Proper care makes houseplants more attractive and helps reduce the incidence of insects and disease.
Dust should be washed from the leaves. Specialists with Texas Cooperative Extension recommend washing plants with warm water and mild soap. Cover the pot so no soap enters the soil.
Use sharp scissors to remove brown, dry leaf tips and for pruning to encourage bushy growth.
Foliage plants whose roots grow out of the bottom of the pot need to be repotted. Do so without delay. The new pot should be no more than 2 inches larger in diameter than the pot the plant is in.
Begin regular applications of water-soluble fertilizer. General fertilization every two weeks between March and September is recommended. A variety of fertilizers containing the major plant food elements nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are available.
Henry L. Alsmeyer, Smith County Master Gardener
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