A Breath of Fresh Air | How to Care for Tropical Foliage Plants by Ottawa's Garden Centre

Foliage plants are like adding a breath of fresh air to a room, and in fact that is exactly what they do by increasing the amount of oxygen in the space. They are also attractive, decorative, and functional, while remaining relatively easy to care for and low maintenance.

Peperomias stay low and compact and are easy houseplants to care for, especially when light is not too strong.

Light

Light is the most important element in successfully growing a houseplant. Without adequate light, a plant cannot produce the food it needs to survive.

It is almost always better to give a plant more light than it needs rather than not enough. For example, the Dracaena family is generally regarded as a low to medium light group of plants. However, it is common to see Dracaena massangeana and Dracaena marginata, among others, growing in direct, intense sunlight in the tropics. This family naturally grows in high light environments but can also adapt to lower light areas, making it well suited for most homes and offices.

High light plants such as Ficus benjamina and Crotons cannot be forced into lower light areas to suit a design function unless they are supplemented with appropriate additional lighting. This lighting may come in the form of spot grow bulbs, fluorescent grow tubes, or various types of high intensity industrial lighting.

A good way to determine whether an area has enough light to support a particular plant is to take a light reading. This can easily be done using a combination light and moisture meter, which is available in the garden centre.

Water

More houseplants are killed by overwatering than by all other factors combined. Water requirements vary depending on the type of plant. In general, the more light a plant receives, the more water it will require. Temperature, humidity, soil mix, and the type of container also all contribute to a plant’s moisture needs.

It is a good idea to check your plants at a regularly scheduled time, but it is almost impossible to say that a particular plant will need water every week or on any fixed schedule, as conditions can change from week to week.

Moisture meters can be a valuable tool when checking plants to see if they require water. They should be used as a guide only, and your own observations should always be taken into account. Drooping plants often indicate a need for water, but they may also show stress caused by overwatering.

A plant sitting in a saucer or pot of water will absorb too much moisture through its roots and will not have an opportunity to dry out properly. This can result in poor plant performance, even if the amount of water given at any one time does not seem excessive.

Temperature and Humidity

Tropical plants can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, but like us, they tend to perform best in moderate conditions between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius. Evening temperatures should ideally drop by about 5 degrees to help sustain plant vitality. Draughts, air conditioning, and heating vents can have an adverse effect on most tropical plants.

Most plants prefer higher humidity levels than the average home provides, but they adapt well to their surroundings. In most cases, normal household humidity levels are sufficient.

Fertilizer

Some fertilization is necessary to provide tropical plants with the nutrients they need to maintain overall health and vigour. Plants should be fed during their active growing period, which in Canada is typically from March to October. It is better to fertilize more frequently with a diluted solution than to apply a strong dose infrequently. Never fertilize a dry plant, as this can cause root burn.

Most foliage plants respond well to balanced fertilizers such as 20-20-20, while flowering plants benefit from fertilizers with a higher phosphorus content, such as 15-30-15.

Disease and Insects

Diseases and insects are something plant owners should be aware of, but they are not usually a major concern when plants are purchased from a reputable garden centre and cared for properly.