Interior Gardening

• Many tropical houseplants love to spend at least part of the summer outdoors. All the watering in the summertime causes nutrients to wash out of pots, so feed your container plants every 2-3 weeks with a dilute organic liquid fertilizer or compost tea.

• In summer, indoor plants should be protected from strong sunlight that can cause foliage burn. Closing sheer curtains or partially shutting blinds will shield tender leaves.

• Monitor house plants spending the warm months outside. Make sure pest problems don't get out of hand. Move to calmer spots if leaves are being wind damaged. If pots dry out rapidly, move plants into some protection from wind or shade, or repot if needed.

• Don't chill tropical house plants by watering them with cold tap water. Let the water stand until it reaches room temperature so delicate root hairs aren't harmed, or even killed, by low temperatures.

• Bromeliads are being promoted as excellent indoor plants. They are ideal in the home because they tolerate low light conditions.

• Be sure house plants are kept away from cold drafts caused by air conditioning vents.

• July is an excellent month to root cuttings of house plants such as coleus, fuchsia, geranium, poinsettia, shrimp plant, Swedish ivy, wandering jew, wax plant, and others with succulent (non-woody) stems.

"Where but in a garden do summer hours pass so quickly?" -- Author Unknown

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