These compact , rosetted , evergreen plant perennials , grown as indoor plants , can be tricky and may require some exceptional aid . Heart - shape leaves ( to 2″ ) are average unripe and pubescent . Blooms are delicate and seem quite fragile . Flowers of ‘ Midget Valentine ’ are single , brilliant red , with unretentive , salient , undimmed sensationalistic stamens . Flowers may be up to 2″ across . Grows 3″-6″ wide . Needs some lustrous indirect light to bloom , but otherwise needs shelter from light . It is a vulgar misconception that these plants must be watered from below : water on the leaves make splotches . Not of necessity straight . Plants may be watered from above if urine is a elbow room temperature . Excessively moth-eaten or warm urine can be negative to the industrial plant . If plant is watered from the bottom , do not go forth it standing in water system for an prolonged period of time .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Watering
Planting
Indoor plants need to be transpose into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / root - ricochet and their growth is retarded . Water the plant well before starting , so the grime will hold the root ball together when you withdraw it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the pot , try melt a blade around the bound of the pot , and gently whacking the sides to tease apart the land .
Always use invigorated grunge when transplanting your indoor plant . Fill around the works gently with soil , being deliberate not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t feed mightily away … this will promote the roots to fill up in their new home .
The size pot you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in greater in diameter . Remember , many plants choose being jolly plenty recoil . Always start with a clean pot!How - to : RepotNow is the correct fourth dimension to repot .
Problems
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use test on windows to keep them out . withdraw or discard overrun plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take vantage of natural enemies such as predatory touch . Sometimes a good steady shower bath of water supply will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative reference office for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - like creatures which thrive in hot , ironical atmospheric condition ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites prey with piercing mouth share , which make plants to appear yellow and specked . Leaf drop and plant demise can occur with impenetrable infestation . Spider mites can multiply rapidly , as a female can repose up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days . They also develop a World Wide Web which can continue infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep smoke down and remove infested industrial plant . wry air seems to worsen the job , so verify plants are regularly water , especially those prefer high humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check new industrial plant prior to bringing them home from the garden nerve center or nursery . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension federal agency , show and come after all label focusing . condense your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where spider mites generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - snowy , soft - bodied insects that make a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth parts that suck the sap out of works tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton and they incline to congregate where leaves and stem offset . They assail a wide range of plant . The young tend to move around until they find a suitable feeding touch , then they attend out in colony and feed . Mealybugs can weaken a plant life leading to yellow foliage and folio drop . They also produce a sweet gist forebode honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal growth call jet mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plant from those that are not . confabulate your local garden plaza professional or the Cooperative Extension situation in your county for a sound insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as dame mallet in the garden to aid thin out universe levels of mealy glitch . Pest : AphidsAphids are little , sonant - incarnate , slow - moving insects that suck fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colors , range from green to brown to black , and they may have wing . They attack a full range of plant species make stunting , deform leaves and buds . They can air harmful plant virus with their piercing / draw mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are merely a nuisance , since it takes many of them to induce serious plant wrong . However aphids do produce a sweet substance bid honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface development called coal-black mold .
Aphids can increase speedily in number and each female can bring forth up to 250 live nymphs in the course of action of a month without mating . Aphids often appear when the environment change - spring & crepuscule . They ’re often massed at the tips of leg feast on succulent tissue paper . Aphids are attracted to the color yellowness and will often thumb on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute lower limit , especially around desirable plants . On edible , wash off infected area of plant . Lady bugs and lacewing fly will give on aphids in the garden . There are various products - constitutional and inorganic - that can be used to ensure aphid . Seek the passport of a professional and survey all recording label procedures to a tee . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually find on plants that do not have enough air circulation or fair to middling light . Problems are worse where dark are cool and days are quick and humid . The powdery lily-white or gray fungus is commonly plant on the upper open of leaves or fruit . leaf will often grow yellow or brown , curl up , and expend off . fresh foliage egress crinkle and twisted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops too soon .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and infinite plants properly so they receive decent light and line circulation . Always urine from below , keeping water off the leaf . This is predominant for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen plant food . Apply fungicides agree to label directions before problem becomes dangerous and survey directions on the dot , not overleap any necessitate handling . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leaves , flowers , or detritus in the fall and ruin .
