The Easy Guide to Indoor Plants [antikvár]

There has long been a tradition of decorating rooms with greenery and flowers from the garden but the more recent practice of growing potted plants indoors has rapidly become the most popular method of introducing an element of natural beauty into the home. Today the choice is wide but plants vary in their requirements of light, temperature and humidity and these factors should be borne in mind when making a selection. Whether a plant is chosen for its flowers or fohage it will require certain conditions to flourish, so before buying a plant, decide whether it will be placed in a warm or cool spot and choose accordingly. Each separate entry in this book details the amount of light, the temperature and the degree of humidity each plant prefers, how much water and fertihser it needs and any special points about its care.A plant generally requires protection while being transferred from the place of purchase to its new home, especially in extremes of weather. The use of a large plastic bag will create a mini-greenhouse; or simply enveloping the plant in wrapping paper helps to screen it from wind and sun. Once home place the plant in its selected position, checking to see whether it needs watering immediately, and cutting away any pieces which may have been broken in transit.Conditionsaffecting plantgrowth_LightIf plants receive less light indoors than they would have had in their natural habitats, their stems may become straggly (as distances between the joints increase), variegated leaf colours may fade and almost certainly no new flowers will be produced. The amount of hght in a room is affected by the size of a window and the direction it faces; for instance, a north-facing window re-Incandescent plant lights (left) and fluorescent tubes (centre and right) make it possible to grow indoor plants without sunlight. Make sure the light reaches all the foliage, or parts of the plant will lose colour or dieceives the greatest amount of direct sunUght. Light intensity also varies according to the reflected light inside and the position of trees and buildings outside the room. White walls and ceiling will reflect the greatest amount of hght within a room; dark colours and tones are light-absorbent. If the light comes from one window only, rotate pots daily to keep the plants symmetrical in shape, because they will grow towards the source of light. Be careful not to place plants where they will be standing in the sun for long periods, as few of them tolerate hot, direct sunhght especially on new foliage.TemperatureAn even temperature is very important for the well-being of most indoor plants. Most of those described in this book thrive in a comfortable warm room of between 18°-22°C, and tolerate higher summer temperatures up to 35°C provided the atmosphere is humid. A night-time drop to 2°-5°C is not usually harmful, and cooler winter conditions bring about beneficial resting periods in most evergreen plants grown indoors. However, exposure of warmth-loving plants to prolonged cold conditions is generally fatal. In frosty weather donot leave plants on the window sill, especially if there are curtains which would isolate the plant from the warmth within the room; glass affords no protection from the cold. Do not place plants directly above a radiator (where the air will be not only hot but dry) or in positions wbere there are strong draughts, such as in an empty fireplace.WateringMore plants in containers are killed by overwatering than by neglect. When a plant is growing actively, producing new shoots, leaves or flowers, it needs more water than when it is dormant but different plants require different amounts of water. Each plant entry in the book includes instructions on whether the soil should be wet, moist or almost dry. A useful tool to assess soil moisture level is a plant-prober which, when pushed into the potting soil, changes colour according to the moisture content. A less expensive method is to push a wooden skewer or pencil into the soil. Damp soil only will cling to it when it is withdrawn.If the potting mix shrinks away from the sides of the container, it is close to drying out completely and any water poured on to the top will run down the