Spring is Plant Maintenance Time

Springtime is usually thought of as a season of new initiatives and revitalization. For plants it is a very active span as they awaken from their winter sleep. For horticulturists this is a very busy time for not only outdoor plants but our indoor plants too. Springtime is the best season for indoor plant maintenance.

Fertilizing plants in the spring and summer months will provide the best results. A useful rule of thumb to keep in mind when fertilizing is that less is indeed more. Don't fertilize a plant that has just been re-potted for a several months or a new plant just brought home from the nursery. The fertilizer nutrients are already in a nursery plant and the new soil of a re-potted plant.

I also check my plants in the spring to determine if they require re-potting. There are three standard ways to determine if your indoor plant needs re-potting:

1 - If the roots are growing out of the drainage hole.

2 - If the roots have completely filled the pot and are sprouting around in circles.

3 - If, when you add water, it suddenly pours out the bottom. This is a problem of either the soil thoroughly drying out, or the roots so completely filling the pot that they are self-strangling and can't take up any water at all.

After re-potting, it's a good opportunity to consider displaying your plant in a beautiful, natural-looking macrame plant hanger.

Macrame plant hangers are also a good method to get that plant that needs more or less light into a superior spot to get its specified light. Typically plants are accompanied by a guideline on the amount of light that works best for them. During the winter, less sun comes inside than in the spring and summer. It's good to know which windows have the less to more sunlight that comes through on any given sunny day. The north exposure has the least amount of light. The east exposure has the next brightest; the west exposure is the next brightest with the south exposure being the brightest of all.

Pruning a plant to enhance its shape and increase more even blossoming throughout the plant is also best accomplished in the early spring or late summer.

During this spring I am loving the blossoms of my various African Violets and the spring budding of my Christmas Cacti. I also have many macrame plant hangers throughout my home so they can all have their appropriate showplace. It is fun pampering your plants...they live for it!

Macramenia Customer Feedback:
Susan,

On Wednesday I received the 30" plant hanger and it is perfect.

- Carrol Cartwright