heating, a humidifier or a layer of water and stones in a saucer. You can then place the plant on top of this.
nWatering
Water is necessary for plants to survive. However, plants are sensitive to too much water. The most common reason that plants ‘give up’ is over-watering, often well-intentioned. The amount of water a plant needs depends on the type of plant, the location, the size of the plant, the temperature in the house and the season. It is therefore always difficult to indicate exactly how much your plant needs. We can, however, distinguish between a lot of, average and little water. In practice, this means that the soil of the plant should not be dry, a little/shortly or for a longer period of time. On the map, this is indicated by a symbol for ‘finger in the soil’ and a score from 1 to 3. Always test the moisture of the soil by inserting your finger at least two knuckles deep into the soil.
nRepotting
Repotting stimulates the growth of your plant and provides access to new nutrients – when new soil is added to the repotting. New soil has up to about 6 weeks of new nutrients until they are used up.
nRepotting can be done immediately after purchasing the plant or – if you want to wait for the right moment – best in spring. Does your plant give flowers? Then it is best to wait with repotting until the plant has finished flowering.
nSpraying
There are several reasons to spray your houseplant regularly. It increases the (local) humidity, removes dust and helps prevent pests such as spider mites. Preferably spray with rainwater, because tap water can leave limescale stains on the leaves.
nAs indicated above, some plants are not suitable for spraying. Always check this in advance to prevent the stems or leaves of that plant from getting mouldy.
nTemperature
The origin of the plant not only influences preference for a certain humidity, but also for a minimum temperature. Most plants thrive best between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius, where there is a difference between the minimum evening and day temperature.
nIf it gets colder outside, try to keep the temperature inside as constant as possible and keep the plants away from drafty windows. In addition to causing cold currents, it also increases the risk of pests.
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