Indoor Plants & Bonsai Care

Where to grow

Majority of houseplants will thrive in:

Well-lit, draught-free, even temperature and high humidity. However some plants do prefer different conditions, so make sure you do your research - for instance

- Cacti, succulents and carnivorous plants like it bright

- Orchids like indirect light lots of fresh air and high humidity.

- Some plants prefer darker areas so they don't get scorched.

What to do

Watering

Keep the compost moist but wait until it has almost dried out before rewatering.
Water from above and put saucers under plants.
Need watering more in spring and summer, than in winter.
Water less in winter than in summer when actively growing.

Humidity (Mist)

Some plants enjoy a daily mist with a hand-held spray. You can also group plants on a tray of damp gravel.

Ferns
Orchids
Bromeliads
Calathea

Holiday watering

Water all pots before you leave.
Plants in large pots leave in a shady room.

Tips: Smaller plants place in the bath, lined with a towel soaked through. Also you can shade the windows if its quite a sunny spot.

Feeding

Flowering plants do best with a weekly dose of feed.
When moving plants into bigger pots, add a few granules of slow-release fertiliser.

Pruning

Remove any dying flowersa and any damaged or yellowing leaves.

Cleaning

You can clean soft wipes or even Baby Bio wipes. Nothing with chemiclals!

Houseplant pests

Mealy bug or woolly aphids, pests that suck the sap of houseplants. Remove with soft soap (wipe/spray).
Tiny limpet-like bugs on stems or leaves (scale insect). Remove with soft soap (wipe/spray).
Fine webbing at the tips of plants and yellow speckling on leaves is a symptom of tiny red spider mites. Remove with soft soap (wipe/spray).

Bonsai Care

A few basic rules should enable anyone to take care of its tree properly. Most importantly are watering, fertilization and choosing the right position to place it.