119 Concord Place
Syracuse, New York
13210-2649
Phone/Fax: 315-471-5854
info@tlehcs.com

Caring for Holiday Cactus

Low Light and Winter Leaf Drop

Orchid Basics

Caring for Peace Lilies

Reblooming Amaryllis

Questions of the Week

Houseplants

Florist azaleas and hydrangea can be kept for years with proper care. Keeping houseplants looking good and growing vigorously isn't extraordinarily difficult during the summer months here in Central New York (unless you're not good at keeping them watered - like me).

It's a different story, however, between roughly October and April.

In a nutshell, success with many houseplants during the winter months is as simple is doing your best to provide them with conditions similar to those found in Florida during the winter months. This includes:

• No fertilizer,

• Letting your plants go slightly dry between waterings,

• Providing them with as much direct sunlight as possible,

• Providing temperatures around 70F degrees during the day,

• And (here's the real kicker), dropping temperatures to around 50F degrees at night - yikes!

For a more detailed explanation as to why these conditions are important, click on the links at right.