Your
guide
to
success
with
house
plants
Bringing
the
beauty
of the
outdoors,
indoors
House plants
help to turn a
house into
a home
The way we decorate our homes is a reflection
of our personal taste and style. Available in all
shapes, colours and sizes, house plants are the
ideal feature and finishing touch to bring the
beauty of outdoors, indoors.
If you are after helpful tips to achieving healthy,
beautiful indoor plants you’ll find all the
information you need in the following pages.
If you would like more information or have any
additional questions you can find further help
on our website: www.bayergarden.co.uk or our
customer advisor will be happy to help:
0845 345 4100
Plants will only thrive with regular feeding
Just like us, all plants need ‘food’ to ensure they
When should I water my house plants?
grow to their best with strong roots, healthy
Without water a plant will die, as will a plant
leaves and vibrant blooms. The nutrients
that has been over-watered.
needed are found in soil and compost;
Plants that do not get watered become
however the plant gradually exhausts the soil
withered, dry and eventually lose their leaves;
by absorbing all its goodness. Using a plant
their flowers will fade and also rapidly fall.
food regularly will replace the lost nutrients
A plant that has been over-watered will drown;
allowing the plant to continuously thrive.
the leaves will curl and yellow, its flowers will
Outdoor plants find this much easier as their
roots can grow further out in the earth to find
become mouldy and its roots become brown
and soft.
what food they need to survive. Indoor plants
Watering plants only when they need it is
do not have this luxury and need the added
extremely important, but this can vary from
help of plant food so they can thrive indoors
plant to plant and season to season. There is
and present you with beautiful blooms.
no dedicated rule to help with when to water,
3
The
major nutrients
that house plants
require are:
however here are some useful tips:
Nitrogen (N) –
For healthy,
bright green leaves
TIPS FOR WHEN TO WATER
A good guide to know when plants have
had sufficient water is when the water
begins to flow from the pot’s drainage holes
CHECK THE SOIL MOISTURE:
If you have small plants, check the
weight of the plant before and after
watering, along with noting the health
of the plant; are the leaves dry or
yellowing?
Submerge your finger in an inch of soil
which should reveal a general sense of
soil moisture. Is it wet, moist or dry?
PLANTS NEED MORE WATER WHEN:
• They are actively growing e.g. have
young leaves or flower buds
• Their leaves are thin and delicate and
tend to brown at the tips
• When they are located in warm rooms
with direct sunlight
• If their root mass has filled its pot
• If they are growing in a clay pot
PLANTS NEED LESS WATER WHEN:
• They are grown in high humidity, for
example greenhouses
• After they have recently flowered or
produced fruit
• They have been repotted and their roots
are repenetrating the soil
• Their leaves are thick and rubbery or
their roots are fleshy or have a water
storing structure
• They are grown in plastic or glazed
ceramic containers
Phosphorous (P) –
For strong roots
Potassium (K) For better blooms and fruit
A plant food for use all round the home
When should I feed my house plants?
Regular feeding is required during the growing season
and the flowering seasons, this usually means feeding
every 7 days. The key period is spring to autumn for
foliage and flowering plants such as Begonias and
Baby Bio Original
n Britain’s favourite house plant food for over
60 years
n For greener leaves and vibrant colours
n Simply mix with water and pour onto plants
Chlorophytum (spider plant), and winter for winter
flowering plants such as Cyclamen or Christmas Cactus.
The plant spends the remainder of the time ‘resting’,
during which feeding should be reduced. However, if
Baby Bio Original
Drip Feeders
n Convenient ready to use plant food feeders
n Each feeder lasts for up to 1 month
n Suitable for all house plants
n Available either as a carton of 4 or single feeders
Baby Bio Orchid Food
your house is centrally heated during winter, continue
feeding at 7-14 day intervals as required.
n Perfect for use during the growing season
n For vibrant flowers and healthy leaves
For easy to use plant feeding to ensure your house
plants look their best, try the Baby Bio range.
Baby Bio Orchid Food
Drip Feeders
n Convenient ready to use orchid food feeders
n Each feeder lasts for up to 1 month
n Use during the growing season for health
and vibrancy
n Available either as a carton of 4 or single feeders
Baby Bio for Tomatoes
For healthy, full flavoured tomato plants
Ideal for gardeners with a limited
number of plants in pots, growbags or
greenhouse borders
n Also suitable for peppers, chillies and
other fruiting plants
n
n
Baby Bio Citrus Food
n Well balanced feed, including trace
elements required for healthy plants
n No need for separate summer and winter
versions
n High in potassium for good flower and
fruit production
Baby Bio for Herbs
n
n
n
Encourages strong, healthy growth
Balanced formulation of nutrients to
promote optimum taste and aroma
Suitable for all herbs
Taking care of
your plants will
help them
live longer
To help get rid of these nasty insects and
help prevent them returning use
Baby Bio House Plant Insecticide or
Provado Ultimate Bug Killer² - aerosol
Baby Bio House Plant Insecticide:
Contact and systemic insecticide,
giving immediate effect and long
lasting control
Gives up to 4-6 weeks protection
Fast acting control of insects, including
whitefly, greenfly, blackfly, mealybug,
scale insect and many more
For use in home, garden, greenhouse
and conservatory
OTHER USEFUL TIPS
Provado Ultimate Bug Killer² - aerosol
Use Baby Bio Leaf Wipes to get rid
Ready to use general purpose contact and
of all the dirt and dust covering the
systemic insecticide
leaves to help the plant breath and
For use on container grown ornamental
be healthy, and then use Baby Bio
plants
Leaf Shine to truly make your house
Rapid action
plants look the best they can be.
Kills and controls insects, including
red spider mite, mealybug, thrips, scale
insects and many more
Baby Bio House Plant Insecticide contains thiacloprid, Provado Ultimate Bug Killer² contains thiacloprid and methiocarb. Use plant protection products
safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Pay attention to the risk indictions and follow the safety precautions on the label.
Even the best cared for plant can
suffer attack from unwelcome
pests. Use this handy guide to spot
signs of invasion early on and join
forces with Baby Bio to nip even
the most stubborn pests
in the bud before it’s
too late.
Top
5pests
Aphids – Such as greenfly
and whitefly are visible around new
buds or shoots. Leaves may twist or
yellow. Flowering
house plants
such as
begonias are
particularly
susceptible.
Scale insect – These insects have a
waxy secretion that forms a shell like
coat. They cause mottling on
leaves and are often found
on the stem where they
weaken the plant by
sucking the sap to make
it wilt.
Red spider mite –
Mottling and speckling of
leaves, which can become
bronze in colour and
fall prematurely.
Fine, white
webbing on
upper leaves may
also occur.
Thrips – Tiny, elongated black
or cream coloured insects
cause white speckling on
leaves, or silver streaks on
newly opened flower
buds. Leaves and flowers
are often distorted
and growth is stunted.
Mealybug – Small pests covered
with white, cottony fluff.
Large clusters appear on
stems and the
undersides of leaves.
Serious attacks result
in wilting, yellowing
and leaf fall.
Britain’s Top 10 house plants
We are a nation of house plant
lovers. Whether you are after
adding colour, fragrance or nature
to your home there is a huge
variety of plants to choose from
which add beautiful decoration.
If you are unsure of the best plant
to suit the conditions of your
home, follow our list of ‘top 10’
favourite house plants.
Orchids – Prefer bright rooms but shaded from direct sunlight. The best
temperature for this plant is 15-21ºC (which drops slightly at night). It is
best to supplement with artificial light during winter.
Chrysanthemums – Prefer bright rooms but keep them shaded from
the midday sun. Cool rooms with temperatures between 10-15ºC are best.
Potted chrysanthemums can also be re-planted outside.
Cacti – Not surprisingly this plant prefers bright rooms with a lot of
sunshine! They like average warmth from spring to autumn; in the winter
try not to let the temperature get below 4ºC.
Ferns – Like good, indirect light with humid air. The best temperature is
fairly average between 15-21ºC, however ferns suffer if the temperature
goes above 24ºC.
Cyclamen – Prefer bright light but out of direct sunlight. They like cooler
temperatures between 10-15ºC and flower
in winter.
Begonias – Warm, bright rooms are
best for this plant and it is advisable
not to let the temperature drop below
13ºC. Try to avoid direct sunlight,
however they do enjoy a few hours
of winter sun.
Ficus – These plants prefer warm
temperatures and start to suffer if below
13ºC in the winter months; try to avoid
rapid changes in temperature as this may
cause the leaves to drop. Tree type Ficus
plants like bright spots which are partially shaded.
African Violet – Prefer bright rooms, however protect them from strong
sunlight and supplement with artificial lighting in the winter to encourage
flowering. These flowers like warmer temperatures with a minimum
temperature of 15ºC in winter.
Amaryllis – These prefer warmer temperatures, ideally around 15-21ºC.
They flower for longer in winter than in spring. Keep in a more shaded
room as they do not like direct sunlight.
Anthurium – Prefer bright rooms, however try to keep
away from direct sunlight. They prefer average temperature of 15-21ºC,
however in winter they need a 6 week rest period at around 15ºC with
very little watering.
P6375/1400
Our experts
answer your
questions
Every year the Baby Bio advice line
receives lots of queries regarding all
aspects of gardening.
Here you will find answers to some of
the most frequently asked questions
about house plant care.
Can I take cuttings from my
house plants?
How can I encourage my
house plants to flower?
There are several reasons why a house plant may
not flower. Follow the guidelines throughout
this booklet to encourage healthy growth – plants
that are not growing strongly to start with are unlikely
to flower. A few tips to encourage house plants to
flower are feed them with a plant food, find out the
correct watering times and check for insect invasion.
What does ‘repotting’, or
‘potting on’ mean?
Most plants outgrow their original pot and
need to be repotted into a larger container to
allow for continued growth. Yellowing leaves
and a halt in growth are a good indication that your
houseplant is ready to be potted on, as is visible root
growth through the pot drain holes. Repot in spring
or summer when the plant is actively growing, and
will therefore recover more quickly from the move,
using good quality compost.
Can I use Baby Bio to feed my
outdoor plants?
Yes you can, however a better option is using
Baby Bio’s new Vitality outdoor plant food range.
This new range contains both the nutrients
needed in the plant and a bio-stimulant which will
help the plant absorb the nutrients more efficiently.
Using this range you can get up to 100% more flowers
than not feeding with any plant food!
Find out more at www.babybio.co.uk
Feel free to call our advice line about any questions to do with gardening
on 0845 345 4100, or email [email protected]
Cuttings can easily be taken from a variety of
house plants. For best results use a good quality
seed and cutting compost containing plenty of sharp
sand. Then dip the cuttings into a rooting hormone
(such as Baby Bio Roota) before planting on.
Why do the tips of the leaves
turn brown?
If leaf tips become dry when the rest of the
plant stays healthy, it is likely that the air
humidity is too low. Try misting the leaves regularly
with water or group plants together so they can share
moisture. Alternatively, stand plants in a tray of
pebbles filled with water – the moisture will evaporate
and the humidity will increase.
What is the difference between
an evergreen and a deciduous
house plant?
The majority of house plants are evergreen, which
means that they retain their leaves throughout the
year. Deciduous house plants lose their leaves at the
end of each growing season.
What does contact mean?
A contact insect control will kill the pest only if
the pest comes directly into contact with the product.
What does systemic mean?
Systemic insect controls are absorbed into the
plant and travel in the sap system. Pests that feed
on this will be quickly controlled
for a few weeks.
Baby Bio is a registered
trade mark
Bayer Garden, 230 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0WB UK
A part of Bayer CropScience Limited • www.babybio.co.uk • Advisory line: 0845 345 4100 • International: 00 44 845 345 4100