Indoor Plant Care
We have plants indoors either because that’s were we want them (obvious) or we are over-wintering them until the weather breaks. Either way, there are basic things to consider for healthy plant care. A good rule of thumb is to try and match the environment the plants are used to as close as possible. Do a little research into what the particular plants in your home are used to and need for a good starting point.
The basics to consider are:
1- Air Temperature: You can have many different temperature swings in the same home depending on where in the plant is placed. Plants next to windows, doors and vents will get drafts and potential colder temperatures than if in the middle of a room. Be aware especially if the plant is tropical in nature. A final note… When leaving town for the weekend you may turn the temperature down to conserve energy. Move plants to parts of the home where they will get more sunlight and warmth.
2- Humidity: Temperature & humidity will drastically affect your plant well being. When temperatures in your home rise above 67 degrees F, the humidity begins to drop dramatically. One way to tell if plants need more humidity is if you have leaf loss or yellowing. Plants can create certain amounts of humidity themselves and the more plants you have in a room the higher the humidity. One way to increase relative humidity is to set your pots in a bed of small pebbles with water. As the water evaporates it will give off humidity. You can also set containers of water in the room and allow the water to evaporate & add moisture to the air. 
3- Watering Needs: More houseplants die from over watering than for any other cause. As a result, it is better to keep the plant slightly dry than to over water. Watering needs will vary depending on the season, how dry or humid it is, and the plant type. Plants can sense shorter days and will go dormant, thus requiring much less water. In these periods make sure the soil stays moist to the touch. On the other hand, during periods of active growth thoroughly soak the plant when the soil dries. Final Note: City water is treated with chemicals like chlorine that your plants don’t tolerate well. You might consider allowing the water to sit in an open container for 24 hours prior to its use.
4- Lighting: When your indoor plant is getting insufficient light you’ll usually see pale foliage, lanky growth, and an overall lack of luster. The remedy is to move it to more light near a window or to artificially introduce light with lamps. If moving your plant from a lower light condition to a higher light condition do it as gradually as possible. The reason is that it has become tender from lack of light and will sunburn if moved too abruptly. 
5- Insects: There is always the possibility of insects invading your plants whether inside or outside. Insects most likely to be encountered indoors include mites, thrips, whitefly, aphids, scales, and mealybugs. These can be avoided by following a few preventative measures:
If you catch pest early enough you can remove them by hand and wash the plants leaves with soap and water. Another option is to use insecticides. If you choose this option read the directions to insure proper usage. To ensure healthy houseplants some additional problems to keep a lookout for include: Flower buds drop before opening: This could be a result of:
The entire plant has wilted: This can be caused by:
Rapid defoliation: This can be caused by:
Stunted plants: This can be a result of:
Browning of leaf tips or leaf margins: This can be caused by:
Tiny white spots on leaves: This can be a result of:
Cottony masses on stems, round or oval shaped bumps:
Sticky spots on foliage:
Small brown bumps on stems or foliage:
Fuzzy, grey mould that covers flowers, leaves and stems:
General drooping of the entire plant:
Brown or yellow leaf spots:
Mildew:
Leaf edges brown and dried:
Failure of blooming plants to flower:
Silver or red blotches on foliage:
Gradual defoliation (lower leaves yellow and fall):
New Growth Wilted, or burned:
Spotted foliage:
Foliage is pale and weak looking:
New foliage is small, pale, and spindly:
Leaves yellowed between veins (veins remain green):
Leaves drop continuously, new leaves on tip are small and curled:
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