House Plants - More Adaptable Than You May Think

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House Plants - More Adaptable Than You May Think

by: KeithMarkensen | Total views: 16 | Word Count: 478 | View PDF | Print View
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It is difficult (and would probably be uncomfortable for you) to try to modify the temperature of your home to meet the needs of your plants. Instead, it is best to choose the plants that naturally survive in the environment that your home can offer.

It may be tough to grow plants like begonias, primroses, and geraniums indoors. They grow best in cool temperatures (between 50 and 60 degrees F). If you have a patio that is cooler, this could be a good spot for plants like these.

Plants like the African Violet do best in warmer, room temperatures of 70-80 degrees F.

To save energy, the temperature in most homes drops significantly at night. Your plants can probably handle this drop without a problem, unless it is exceptionally extreme. You would probably not be comfortable if it were that cold, though. Plants are used to a drop of about 10-15 degrees at night, since this happens in the wild when the sun goes down. If the drop is 25-30 degrees in your house, you should protect the plants with a newspaper or burlap tent until it warms up in the morning.

It is important that you make sure your windows are well insulated. If not, the temperature right by the window will too cold for the plants if it is cold outside. It is also possible for drafts to leak through. Be sure to move plants away from the windows at night if there is poor insulation.

Overheating can be a problem as well. In the winter, the air is typically quite dry. When you heat your home, it takes even more humidity out of the air. Moisture is extremely important to plants, so the low humidity can be harmful. Plants get water from the air, similarly to how they take it in from the roots. This is often overlooked.

You can compensate for the dry air by buying a humidifier for your home to add moisture. If you would rather choose a cheaper option, you can attach evaporating pans to the radiators. Make sure you keep the pans filled with water.

In addition to either of these two options, it is good to spray the foliage with water a couple times per week. This will give the foliage the moisture that the lack of humidity takes away. Also, it will clean the dust off of the leaves, and keep insects away, even with easy care houseplants it's a good idea to keep moisture around them. If your plants have hairy leaves, you should not spray them because they will get white spots and be more likely to decay.

As long as you care for your plants in a reasonable manner, they should be able to adapt to changes in the environment of your home.
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