Garden Focus - Feb 2020
Mimic nature indoors
Mimic nature indoors
The more you know about your indoor plants and where they come from, the easier it will be to keep them healthy. Understanding a plant’s native habitat can help you decide what care is needed. However, you can feel your way to success with some general guidelines.Plants have a limited lifespan. A struggling houseplant that has been around for a few years, may simply be at the end of its life. Consider starting over with a new plant. Unhealthy plants attract insects and when the infestation spreads to other plants, you may regret keeping it.
Soil: Indoor soil mixes should be light and usually contain peat moss, vermiculite, perlite and compost. These mixes absorb moisture very well and resist compaction, allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach the roots. There is no chance of introducing pest or disease problems as the mix is sterile. The added organic matter (compost) will not dry out as fast as a soilless mix, and it allows for beneficial micro-organisms and nutrients.
Temperature: In their natural habitat, most plants experience a day-to-night temperature fluctuation of at least 10 – 15 degrees Celsius. In your home, they will benefit from similar variability.
Rest: Most plants also need a resting period each year. To simulate this, cut back on water and fertilizer during late autumn until middle spring before increasing again.
Water: More houseplants die from overwatering than from anything else. Watering on a regular schedule could be fatal – rather consider the prevailing weather outside. The larger the container, the longer the intervals between watering as there is not the drying out of a small pot or evaporation of an outside plant bed. A large pot may feel hand-deep dry but will still be wet at the centre.
Nutrients: Indoor plants are not too fussy, and the most important thing is not to overdo it. Seek advice from your garden centre about a suitable product. Efekto has a vast range.
Adequate light: Very few plants can survive low light conditions, so do your research beforehand.
Inspections: Regularly check for dust or pests and care lovingly.
Maria Nel
Ferreira’s Garden Centre
Tel: 061-234900
AgriTurf: Marco de Wet:
Cell: 085 600 958
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