Your GARDENING FORTNIGHT With AG’s gardening expert Ruth Hayes
Feed, water and re-pot as they return to growth, says Ruth
The garden isn’t the only place
where the warmer weather and longer, lighter days are working their magic on our plants - houseplants are benefitting too. Most indoor plants will have entered a dormant state in winter, meaning we haven’t needed to feed and water them.
But now they are starting to grow again and need care and attention to make sure they reach their potential over the year ahead.
The obvious exceptions to this rule are plants already in flower that were given as gifts. They will have needed feeding, watering and deadheading through the winter and if they have finished flowering will require a period of rest to restore their energy. Christmas cacti, for example, will be resting now and require less water and fertiliser and will do best if moved to a cooler room for a couple of months. Repeat this in September to help them regain their energy needed for flowering next winter.
Other houseplants will need watering and feeding again after their winter rest. Water when the compost feels dry to the touch and feed fortnightly, either using proprietary houseplant food or a general purpose liquid fertiliser.
Cacti, succulents and orchids do best with specifically formulated fertilisers, which are widely available. Fruga
