The Interior Landscape:

1. The Interior Landscape: Houseplants and Plantscaping Unit 23

2. Objectives • List the 4 major concerns in caring for interior plants • Select a medium to use for growing various interior plants • Describe the best cultural conditions (water, light, and soil requirements) for 10 selected interior plants of your choice • List the 4 methods of watering interior plants

3. Plants are a special part of people’s lives • Food bearing • Materials for clothing • Adding beauty • 1998 - $1.191 billion interior plants sold • Plantscaping – Method of interior plant use • Public places and private homes

4. Caring for interior plants • The Following questions should be asked. • What is the proper way to water the plant? • How much light does it need? • What is the best temperature for optimum growth? • What type of planting medium is needed?

5. Watering • Plant’s behavior must be carefully observed • Signs of improper watering: • Drooping leaves or leaves that do not seem as full – lack of water • Wilting or yellowing of leaves – too much water

6. Methods of watering interior plants • Drench/Let Dry • Desired amount of water is added all at once • Drench/ Let Dry slightly • Add water and let dry until it is damp to the touch • Keep medium constantly moist • Medium should be damp to the touch all the time

7. Lighting • Interior environments cause excess stress due to low available light • Appropriate artificial environments must be created • Natural, filtered sunlight • Incandescent, fluorescent • High-intensity discharge lights • All these allow plants to receive enough energy for photosynthesis

8. Measuring Light Intensity • Light meters – measure illumination • Determine if the location is suitable for the plant • Sold at florists, garden centers, dept. stores

9. Classification of Light Intensity • Intensity needed is classified into 3 groups • Direct sun: plant should receive full intensity of natural sunlight • Partial sun or weak sun: plant should receive less than 50% of natural sunlight • Indirect or filtered light: Plant should receive no direct sunlight at all • Basically the more sunlight available, the more plants that can be grown

10. Artificial lighting • Fluorescent light greatly influenced growth of interior plants • Enables horticulturists to… • Root cuttings of interior plants more easily • Start seeds of new and different interior plants • Grow tropical plants and cacti with greater ease

11. Temperature • Interior plants are exposed to a great range of temperatures • Recommended temp. for interior plants is 50-85 degrees – daytime • At night, temps. Can drop 10-15 deg. w/o harming the plant • Plants should be located away from air conditioners, drafts, and direct air flows

12. Humidity • Humidity: percentage of moisture in the air • Lower in winter – need additional moister in atmosphere • Humidity can be increased by… • Spraying a fine mist of water on the foliage • Using a watertight tray filled w/ small pea gravel to hold plants • Using a humidifier to provide moisture • Placing plants in the part of the house with highest humidity

13. Soil Mixture • Must be loose and airy and must hold moisture and nutrients • Sphagnum Peat Moss

14. Fertilizers • 2 kinds of fertilizers: Slow release and soluble • Slow release: small beads coated w/ plastic • Dissolve over period of time • Nutrients are steadily released • Eliminates risk of fertilizer burn • Soluble: available in liquid or solid form • Water must be added to dilute the concentrate or break down the solid form

15. Containers • Plants need oxygen to their roots • Drainage holes must be available • Pot should be set in a saucer to catch excess water

16. Potting Plants • A crock may be used as drainage in the bottom of the pot • Crock: A broken piece of clay pot • Add the selected potting mixture to cover the crock • Add plant, adjust so it is ½” below top of pot • Plant can hold extra water while being watered

17. Repotting • Plants should be repotted when they become potbound • Remove the plant from original pot • If roots are growing around root ball and are firm – repot the plant • Roots must be separated to allow roots to develop and make new growth • Wait until after flowering is completed to repot

18. General Care • Leaves should be cleaned occasionally w/ a fine spray of water • Wipe leaves on top and underside • Removes dust and insects • Helps maintain humidity • Keeps plant fresh-looking

19. Controlling Diseases and Pests • The secret is to recognize and control problems on the plant • Aphids are small, green insects w/ piercing mouth parts – suck plant juices • Leaves become sticky w/ honeydew causing a black, sooty mold • Whitefly small white, winged, sucking insect • Heavy producers of eggs so infestation occurs fast

20. Insects (cont’) • Mealybugs are white, woolly masses like a ball of cotton • Concentrate on nodes and underside of leaves • Give plant a faded yellow appearance • Mites are small spiderlike insects on underside of the leaf • Suck juices causing plant to yellow • Too small to see w/ naked eye • Easies way to check for mites is to tap the leaf above a piece of white paper

21. Diseases • Botrytis and mildew are 2 common diseases of indoor plants • Botrytis causes leaves to turn black and develop a gray mold • Controls include providing good air circulation and sanitation • Mildew causes leaves to get heavy white coating • Good air circulation and fungicide