Summer Houseplant Care

Summer -- Your houseplant’s favorite time of the year. During the summer months, most of your plants environmental conditions will be at their optimum levels. The daylengths will be long, the light will be strong, and the humidity will be at its highest. Plants will also benefit from increased air circulation due to breezes from open windows and the use of fans. Out of the whole year, houseplants will experience the most growth during the summer months. That makes summer a critical time for maintaining the health and conditions of your houseplants. Below are some tips for summer houseplant care.

• Summer is the best time to fertilize your houseplants. If you have never fertilized your houseplants, then summer is a great time to start. Look for a general, well-balanced fertilizer (or one specifically formulated for a particular kind of plant). All fertilizers should contain detailed instructions on dosage and frequency of application. Proper fertilization will help give your plants the nutrients they need for proper growth during the summertime.
  
• Summer (in particular early summer), is also a great time for re-potting. With most plants in their growth stage, root-bound plants will need a little extra room to grow. Summer is a good time to go through your houseplant collection, and re-pot any houseplants which are root-bound.
  
• In addition to repotting, summer is also a great time for other routine houseplant maintenance. Access to warm weather outdoors (if applicable) makes it easy to hose off houseplants to clean them and remove dust. If one does not have access to the outdoors, then this can also be accomplished using a shower, or a damp washcloth. Other maintenance that can be preformed during this time includes trimming off brown leaves, and looking for pests.
  
• Often times with the scorching summer heat, plants will dry out fast, and will need to be watered more frequently than at other times of the year. Be sure to keep an eye on your plant’s watering needs (especially during times of very high temperatures), and be prepared to water more frequently if need be.
• If possible, most houseplants will benefit from being summered outdoors. (For more information, please see PlantOasis.com’s article on summering houseplants outdoors)
  
• Summer is also a great time to propagate new houseplants. Cuttings taken during this time will root and become established quickly. Summer is a great time to make divisions, take cuttings, and plant seeds.