The Interior Landscape:

1
The Interior Landscape

• Houseplants and Plantscaping
• Unit 23

2
Objectives

• List the 4 major concerns in caring for interior
  plants
• Select a medium to use for growing various
  interior plants
• Describe the best cultural conditions (water,
  light, and soil requirements) for 10 selected
  interior plants of your choice
• List the 4 methods of watering interior plants

3

• Plants are a special part of peoples lives
• Food bearing
• Materials for clothing
• Adding beauty
• 1998 - 1.191 billion interior plants sold
• Plantscaping Method of interior plant use
• Public places and private homes

4
Caring for interior plants

• The Following questions should be asked.
• What is the proper way to water the plant?
• How much light does it need?
• What is the best temperature for optimum growth?
• What type of planting medium is needed?

5
Watering

• Plants behavior must be carefully observed
• Signs of improper watering
• Drooping leaves or leaves that do not seem as
  full lack of water
• Wilting or yellowing of leaves too much water

6
Methods of watering interior plants

• Drench/Let Dry
• Desired amount of water is added all at once
• Drench/ Let Dry slightly
• Add water and let dry until it is damp to the
  touch
• Keep medium constantly moist
• Medium should be damp to the touch all the time

7
Lighting

• Interior environments cause excess stress due to
  low available light
• Appropriate artificial environments must be
  created
• Natural, filtered sunlight
• Incandescent, fluorescent
• High-intensity discharge lights
• All these allow plants to receive enough energy
  for photosynthesis

8
Measuring Light Intensity

• Light meters measure illumination
• Determine if the location is suitable for the
  plant
• Sold at florists, garden centers, dept. stores

9
Classification of Light Intensity

• Intensity needed is classified into 3 groups
• Direct sun plant should receive full intensity
  of natural sunlight
• Partial sun or weak sun plant should receive
  less than 50 of natural sunlight
• Indirect or filtered light Plant should receive
  no direct sunlight at all
• Basically the more sunlight available, the more
  plants that can be grown

10
Artificial lighting

• Fluorescent light greatly influenced growth of
  interior plants
• Enables horticulturists to
• Root cuttings of interior plants more easily
• Start seeds of new and different interior plants
• Grow tropical plants and cacti with greater ease

11
Temperature

• Interior plants are exposed to a great range of
  temperatures
• Recommended temp. for interior plants is 50-85
  degrees daytime
• At night, temps. Can drop 10-15 deg. w/o harming
  the plant
• Plants should be located away from air
  conditioners, drafts, and direct air flows

12
Humidity

• Humidity percentage of moisture in the air
• Lower in winter need additional moister in
  atmosphere
• Humidity can be increased by
• Spraying a fine mist of water on the foliage
• Using a watertight tray filled w/ small pea
  gravel to hold plants
• Using a humidifier to provide moisture
• Placing plants in the part of the house with
  highest humidity

13
Soil Mixture

• Must be loose and airy and must hold moisture and
  nutrients
• Sphagnum Peat Moss

14
Fertilizers

• 2 kinds of fertilizers Slow release and soluble
• Slow release small beads coated w/ plastic
• Dissolve over period of time
• Nutrients are steadily released
• Eliminates risk of fertilizer burn
• Soluble available in liquid or solid form
• Water must be added to dilute the concentrate or
  break down the solid form

15
Containers

• Plants need oxygen to their roots
• Drainage holes must be available
• Pot should be set in a saucer to catch excess
  water

16
Potting Plants

• A crock may be used as drainage in the bottom of
  the pot
• Crock A broken piece of clay pot
• Add the selected potting mixture to cover the
  crock
• Add plant, adjust so it is ½ below top of pot
• Plant can hold extra water while being watered

17
Repotting

• Plants should be repotted when they become
  potbound
• Remove the plant from original pot
• If roots are growing around root ball and are
  firm repot the plant
• Roots must be separated to allow roots to develop
  and make new growth
• Wait until after flowering is completed to repot

18
General Care

• Leaves should be cleaned occasionally w/ a fine
  spray of water
• Wipe leaves on top and underside
• Removes dust and insects
• Helps maintain humidity
• Keeps plant fresh-looking

19
Controlling Diseases and Pests

• The secret is to recognize and control problems
  on the plant
• Aphids are small, green insects w/ piercing mouth
  parts suck plant juices
• Leaves become sticky w/ honeydew causing a black,
  sooty mold
• Whitefly small white, winged, sucking insect
• Heavy producers of eggs so infestation occurs fast

20
Insects (cont)

• Mealybugs are white, woolly masses like a ball of
  cotton
• Concentrate on nodes and underside of leaves
• Give plant a faded yellow appearance
• Mites are small spiderlike insects on underside
  of the leaf
• Suck juices causing plant to yellow
• Too small to see w/ naked eye
• Easies way to check for mites is to tap the leaf
  above a piece of white paper

21
Diseases

• Botrytis and mildew are 2 common diseases of
  indoor plants
• Botrytis causes leaves to turn black and develop
  a gray mold
• Controls include providing good air circulation
  and sanitation
• Mildew causes leaves to get heavy white coating
• Good air circulation and fungicide