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Index : Container Plants & Patio Gardening
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- 16. Winter Problems Plague House Plants - Top
- Tired, worn-out soil has been the ruin of many a houseplant. Potting soils are made mostly of peat and are not designed to hold up over time. That's because potting soil peat breaks down after just a couple of years leaving plant roots with insufficient soil to grow properly. The solution is to repot with fresh soil. If the plant is pot-bound, with large roots growing on the outside of the root ball, step it up to a larger pot. If you wish to use the same container, simply scrape away some of the old soil from the bottom and sides of the root ball. Set the plant back in the same pot adding fresh soil along the bottom and inside edges.
Choose a quality potting soil with a mixture of peat, perlite and vermiculite. High quality potting soils will be more expensive, but are well worth the cost. You can also make your own potting soil by purchasing separate ingredients in small bags at garden centers and nurseries. Mix equal parts of peat, perlite and vermiculite to and make your own potting mix. If your potting cacti or other succulents replace the peat with sand.
A build-up of salts goes hand in hand with tired soils. Over time, salts in fertilizer and tap water accumulate in the pot. They appear as a white crust on the soil surface, the inner pot rim, and the outer surface of clay pots. Too much salt can cause plant leaves to burn around the margins and fall off. If left uncorrected the plant can die.
Pots with a heavy buildup of salts should be discarded. Salts should be washed out of the soil by watering heavily to dissolve them and wash them out the drainage hole. First, water the plant with the normal amount of water. Wait a few hours until the salts dissolve. Then, water again heavily. As the water flows through and out the pot, salts will be removed. Discard this salt-laden drainage water.
Over watering, especially during the winter months will cause plant leaves to yellow and drop off. It will also cause the plant to be stunted, with no new growth. Water-soaked roots will eventually cause the whole plant to wilt and die.
Potting plants in a well-drained potting mix will help prevent injury from over watering. It's also a good idea to allow plants to go a little longer between waterings than you would normally. Most potted plants are not actively growing in the winter and thus do not require as much water as other time of the year. I like using a moisture meter to determine when my potted plants need watering. Moisture meters are inexpensive and available at most garden supply outlets; and best of all, they really work!
Watering with cold tapwater can damage plants, especially tropical house plants. This is a problem in the winter when water pipes running into the house become cold. Always use water that is at room temperature or slightly warm. Some plants are also sensitive to chemicals added to our tap water. These include chlorine or fluoride. Letting the water set overnight will allow these chemicals to evaporate out and make the water safer to use for your house plants.
Chilling temperatures can also cause house plant leaves to yellow and drop off. This is especially true of plants that are located near window panes and outside doors. Move them back from these and other cold, drafty locations. This is especially important at night and during runs of unusually cold weather.
Finally, if you leave on a winter holiday, be sure your plants are provided for. Have a friend or neighbor come in and water when necessary. Pull plants back a few feet from window panes. Also when your away, don't set the thermostat too low. Many tropical plants will chill if temperatures fall below 60 degrees.
Written by John Begeman, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 520-626-5161.
- Updated: January 7, 2001
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