Spring is Plant Maintenance Time

Springtime is generally considered a time of new initiatives and revitalization. For plants it is a very active time as they arise from their winter vacation. For horticulturists this is a very busy stage for not only outdoor plants but our house plants as well. Springtime is the best time for house plant maintenance.

Fertilizing plants in the spring and summer seasons will provide the optimal results. A good 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 assess my plants in the spring to determine if they require re-potting. There are 3 standard ways to tell if your house 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 growing around in circles.

3. If, when you add water, it suddenly drains out the bottom. This is a matter of either the soil altogether drying out, or the roots so totally 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 graceful, natural-looking macrame plant hanger.

Macrame plant hangers are also a good way to get that plant that needs more or less light into a better place to get its specified light. Most plants come with 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 is useful 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 appearance and promote more even flowering throughout the plant is also ideally accomplished in the early spring or late summer.

During this spring I am enjoying the blossoms of my numerous African Violets and the spring blossoming of my Christmas Cacti. I also have numerous macrame plant hangers in my home so they can all have their particular showplace. It's fun pampering your plants...they love it!

Macramenia Customer Feedback:
HI Susan,

I received the hanger today. It's just perfect!

Thanks again and Happy trails!

- Dawn