Johnsons's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2004
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/newsletter/houseplants.html

Fall Houseplant Care
Sept/Oct 2004
Karen Hull, Johnson's East Greenhouse Manager

    This is my favorite time of year! Fall is in the air. The mums and
pansies are blooming. The leaves on the trees are starting to turn. With
the cooler night temperatures we need to think about getting our
houseplants inside. Your plants need to be in before the temperatures
are below 50 degrees.

    Chances are, plants that spent the summer outdoors have a lot of new
growth. You may need to re-pot your plants. Other indications that
your plants may need to be re-potted are:

    1. the soil dries out quickly

    2. the roots appear on the soil surface

    3. decreasing leaf size on new growth

    Always use a good potting mix. Choose a pot with drainage holes.
Johnson's offers the service of re-potting at all stores. Bring your
plant in for this service.

    Before bringing plants inside, check for pests and insects. Wash the
plant with water. Inspect your plant very well. If you do see pests,
they will need to be taken care of before taking the plant inside your
home. One product to use is ferti-lome Time Release Indoor/Outdoor
Insect Spray. I would also recommend using ferti-lome Systemic
Insecticide. This product is applied to the soil and is effective when
spread throughout the plant. Use this product as a preventative, not a
cure.

    Some other plants you may consider to bring in are Geraniums (do
very well indoors over winter--fertilize often), Hibiscus, Bougainvillea
and Oleander.

    There is something calming about having living, growing plants in
the home. If you do not have tropicals in your home, or are not bringing
yours back inside, Johnson's has a plant for you! There are a few
considerations when choosing your new plant:

1. Lighting--this will determine your plant choice:

- Low Light--bright enough to read by (north or northeast window):
Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily), Philodendron, Calathea, Pothos, Zamioculcas
zamiifolia (ZZ), Sansevieria (Snake Plant)

- Medium Light--5'-8' from an east or west window: Dracaena, Ferns,
Dieffenbachia, Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen), Palms, Nephthytis
(Arrowhead)

- High Light--5' from south or west window, as much indirect sun as
possible: Ficus, Schefflera, Croton

2. How and when to water:

- plants in a warm room require more water

- plants in high light require more water

- smaller potted plants will dry before larger pots

    Johnson's greenhouses are full of plants. There is a plant for every
home. Come in to our greenhouse and talk with our staff. We will make
sure you take home the right plant.