************************************************************* MOVING BY The days are
longer, the outside is warmer, and many of the outside plants are up and
growing, so the ones inside need to get ready.
One shouldn’t move them to the outside directly from the house
for all day or they will probably sunburn.
I usually put many of mine on the North side of the house where
they are protected from full sun. I have just had
an infection of white flies on two of the plants so on a warm day I took
them to the driveway to spray as I don’t like to spray inside. I
soaked the underside of the leaves as they had both adults and eggs.
They won’t come back in the house but spend nights and cold
days in the garage where the tender potted plants spent the winter.
It never goes below 35 degrees F. in the garage as there are two
300 watt bulbs above and I leave them on for 12 to 14 hours all winter.
I also have a small “milk house heater” for those very cold
days outside. These plants
are hungry!!! Little or no fertilizer all winter will give them a boost
to start spring growth. I
like to use pelleted, long term fertilizer that releases a little food
each time I water. If I didn’t
repot last fall, I check their soil and condition of their roots. If
they are very crowded I slice across the bottom of the root ball and
probably down two sides to get them to spread out. I then usually put
them in a size bigger pot. When a bigger pot is needed, go up just one
size at a time. They don’t like to struggle to fill a big pot all at
once. If they are already in a very large pot I may cut off a slice on
the bottom and sides, then trim back the plant so it can recover during
the summer in the same size pot. This
usually happens when I want to drop the pot in a “fancy” pot
outside. If the outer pot is much bigger, I stuff the space with
something that I can wet when I water the plant. Potting soil
often shrinks and the plant is down quite a ways.
Turn them out of the pot and add soil at the bottom and sides.
Again you may want to slash the sides and bottom before putting the
plant back in. This will
create space along the sides for root expansion. Plants that
grow too big can have cuttings made to start new ones that will look
good by fall and time to bring them in. Some plants get rather ratty
looking as they age or if they were in limited light during the winter.
They can be cut back rather drastically and should look good
again by fall. I have a two
stalk Dracaena. I cut the taller stalk to pot level last fall. There is
now a 1 inch baby there and I will cut the other stalk (now five feet)
off and hope by fall to have 2 short ones.
This will be easier to carry than if it was in the pot. Last fall I
took a 2 leaf start off a red Tea Plant and wondered if it would grow.
All winter it sat, alive but sitting! Now with spring here I have
a new 6 inch plant. Always
take a chance when you don’t know if it will work and do several just
in case. The plant will grow
about 2 to 2 1/2 feet with long red narrow leaves mottled with green.
The original was one of the “boarders” in my garage where there are
a number of visiting plants. An Angel Wing Begonia that I took a 4 inch
tip suddenly became a 6 incher. The majority of my house plants have
been gifts. For me this works best in the spring.
I generally put them in potting soil and set the pot in a dish of
water to make sure entire soil gets wet.
After 2 days I remove it to prevent root rot. The east side
of the house seems best for me to summer houseplants.
They receive morning sun but are protected from the hot west
summer wind and sun in the afternoon. The house also cuts down on heavy
winds. A few go on the south side but I can’t leave them out all day
at first as they will sunburn. Copyright 2009 ************************************************************* PREVENTION OF THATCH BY Many home
owners worry about thatch in their yard and power rake every year
because someone told them they should in order to take care of thatch. 1.
First, power raking is very
hard on your lawn and pulls out new little seedlings. Power rake ONLY
when you know you have a thatch problem or want to scratch up the lawn
prior to overseeding. 2.
Second, core aerating once
a year will open up any hard clay soil and
take care of any thatch in a natural way. Core aerating is good
for your yard, especially before reseeding. 3.
Third, contrary to popular
belief, letting your grass clippings stay on the lawn does not cause
thatch. In fact, it is good for your lawn to return those clippings. It
adds organic matter and at the end of the summer it is like adding one
application of fertilizer. 4.
Fourth, what causes thatch
is over fertilization of your lawn, especially in the spring, and by
mowing your lawn too short. Copyright
2009 |