Houseplants - your questions answered

House plants provide indoor space with a wow factor that can't be achieved with furnishings or wall coverings. But sometimes disease, pests or environment challenge our favourite indoor plants.

We've answered a number of common questions here to help with your household horticulture.

How do I get a Christmas Cacti to flower well?

Schlumbergeras require a bright position and will normally produce more flowers if they are grown in brighter light (but not direct, hot sun as this may scorch them). A west facing window is preferable. Avoid positions next to radiators and draughts as dry air conditions can cause flower buds to drop.

Feed Christmas cactus every 4 weeks while in active growth with a weak solution of high potash feed to encourage flowering. Water little and often to keep the compost consistently moist, don’t overwater by letting them stand in reservoirs of water. Once any flowering has finished, reduce watering and keep the compost just moist.

How can I encourage bushier growth of Coleus?

Pinching or cutting the tips off the stems encourages bushier growth. Even 'leggy' plants will grow side shoots along the stems once the tips are removed.

To remove the tips, use your finger and thumb to 'pinch out' the tip of each shoot just above an opened leaf. When new side shoots form, pinch out the tips after they’ve developed two pairs of leaves.

Coleus are very forgiving plants so they can be pinched back further. Growth will be slower during autumn and winter, even with house warmth, due to low light levels.

How can I recover a Betulia Begonia that has black on the stems is drooping and has gone squidgy?

Betulia Begonia can suffer from frost damage and over watering.

Betulia Begonia ideally like temperatures of 10-15 degrees C during the winter. It is best not to keeping them on windowsills, as the temperature may be too low with winter frosts.

If the soil is too wet they are prone to rotting. Water less during the cooler months and only water as the compost becomes dry. Water from the bottom.

Should I stop my White Egret Orchids flowering out of season?

White Egret Orchids seem to be confused by the (until now) mild winter, and are currently flowering. Is anyone else having the same thing, and should I be stopping them flowering this far out of season?

It’s quite common for plants to flower out of season, particularly when weather conditions are unseasonably warm.

When grown indoors, in warmer temperatures than they would naturally experience outside, bulbs and tubers will often start into growth early. Commercial growers use this process to ‘force’ bulbs to bloom outside of their natural flowering period and is not a problem.

Banner image: Feddes / Shutterstock

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