Released November 26, 2008
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Killing houseplants may be easiest during winter.
“All you have to do is to water or fertilize the plants just as you did last summer,” said Ward Upham, Master Gardener program coordinator for Kansas State University Research and Extension.
Light – direct or indirect -- fuels plant growth, Upham explained.
“It’s why some Alaskans can produce enormous garden vegetables in just 90 frost-free days. Their growing season is short, but it includes 20 hours of sunlight daily,” he said.
To grow as well as stay alive, plants also need extra water and nutrients. So, even indoors, Kansas houseplants’ water and nutrient needs peak during the state’s sunny summers.
“The reverse is also true. When light is limited -- as it is around here during winter -- houseplants’ need for water and nutrients drops dramatically,” Upham said. “Not only are the winter days shorter in the central Plains but also the angle of the sun’s light becomes quite acute.
“As a result, winter’s sunlight enters windows at such a low angle that its intensity is just a fraction of the intensity of summer’s overhead sun. The most tender houseplants aren’t adversely affected by that direct winter sun.”
The horticulturist strongly recommends that Kansans water their houseplants during winter only when the top inch of the potting soil is dry to the touch.
“It’s best not to fertilize at all during December-January. But, you usually can fertilize sparingly – at about one-fourth of the normal rate – during November and February,” Upham said.
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http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/News/story/briefs112608.aspx
Contact: Elaine Edwards, elainee@ksu.edu
