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Houseplant Care and Maintenance Resources
Houseplants are plants that are grown indoors. Most houseplants are tropical foliage plants. Studies have shown that houseplants can improve indoor air quality.
The most common killer of houseplants is over watering. Make sure that you choose a plant that will fit the size of your home and that will receive the light and conditions it needs for proper growth.
How to select a houseplant
Remember that it is easier to purchase a plant which requires the same environmental conditions your residence has to offer than to alter the environment of your home or office to suit the plants. Below are more tips for choosing the right plant for your home:
- When shopping for a houseplant, select only those foliage plants which appear to be insect and disease free.
- Check the undersides of the foliage and the axils of leaves for signs of insects or disease.
- Select plants that look sturdy, clean, well potted, shapely, and well-covered with leaves.
- Choose plants with healthy foliage. Avoid plants which have yellow or chlorotic leaves, brown leaf margins, wilted or water soaked foliage, spots or blotches and spindly growth.
- In addition, avoid leaves with mechanical damage, and those which have been treated with "leaf shines" which add an unnatural polish to the leaves.
- Plants which have new flowers and leaf buds along with young growth are usually of superior quality.
Download our resources below to learn more about proper care of different kinds of houseplants.
How to propagate a houseplant
Growing new plants from an established houseplant collection is an interesting way to learn more about the habits of your plants. It is also an easy way to increase the supply of plants for personal enjoyment or to share with friends. Houseplants may be propagated in several ways. The most common methods are by:
- seeds
- terminal cuttings
- leaf cuttings
- stem cuttings
- division
- air layering
Download our publication: Propagating Houseplants for a handy chart of which plants are best propagated by each method.
How to Care for Houseplants
- Care of Houseplants
- Containers
- Environmental Factors
- Light and Moisture Requirements
- Potting Soil or Media
- Repotting
- Selecting an Interior Plant
- Training and Grooming
- Transporting Houseplants
- Temperature Requirements for houseplants
- Ornamental Diseases in Arkansas Image Library
Popular House Plants
Holiday Gardening and Decorating