The Interior Landscape: Houseplants and Plantscaping Unit 23

Objectives List the 4 major concerns in caring for interior plants Select a medium to use for growing various interior plants Describe the best cultural conditions (water, light, and soil requirements) for 10 selected interior plants of your choice List the 4 methods of watering interior plants

Plants are a special part of people’s lives Food bearing Materials for clothing Adding beauty 1998 - $1.191 billion interior plants sold Plantscaping – Method of interior plant use Public places and private homes

Caring for interior plants The Following questions should be asked. What is the proper way to water the plant? How much light does it need? What is the best temperature for optimum growth? What type of planting medium is needed?

Watering Plant’s behavior must be carefully observed Signs of improper watering: Drooping leaves or leaves that do not seem as full – lack of water Wilting or yellowing of leaves – too much water

Methods of watering interior plants Drench/Let Dry Desired amount of water is added all at once Drench/ Let Dry slightly Add water and let dry until it is damp to the touch Keep medium constantly moist Medium should be damp to the touch all the time

Lighting Interior environments cause excess stress due to low available light Appropriate artificial environments must be created Natural, filtered sunlight Incandescent, fluorescent High-intensity discharge lights All these allow plants to receive enough energy for photosynthesis

Measuring Light Intensity Light meters – measure illumination Determine if the location is suitable for the plant Sold at florists, garden centers, dept. stores

Classification of Light Intensity Intensity needed is classified into 3 groups Direct sun: plant should receive full intensity of natural sunlight Partial sun or weak sun: plant should receive less than 50% of natural sunlight Indirect or filtered light: Plant should receive no direct sunlight at all Basically the more sunlight available, the more plants that can be grown

Artificial lighting Fluorescent light greatly influenced growth of interior plants Enables horticulturists to… Root cuttings of interior plants more easily Start seeds of new and different interior plants Grow tropical plants and cacti with greater ease

Temperature Interior plants are exposed to a great range of temperatures Recommended temp. for interior plants is 50-85 degrees – daytime At night, temps. Can drop 10-15 deg. w/o harming the plant Plants should be located away from air conditioners, drafts, and direct air flows

Humidity Humidity: percentage of moisture in the air Lower in winter – need additional moister in atmosphere Humidity can be increased by… Spraying a fine mist of water on the foliage Using a watertight tray filled w/ small pea gravel to hold plants Using a humidifier to provide moisture Placing plants in the part of the house with highest humidity

Soil Mixture Must be loose and airy and must hold moisture and nutrients Sphagnum Peat Moss

Fertilizers 2 kinds of fertilizers: Slow release and soluble Slow release: small beads coated w/ plastic Dissolve over period of time Nutrients are steadily released Eliminates risk of fertilizer burn Soluble: available in liquid or solid form Water must be added to dilute the concentrate or break down the solid form

Containers Plants need oxygen to their roots Drainage holes must be available Pot should be set in a saucer to catch excess water

Potting Plants A crock may be used as drainage in the bottom of the pot Crock: A broken piece of clay pot Add the selected potting mixture to cover the crock Add plant, adjust so it is ½” below top of pot Plant can hold extra water while being watered

Repotting Plants should be repotted when they become potbound Remove the plant from original pot If roots are growing around root ball and are firm – repot the plant Roots must be separated to allow roots to develop and make new growth Wait until after flowering is completed to repot

General Care Leaves should be cleaned occasionally w/ a fine spray of water Wipe leaves on top and underside Removes dust and insects Helps maintain humidity Keeps plant fresh-looking

Controlling Diseases and Pests The secret is to recognize and control problems on the plant Aphids are small, green insects w/ piercing mouth parts – suck plant juices Leaves become sticky w/ honeydew causing a black, sooty mold Whitefly small white, winged, sucking insect Heavy producers of eggs so infestation occurs fast

Insects (cont’) Mealybugs are white, woolly masses like a ball of cotton Concentrate on nodes and underside of leaves Give plant a faded yellow appearance Mites are small spiderlike insects on underside of the leaf Suck juices causing plant to yellow Too small to see w/ naked eye Easies way to check for mites is to tap the leaf above a piece of white paper

Diseases Botrytis and mildew are 2 common diseases of indoor plants Botrytis causes leaves to turn black and develop a gray mold Controls include providing good air circulation and sanitation Mildew causes leaves to get heavy white coating Good air circulation and fungicide