Sorry about the lateness of this posting, I needed time to take care of a neglected yard. As I was working I realized that when we get busy in our life, some things tend to slip through the cracks like the grooming of our beloved plants.
Grooming of a plant is as important as light and water as it helps to control infestations of bugs and desease. How many of us have sat watching TV when a small flying gnat has landed in our eye or noticed a strange smell eminating from the plant corner? Well good grooming will - Pardon the Pun - nip that in the bud.
The most important part of good grooming is the removal of all dead leaves. All plants that will loose old leaves as the new ones continue to grow and develop. A small scissors is the recommended tool because it is easy to get into a plant with it and if you are lazy like me, you can leave it right on the table next to the plant as a decorative piece. I am recommending that you cut off the dead leaves becasue there are some plants like the Calathea that will not tolerate anything else. If you try to just pull off the leaves it will do more damage to the plant than leaving them on.
So you have your scissors in hand. Let's groom. Cut off all the dead leaves and remove them from the pot. Now take a look at the stem. Is there a small sheath left from the dead leaf? A sheath is the stem part of a leaf that wraps around the main stem. This needs to be removed because the pockets that are formed by them are breeding grounds for bugs. Carefully peel back the sheath so as not to injure the main stem. Many plants like the dracaena family are easy to see and as they grow the seams where the leaves were attached acheives a barklike appearance. The common Corn Plant is an example of this. The fern family on the other hand is more difficult because most of this is underground and it is best to just trim as close to the soil as you can. If you have any questions on the grooming of a particular plant, place a comment on this blog and I will get you an answer.
Now that the dead leaves are gone, take a look at the soil. Is there a white crustation around the lip of the pot and over the dirt? This is salt. Treated water and fertilizer have salts in them that the plant does not use. If you see the buildup happening, the pot needs to be flushed. To flush a pot: Place it where you can create a continuous stream of water into the pot and allow it to drain out the bottom. The secret is to keep flushing with fresh water for about five to ten minutes and then let all excess water drain from the pot. Remember that you have not only removed the salt but also any fertilizer so the plant will now have to be feed. If you cannot flush the pot because there is no drainage or it is too big to make it practical then you will need to top dress it. To top dress a pot: Remove 2 inches of dirt off the top of the pot (less if it is a smaller plant) and replace with fresh soil. Water lightly and feed.
Last but not least there are the roots. I will only touch on this today as the care of the roots are a blog subject all by itself and I will talk in depth later. If you have the little gnats in your house, they are most likely soil gnats. These develop because of poor watering practices and the gnats are feeding on weak roots. The simples solution is to give you plant a shower. What I mean is for you to place a few drops of dish detergent into a spray bottle of water and mist the soil. It is even good for the entire plant so go ahead and make like one of those crazy gardeners with the mister. Mist you plant from head to toe. It is best to do this in the morning so the plant has time to dry by nightfall, which is when dampness can lead to desease.
Well that is it for today. Hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.
