Tips for Healthy Houseplants

Houseplants bring a little bit of nature indoors – a beautiful touch of green that’s not only soothing but softens hard lines and strong light in our homes or office. They can even improve air quality indoors. Many houseplants differ in their specific cultural requirements, but here are some general tips to keep yours healthy.

Match plants with light conditions. This is often the most challenging part of growing houseplants, especially for beginners. Houseplants vary in their light requirements. Some prefer the strong light found right next to a south-facing window. Others thrive in the soft morning light of an east-facing window. Distance from the window will also affect light intensity and quality. And to make matters more complicated, light intensity and patterns in your home or office will vary with the seasons.

One thing for sure, all houseplants will do best with some light from outdoors. Some need less than others (view our list of low-light houseplants) but the better you match the plants with the light conditions where they will grow, the happier you and your plants will be. There are many excellent books and Web sites on how to choose houseplants. The Nebraska Cooperative Extension has a Web site that does a particularly good job of matching plants with indoor light conditions as well as other cultural requirements.

Your plants will also tell you if they are getting too much or too little light. Too much light usually turns the foliage dull green to yellowish and the leaves may also wilt even though the plant has plenty of water. If plants are not getting enough light, they will get leggy and less compact.

Use quality potting soil. Good potting soil (never use regular garden soil in containers) promotes healthy roots by providing a balance of proper aeration, nutrition and moisture holding capability. Nurseries and garden centers carry an excellent selection of packaged potting soils.

Here's more information on how to choose the right container for your houseplants.

Water properly. Like all containerized plants, houseplants will need frequent watering. Water thoroughly, so the entire root ball is wet and the excess water runs out the bottom of the pot. Don’t leave standing water in the catch-tray for more than a day or two. Doing so can promote root diseases. Allow the soil to partially dry before watering again. To check soil moisture, stick your finger into the top two inches of soil. If it is dry, it’s probably time to water. You can also tell how dry a plant is by lifting the pot. It will be heavy after watering, much lighter as it dries out. To prevent salts from building up in the soil, water especially heavily (refilling the container four or five times) once every month or two. This is most easily done by placing the plant in a sink or taking it outdoors.

Fertilize and control pests. The frequent watering required by most houseplants leaches nutrients out of the soil. These must be replaced by regular fertilization. And insects, such as aphids, scale and whiteflies, can be problems indoors. To feed and protect against insects, use Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Insect Control plus Fertilizer Plant Spikes. Nothing could be easier, and there is no spraying necessary – just load the spike in the applicator provided, push the tip in the soil, release and water in for up to eight weeks of feeding and protection. To control existing insect problems, use Bayer Advanced™ 3-in-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control Ready-To-Use or Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Ready-To-Use (take plants outdoors to spray). It kills insects on contact and protects for up to 30 days.

Increase humidity and avoid drafts. Indoor conditions can be very dry and drafty. Keep plants away from heater vents, doorways or drafty windows. Increase humidity by setting plants on trays layered with small pebbles and filled with water. Or, place them in naturally humid areas like kitchens or bathrooms (but only if there is adequate light). Misting plants increases humidity only temporarily and is of little help. It can also increase chances for foliage diseases.

Keep the foliage clean. Dust that accumulates on the leaves of houseplants will block light and harbor insects. Clean leaves by wiping them with a moist towel or, in mild-winter areas, take plants outdoors and hose them off. For more information on growing houseplants, visit the Bayer houseplant page.

Ken's Layered Bulb Planting for Concentrated Color

Ken Kukorowski, head of Product Innovations at Bayer Advanced, shares a bulb-planting technique that's been passed down through his family of gardeners. It's a simple layering process that gives three times the color of traditional bulb-planting methods.

Start by digging a 6-inch hole with a trowel or bulb-planting tool. Set a late-blooming tulip bulb in the hole and cover with 2 inches of soil. Then add a daffodil bulb and enough soil to cover the top. Finally, add a crocus bulb and fill in the hole. As you add the bulbs, offset them a bit so the tips aren’t directly below the bulb on top. To protect bulbs from snails and slugs, use Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Snail & Slug Killer Bait Granules, which can be used around pets and wildlife.

In the spring, the crocus will bloom first, followed by the daffodils then by the tulips. Three times the flowers from one hole.

For more tips on bulb planting, including which bulbs are best for naturalizing and which ones will grow in the shade, visit the Bulbs for Shady Gardens article.

Walker’s Low Catmint – 2007 Perennial Plant of the Year

Each year, members of the perennial plant association select an outstanding perennial as their Perennial Plant of the Year. The 2007 winner is ‘Walker’s Low’ catmint, Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low.’ First introduced in Europe in 1988, this outstanding ornamental plant has proven its worthiness over and over. ‘Walker’s Low’ has a long season of violet blue flowers topping good-looking, aromatic gray-green foliage. If lightly sheared to remove spent flowers, it will bloom from early spring into summer and often again in fall. Plants reach 30 to 36 inches high (the name “Low” comes from the garden or origin, not the size of the plant) and spread at least as wide. ‘Walker’s Low’ is ideal as a tall edging, mixed in perennial borders, used in herb gardens and will likely be greatly appreciated by your cat. It grows best in full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil with regular water. Plants are hardy in USDA zones 3-9 (3 to 11 in western states), and fall is an ideal time to plant.