WHO TO CALL: Home & Garden Editor Pamela Lang §85-2131 (125) ra BEF SFR RSRPCE LEA SLSR MICAS ARTSY LR ETE ATCA PLY ON MRS TALS IEE Do eA MLL Bb EI SOW IT GROWS THIS IS a good time to check your house piants. They have been subjected to three months of low light conditions and dry indoor air. “Many kouse plants are native to the tropics and grow shaded from the intense tropical sun by one or more leaf canopies. ,. Tropical forest areas are almost ; always warm and humid and plants * from this area will respond well if - you can approxiinate the climate, When conditions are fess than ideal, you must compensate to help “the plants survive. ; _On Dec. 21, there were eight daylight hours. about four to six hours less than most plants prefer. Providing artificial light is one ; way of lengthening the day and pro- viding greater intensity during the normal daylight hours. A second | way is to move the plant closer to the window to maximize natural . light. When light levels are insuffi- “. cient, plants often respond by drop- ping leaves. If a plant does lose leaves, it will always drop its oldest leaves first. These are usually at the lower levels on the trunk and on the " inside of the plant. “* ” When the old leaves start to tura “yellow in this situation, don’t panic and think there is something seri- a “ously wrong. ‘However, yellowing of leaves on the outer fringes or new growth - indicates you should check the _ Browing conditions. A forced air furnace heats your house, but also lowers the humidity. In most homes the relative humidity during winter is 35% 0 45%, ‘depending on the thermostat seting and available moisture. At this level of humidity, plants, particularly tropical ones, will lose a fot of moisture through transpira- tion. To slow this loss of moisture, the plant will drop teaves and go into partial dormancy. If you have moved your floor plants closer 10 a window for more light, they may be subjected to cool air which can also cause the plant to slow its growth, When plants respond to chang- ing conditions during the winter season, it is advisable to reduce the amount of water. Excessive watering can lead to root, crows or stem rot and a high risk that the plant will die. When in doubt about moisture, check the soil by touch or the pot by weight. Keep them on the dry side. For large pots use a chopstick or similar smooth stick asa probe. Sharpen the end and always use the same hole so as not 10 break too nary roots. [f the stick comes up bone dry, add water, If the stick is sticky wet, cut back on the water until the soil dries out. When plans are partially dor- mam, the photosynthesis process slows and the need for fertilizer decreases. Nitrogen, which pro- motes new green growth, is not required to any extent. Phosphorous and potassium will help sustain the plant and can be applied at quarter strength in late January or February, particularly when flowering is still taking place. . Do not start regular fertilizing until March and then apply only at quarter strength until some new growth has developed. One of the ongoing problems with house plants in winter is dis- ease. Warm dry air blasted into the house not only encourages spider mites but also helps to spread them from plant to plant. Mites can be introduced to your house on new plants or clothing that has brushed against infected plants. . With the aid of a bright light, check your plants for very fine spi- der webs around the leaf axil, a very ‘fine white speckled pattern on the leaf surface or a slight feeling of moisture as you rub a leaf between |: - CANADIAN CLOSET “A family owned business since 1984 " HHAPPY HOLIDAYS 1From Hugh & Mary 2° Custom built closet organizers * With or without drawers 4 @ Highest quality materials B ¢ Installed or Do-it-Yourself {N HOME ESTIMATES : “Showroom: Open Mon.- Sat. 9-5 1385 Crown St.N Van 986-4263 your fingers, Aphids are larger and easier to see, but can also be a problem, Check for adult aphids, the epes on the underside of the leaves or the egg casings lying on the surface of the leaves. Scale can be a persistent prob- lem with some plants and is usually detected because the tiny limpet-fike insects are sloppy feeders, spilling sup us they extract it from the plant. The sap turns into a sticky syrup on the leaves and sometimes forms a black mould if the humidity is high. Always look on the underside of the leaves above the sticky area to find the problem. Spider mites and aphids can often be eliminated by giving the plant several cool or lukewarm showers. [f this does nat solve the problem, use a miticide for the mites and an insecticide for the aphids. Seale is hard to eliminate with- out the use of an insecticide. Several applications may be required because scale can be very persistent. Late spring and early summer is the best time for spraying because the immature scales still have a soft shell and are on the move. {t also allows you to do the hazardous spraying outside. With a few quick checks and a little TLC, you can get your house plants off to a good start in the new year. NEWS photo Terry Petere : LOOK FOR signs of disease and insects on the leaves of your indoor plants. To keep teaves from falling off, ensure that the plants get adequate light during winter’s darker days.: