Whilst many of our cherished plant babes come from tropical environments, the Australian summer sun can be a little too hot to handle, even for the most hardiest of houseplants. So, to keep your exotic babes flourishing through the sizzling summer heat, here are 4 things you should be doing right now to keep your indoor greenery looking and feeling its best, all summer-long.
Up your watering schedule
Whist overwatering is the most important lesson to learn for any new plant parent, when the temperatures climb, so does your plant’s thirst for a hit of H20. The heat will evaporate the water much faster than normal.
You’ll notice the soil dries out quicker than it does in winter — in fact, you can press the soil with your finger, pressing in an inch or so. If it’s dry, it needs watering again. Check the soil every day, that way you’ll make sure it gets the hydration it needs. Avoid using water that’s too cold as this can shock the roots, so use room temperature water if you can.
Move your plants away from the sun
The scorching summer sun is too harsh for most houseplants, even plants that usually love bright, direct light. Too much sun can cause the leaves to wilt and burn, so it’s best to move your plants away from sun-filled windows during hot days, or put a sheer curtain in between to filter the light.
Watch for dry air and airconditioning
Most exotic indoor plants come from tropical or subtropical regions, which means they like warm temperatures and moist air. If you’re a Queenslander, you’ve already got the perfect plant environment for your green babes to thrive. Drier states like Victoria or Tasmania, however, will need to up the humidity levels to keep them flourishing. Start by giving the leaves a daily mist, or you can invest in a humidifier. Here are some other tips to up the humidity in your home.
Keep an eye on the temperature too, you’ll most likely crank up the air conditioner in summer, which will dry out the air and steal essential moisture from your plant’s soil.
Give them a good feed
Most houseplants go through a growth spurt in spring and summer, so this is the best time to fertilise them. Growth spurts use up a lot of energy and make your plants hungrier, so you’ll want to replenish the soil with healthy nutrients. Generally speaking, most houseplants will need a weekly feed of fertiliser during summer, but it’s best to check your plant variety, some plants require less, so if you feed them too much it can burn their roots and stunt their growth.