Summertime Care for Your Indoor Plants
By Lisa Ciulla
With the record-breaking rainy days behind us and the solstice ushering in the first day of summer, we’re finally beginning to feel the heat. As we crank up the A/C and slather on the sunscreen, humans easily acclimate to summer. But what about our houseplants and their needs? Here are four considerations to help your houseplants acclimate to summer.
Let’s Talk About Lighting
In the real estate world, the mantra is “location, location, location.” The same goes in the plant world. Proper lighting is one of the most important factors affecting plant growth, especially when natural light is lacking, during winter. In summer, however, plants may be exposed to too much direct sun from south or west-facing windows. You’ll recognize sunburn damage by areas of white or tan discoloration on the leaves. Be sure to safeguard your plants against irreversible sunscald, by simply moving susceptible plants closer to the interior of the room.
Don’t Get Too Dry
On the other hand, your plants can suffer from being placed too close to the dry, frigid air blasting from your air conditioning vents. Remember that it’s not just good old-fashioned sunshine that will quickly dry out your plants. The dry air from your A/C can just as easily dry them out. Avoid placing plants, especially Ficus, too close to vents, in any season. Most importantly, no matter where your houseplants are located, increase your watering now that summer has come. The lesser amounts given in winter will no longer suffice. Just keep in mind that most plants like to dry out between waterings, as roots need good air circulation.
Don’t Forget to Feed
Summertime also signals that your plants need fertilizer. As professionals we fertilize interior foliage plants during second quarter. Whether you choose a granular, slow-release type or a liquid type, follow the manufacturer’s directions precisely! Too much of a good thing is definitely a bad thing when it comes to fertilizing. Overfertilizing can cause root damage, inhibiting your plant’s ability to take up water.
A Nice New Home
There is one more thing to be said for summertime plant care, and that brings us back to our earlier mantra “location, location, location.” Just like we outgrow our living spaces and need to remodel or move, so do our foliage friends! Although early spring is the ideal time to repot or size-up your houseplants, summer is a fine time to do this too. Avoid potting up during a heat wave or when your plant shows signs of stress. Whether your plant is rootbound and needs to relocate to a larger pot, or it simply needs a soil refresh in the same container, here are some tips for success:
Hydrate your plant a few days beforehand. This will make your plant less stressed during the process, and make it easier for you to get the plant out of its pot.
Squeeze the container or use a knife around the container to loosen the plant.
Massage (loosen) the roots, gently shake off excess dirt, and clip off damaged roots or dead (black or brown) roots
If you’re upsizing, make sure you don’t increase the container diameter by more than two inches. If you’re repotting, discard the old soil and clean the pot with warm soapy water before adding new soil
Add new soil to the bottom so that the top of the plant will end up being about an inch or so below the lip of the container. Then gently fill soil around the rest of the plant, pressing firmly enough to stabilize the plant well but not so hard that you restrict air and water flow
Water thoroughly but don’t saturate, making sure you let it dry out before watering it next time
What goes for you, goes for your plants: Hydrate well, enjoy the sunshine, don’t sunburn! Stick to a healthy diet and refresh your living space as needed. If the summer season has your schedule too busy for houseplant care, our expert horticulture team at Greens ‘N Things can install and maintain a beautiful design to suit your budget and space. Call us to set up a consultation.
Here’s to a healthy summer season for both you and your plants!
Sources:(2015) Pistils Nursery(2007) Penn State Extension