THE CARE OF HOUSE PLANTS

Ladies' Mirror, Volume I, Issue 5, 1 November 1922, Page 46

THE CARE OF HOUSE PLANTS

by "ACHIMENES"

HPHE season for the general repot- :-"- ting and overhauling of pot plants is with us, and since almost every home-maker is interested " in house plants, some general . remarks upon the subject should be opportune." It is a comparatively rare thing to find house plants growing satisfactorily, in spite of all the attention they receive from careful treatment. New specimens bought from the nurseryman begin to lose their healthy green colour in a few weeks, and gradually die. A house plant should not be regarded as a decorative feature of the home, to be renewed from time to time, in the same manner as cut flowers. It gives the maximum of pleasure when it continues to grow and proves to be happy in its surroundings. Ignorance of plant hygiene is the principal cause of failure. The dog, the cat, the canary or any other house pet is allowed fresh air and exercise in the open, but plants, which by nature also delight in out-door life, are confined to a shaded, sometimes welldarkened room. Such conditions are unnatural, and are sure to prove fatal. The plants selected for introduction to our living rooms, grow naturally in sheltered gullies and ravines, but do not extend into caves, even when the conditions of lighting and air circulation are equal to those of the average dwelling. A better understanding of the requirements of these plants is the first essential to success. Quite one-half of the dry matter of plants consists of carbon, which is absorbed from the atmosphere. This is taken in by minute breathing pores upon the leaf surface; there may be 400,000 of them to each square inch. When ventilation is poor, the air surrounding the leaves is soon exhausted of its carbon dioxide, and the plants starve. Starvation of the plant is also caused when the leaf surface becomes clogged with dust and fluff from the daily sweeping and cleansing operations. Sponging the leaves with tepid, soapy water once a week will work wonders in keeping the plants healthy. This treatment will also destroy scale insects and other forms of life which suck the sap from the leaves, and choke the breathing apertures with sticky secretions. Many plants require full exposure to the sun to enable them to develop, but shade-loving species are selected for house decoration. The degree of shade best suited to them is such as would be supplied by the foliage of larger trees and shrubs growing in full exposure to sunlight. In order to thrive, house plants should be placed near a window upon which the sun shines occasionally. They should be allowed as much ventilation as possible on fine days, and should not be unduly exposed to cold draughts, or heat from fires, gas or electric radiators. To prevent the leaves being drawn to the light, the pot should be turned every other day. Even when all these conditions are fulfilled, the plant should have at least one full day's holiday every week, which should be spent in a place where fresh air and light shade may be had. Select a day when you feel it a pleasure to be out yourself. THE ideal method of treatment of ■*- house plants is to have duplicate specimens, so that they may be interchanged more frequently, having one day in and one or more days out. To carry out this treatment successfully a warm verandah corner with glass protection against prevailing winds is advisable. With palms and aspidistras the most important period for ventilation is during the spring, when new leaves

are forming. These develop very rapidly, the fleshy roots of the plants giving up a reserve of nourishment stored in them to provide the necessary raw material. Where a bush house is available, the plants will benefit greatly by being left out during the months of September, October and November. Rooms that are kept darkened during the summer months are not suitable for growing plants. Artificial plants would be just as decorative, and much less trouble. Another frequent cause of failure with house plants is due to defective drainage in the soil, or perhaps more correctly, over watering. Plants growing indoors do not respire as freely as those in exposed positions, hence they are not able to use water with the same rapidity. No matter what provision is made for drainage, if the compost be unsuitable, the soil is apt to be too wet, even after the surplus moisture has drained out. A suitable compost should consist of one part of good loam, one part leaf mould or well-rotted manure, one part coarse sand, and about a quarter part of powdered charcoal. The chip soil from the wood-heap, tea leaves and decayed matter from old tree stumps should be avoided. To the whole mixture bonedust may be added at the rate of about a teaspoonful to a six-inch pot of soil. Overpotting is responsible for many failures. It is more difficult to regulate the water supply when large pots are used. Indeed, palms do not succeed until the pots are well filled with roots. When a move becomes necessary, it should be to a pot just one size larger, carefully packing the prepared compost between the old ball of roots and the side of the pot with a thin flat stick. Plants in small pots are also much more serviceable for decorative purposes. During the growing period weekly applications of highly diluted liquid manure may be given. Aspidistras may be treated similarly to palms. These are, without exception, the finest plants for house decoration, as they stand the lighting conditions better than any others. Palms may be placed next on the list. The Kentias are the most hardy, particularly K. belniOfSOHG and K. fosteriana. Many varieties of ferns are satisfactory, but they require a welllighted situation. The asparagus ferns make good house plants, but must have a well-lighted situation, and plenty of ventilation to succeed.