Use and Care Manual

Humidity is a tough factor to perfect, as most homes are fairly dry—especially in
the winter. Here are some things to consider about humidity:
• Many of the most common houseplants come from tropical regions, where
humidity is naturally high. They will be happiest when the relative
humidity is kept at 50 percent or higher.
• Plants like cactus and succulents can tolerate lower levels of humidity.
• Group houseplants near each other to form a support group to cope with
the low humidity of most homes in winter.
• Place plants in a bathroom or kitchen where humidity is higher.
• Set plants on shallow trays of moistened gravel to raise humidity.
• Pack damp sphagnum moss between pots in plants.
• Occasionally turning on a humidifier near your plants can be effective at
combating indoor dryness.
FERTILIZER
Most houseplants respond well to feeding, but be sure to follow the instructions
included with whichever fertilizer you buy.
• Too much fertilizer can be detrimental to a plant’s health, so don’t fertilize
more than necessary.
• In winter, feed sparingly or not at all; houseplants will be especially
sensitive to overfeeding at this time of year, when most go into dormancy.
• Come spring, start to feed plants again. This, along with more hours of
daylight, will help to kickstart their growing phase. Continue feeding
through fall.
• A balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) works fine for houseplants, although
fertilizers with a higher ratio of nitrogen will promote greater
foliage growth.
• For flowering plants, use a fertilizer with more phosphorous.
PESTS
Pests can be a real problem. They usually appear after outdoor plants are brought
inside for the winter, or when a new houseplant is brought home.
• To get rid of bugs in houseplants, push a clove of garlic into the plant’s soil.
If the garlic sprouts and grows, just cut it back.
• Spider mites are apt to thrive in warm, dry houses. Frequent misting under
the leaves of houseplants will discourage them. A solution of 1 cup flour,
¼ cup buttermilk, and a gallon of cool water, applied in a mist, is a good
organic deterrent.
• Small flies may occasionally appear around houseplants. These are called
fungus gnats and are harmless to plants (and humans) in their adult
form, although their larvae can damage young roots. Letting the soil dry