Houseplants

For many people, tending indoor plants is the only gardening option available to them. While not the same thing as gardening outdoors, caring for houseplants can fill our yearning to commune with nature and can provide solace in a chaotic world. This form of escape and natural therapy has become especially important to a lot of people since the COVID pandemic came to town.

Although houseplants are plants like any others, tending houseplants is quite different from growing outdoors or in a greenhouse. In most home environments the air is dry than and lighting is usually less than optimal for a plant's needs. In addition, extra care is needed to ensure that the soil in your containers remains alive and vital to allow the plant to live its best life.

Misting plants, locating them away from heat and drafts, and providing supplemental light will go a long way in improving the environment but the soil health will still need to be addressed. Organic material in any soil or planting mix will decompose over time, causing the organic acids necessary for good fertility to disappear. It's hard to replace this in a container or a pot, but we offer many excellent solutions in our Soil Amendments, Micronutrients & Biostimulants and Microbial Inoculants sections.

There are certain pest issues that plague houseplants. These are all common to plants grown anywhere, but they often become very apparent more quickly when they begin to invade your indoor spaces. Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites and mealybugs are just some of the common pest insects that enjoy a houseplant snack. Fungus gnats thrive in the conditions that houseplants grow in; they just love the damp of a potted plant. These tiny gnats hover around on the soil and are attracted to light. They will get right up in your face while you're watching TV or using your electronics and you can't ignore them. They seem to come from nowhere but actually may have come in your potting soil or in plant you got from a store. It takes several steps to rid yourself of fungus gnats, but the steps are easily manageable. Please refer to our Fungus Gnats page for information on what to do and what products will help. A word of caution regarding insecticides for houseplants: Some products have strong odors that might be a bit overwhelming in close quarters (many of those with neem, for instance), so be aware of what is in something before using it indoors.

Fungal diseases like Powdery Mildew can also pester houseplants. Often this is due to overwatering and the inability for the plant to dry out easily. Once established, these diseases are easily spread from plant to plant. Careful monitoring of your plants is your best defense against these pathogens, but don't worry if you spot something amiss in your house garden. We have highly effective and easy to use products for the most common plant diseases.

For more options on Fungus Gnat control, click here: Fungus Gnats

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