Winter Houseplant care with new lighting info

Caring for houseplants during the winter months is vital to maintaining these beauties at their best! Winter conditions indoors require homeowners to change the way they manage the humidity (or lack of), watering, and placement of houseplants. Plants require the correct amount of light and water in order to live, which will vary greatly, depending on the type of plant you have.

Light can be measured in two simple ways: Quality is the color and brightness of the light, while quantity refers to the number of hours a plant receives light. There are a few options for light sources, but light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are both energy-efficient and last a long time. Additionally, LED plant lights emit only the red and blue light needed by plants, with little heat.

Light quality and quantity are important for houseplants as they impact color, size, shape, and flowering. A light meter can be purchased at your local garden center to tell you how much light your plant is receiving. 
How frequently you need to water your plant depends on several things [video]:

• The type and size of your plant's pot,

• The temperature and humidity level of your plant's room, 

• The type of medium in which your plant is growing.  Soil moisture probes are instruments that measure soil moisture. There are even some that send you a text message telling you that you need to water your plant. 

Here are some great tips for how to care for your sick plant.  Houseplants, just like other plants, often get sick due to under- or over-watering, over fertilizing, or lack of attention.

Enjoy the benefits of your houseplants all year long!

Let's Talk Pansies!

Pansies are colorful, hardy, and super easy to grow and we are one of the first flowers to wake up in the spring. Sometimes they poke their heads right up through the snow! Try planting them right over bulbs and watch them bloom, and the bulbs below will come right through, providing even more color in your spring garden. They look fantastic in flower beds and containers on patios and decks.

Propagation
Pansies grow from seeds, so can be planted directly in the ground. However, starting indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost in your area will achieve the earliest blooms. Their tiny seeds germinate slowly, usually in 10 to 20 days, but boy, are they worth the wait! As biennials, they self-sow. A biennial is a plant that requires all or part of 2 years to complete its life cycle. Read more, here: Annual, Biennial, Perennial, what's the difference?

Pansies come in almost every color including velvety black and spectacular blues! They like full to partial sun, and cool to warm weather. They aren’t fussy, and tolerate lots of soils, but wherever you put them, the planting medium should be freshly loosened and contain some organic material.

Pansies are members of the Violaceae family but they have bigger flowers than Johnny Jump-Ups (Viola tricolor) and Viola.

Troubles
Slugs are Pansies' most common issue. Use insecticides or fungicides exactly according to directions, and only when you know for sure what’s bugging them. For more info on diseases and pests, click here.

Care
Pansies need plenty of moisture and good drainage. When the weather gets hot, they often get leggy and benefit from deadheading. Trim spent blooms as often as you can because they will make more!

Size and Spacing
Pansies grow in a rounded shape, 4”’ to 8” tall and up to 12”wide. Typical spacing is 6” to 10”. They’re super friendly and don’t mind being close for a fuller look. Just keep your eye on them, since tighter planting can make them more susceptible to insects or disease. Check out more info from Iowa State University about sizes and types of pansies by clicking here.

Edible Flowers
If you're hungry, Pansies' lovely flowers and leaves are edible and can be used for decorating cakes, salads and other foods. They’re often used for making syrup and natural dyes. Check out this link for more information: A Consumer's Guide to Edible Flowers