Essential Spring Indoor Plant Care Checklist

Spring is the time when our houseplants wake up from sleep and start growing rapidly again. As soon as the cold ends and the weather starts getting a little warmer, new leaves of the plants start coming out, buds start forming and a new greenery spreads all over the house. In such a situation, if you give your indoor plants a little attention, a little care and the right things at the right time, then they will give you beautiful leaves and blooming flowers in return.
Let’s talk about my spring houseplant checklist, which I follow every year so that my plants grow and bloom with their full strength in this season.

1. Trim the plants first

When spring starts, the first thing I do is to check all my plants thoroughly and see if any leaf or stem is dry, dead or damaged.

It is very important to cut the dead part because:

• Dry or rotten parts can become a home for disease and insects, which can affect the entire plant.
• It takes energy to keep every part of the plant alive. When you remove the dead parts, that energy is now directed towards new leaves and branches.

How to prune:

Take a sharp and clean pair of scissors or trimmers and cut off the damaged leaves near their base. If only one part of the leaf is burnt (such as the edge), then cut only that part diagonally so that the rest of the leaf remains intact and the beauty of the plant is also maintained.

For example, I have a Philodendron Rojo Congo that recently started to produce many new leaves. But the edge of one leaf had turned black, so I cut off only that part and left the rest of the leaf.

2. Then do a little pruning (pruning for balanced shape)

Pruning – it not only helps the plant to look beautiful but is also important for its health. Some plants become too tall or lean to one side over time. In such a situation, pruning is needed to bring them into balance.

When to prune:

When the branches of the plant have become too long, have started bending downwards, or the plant is growing upwards (like it happened with my fiddle leaf fig – which is now hitting my office wall!) then it is time to shape it.

Benefit of Tip pruning:

If you only cut the ends of the branch or stem lightly, then it signals the plant to take out new branches downwards as well. This makes the plant more dense and balanced.

3. Cleaning of leaves or Plant Bath Time

We water our plants daily, but dust and dirt also gradually accumulates on their leaves which slows down the plant’s breathing process. There are small pores on the upper layer of the leaves which are called stomata. Through these, the plant exchanges water and gases.

When dust accumulates on these holes:

• The plant is not able to absorb sunlight properly.
• The leaves look dull and discolored.

How to clean:

I take my small plants to the bathroom and put them under the shower – my son calls it “Rainforest Simulator 3000”!

Larger plants should be wiped gently with a wet cloth and then lightly moistened with a spray of water.

Sometimes I keep them outside in the sun too but only in the early morning and for a few hours, so that the leaves do not burn.

4. Repot if needed

Spring is the best time to shift the plants to a new pot, especially if the roots have grown a lot and are coming out of the pot.

• How to know if the plant is asking for repotting?
• Dries out quickly when watered
• Roots are sticking out from the top or bottom
• Soil has become too hard or smells bad

When repotting, keep in mind:

• The new pot should be slightly bigger than the previous one but not by much
• Use a well-draining indoor potting mix. I also add some perlite to it so that water drains quickly.

Be careful – do not put pebbles or stones in the bottom. It does not improve drainage but worsens it because it causes water to sit near the surface.

5. Fertilize Now

When the plants grow rapidly in the spring, they need extra nutrition. So now is the time to give them a light fertilizer.

What to do:

Now I take a basic 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer and dilute it in half water and give it every two weeks.
For air plants (such as tillandsia), put a light fertilizer in a spray bottle and spray it on the leaves every week.

Remember – excess fertilizer can burn the plants, so always give it according to the recommended dosage.

6. Last Step – Reposition

Many a times in winters we have to keep our plants away from the window to protect them from the sun. But in spring and summers the sun comes from above, so now we can move them back to the window.

Note:

If you see a burn mark in the middle of a leaf (not just the edges, but in the middle), then understand that it is sunburnt.
I move my Hoya and begonias back to the window but carefully, so that they do not get burnt.

Conclusion:

Spring is the most important time for plants. If you give a little care, a little love and the right care at this time, then your plants will be happy throughout the year. So go on, pick up the scissors, prepare the soil and give your indoor plants a new start.

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