Tropical plants and flowers are easily available off- and online so that we can always make use of their vibrant beauty. The Basics for Being Successful with tropical house plants and flowers
Light, temperature and humidity, water, soil, fertilizer, pests and plant diseases are the principal factors that must be appropriately controlled to ensure success in growing tropical house plants and flowers.
Tropical House Plants Care
Light
- Light is the most important ingredient needed to produce bright, attractive foliage and flowers, and food for plants.
- Plants receive light from all sides in their natural environment. In our homes they receive light from one side, usually from a window. Agreed? Now, to compensate;
- rotate your plants at least twice per month to allow the whole plant to get an equal amount of light.
Tropical plants and desert plants require more light than others, so note the different amounts of light we get in our homes; bright, direct light; indirect, diffused or filtered light and low light. Check your home carefully to see how much light enters each room.- Bright, direct sunlight - Light that delivers the full rays of the sun into a room from the south windows. (Note: Plants can be scorched by magnified sun's rays passing through glass panes.)
Indirect, diffused or filtered light - Light that filters through a sheer into a room from the north or south windows.
Low light -Light that is normally in bathrooms, bedrooms and hallways.
When needed, natural light can be augmented by artificial plant lights.- Plants that thrive in sunny tropical and desert conditions may have their leaves scorched by the magnified sun's rays passing through glass panes, especially patterned glass.
- Use sheers or net curtains to filter out the strongest rays.
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Temperature and Humidity
Recommended temperatures are not absolute, as most tropical house plants will survive at temperatures lower than the recommended one. There must be a balance between light, temperature and humidity.
In winter
high temperature may cause increased growth in house plants that cannot be supported by the existing amount of poor light in a room.
when temperature gets close to freezing tropical house plants may suffer damage at night, because the temperature in the rooms may be too low.
In summer tropical house plants require a high enough level of humidity to survive under hot conditions.
Humidity - the amount of moisture present in the air in ratio to a given temperature - is necessary for the proper growth of all plants, but is most important for plants with thin and delicate leaves. Mist these plants at least once per day. If your tropical house plants are in bloom, cover the blooms while you mist, to protect the petals from rotting.
Even though most house plants are tropical plants, yet high temperatures adversely affect some of them by causing the moisture in the soil to evaporate too quickly. We will give tips for maintaining acceptable temperature and humidity level for the house plants we introduce to you.
When needed, humidity can be increased in rooms by putting water in trays with gravel or marbles. Place these trays near heating radiators. Plants can also be placed on the gravel in these trays but the base of the pot must not touch the water. Trays with houseplants must not be placed near radiators.
Soil
There are many good, all-purpose commercial mixes available which you can use to repot tropical house plants. Always ask your nursery attendant if you need to have a special mix for your plant. The house plants which you buy online or directly from nurseries would have been grown in the medium most suitable for them, so do not change that soil until repotting has to be done.
To sterilize your own soil preparation, fill a baking pan with your soil mix and bury a potato in the middle of the soil. Place in oven at 350 degrees. When the potato is cooked, the soil is sterilized.
Water
Inadequate watering - both overwatering and underwatering - is the greatest cause of damage to house plants.
Overwatering leads to root rot and leaf spot and, if not corrected, the plant will die. Underwatering leads to wilting from which the plant will rebound after the next watering. That is, if there is a next watering.
As a general rule, water your house plants when the surface of the soil looks dry or when the soil crumbles in your fingers.
Here are 5 factors which affect the watering needs of tropical house plants: - room temperature, humidity, evaporation, type of potting soil and type of container.
Rules for Watering
- Use room temperature or lukewarm water.
Rain water is the best water for house plants.
Allow chlorinated tap water to sit overnight before using.
Never use water from water softeners.
Water from the top of the pot.
Do not spill water on the leaves or the crown - (the junction of stem and roots) - of the plant.
Fertilizer
There are 16 chemicals/elements which are essential for plant growth. The most important ones are:
NITROGEN which promotes growth. In spring use fertilizers with low nitrogen content because nitrogen will cause excessive growth.
PHOSPHORUS which promotes root development and growth and the formation of flower buds.
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- POTASSIUM/POTASH helps with root growth and maintains a balance between nitrogen and phosphorus.
CALCIUM/LIME helps phosphorus and potassium to be readily available to be absorbed by plants. It is detrimental to plants which need acid in their growth because it neutralizes the acid.
And many trace elements; such as iron, copper, zinc, molybdenum, manganese and boron plus lesser chemicals.
General Rules for Fertilizing
Fertilize lightly but frequently, i.e.- once or twice per month; heavily - once every 3 or 4 months, or use a slow release fertilizer starting in spring. Your choice depends on the type of plant.
Do not fertilize newly bought house plants during the first 2 months.
Do not fertilize during winter.
Do not fertilize during the first two months after repotting with a commercial fertilizer.
Too much or too little feeding, watering or light, or poor air circulation can hinder plant growth and development and cause your houseplants to be vulnerable to being attacked by pests and diseases.
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