European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 5, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Evgr a Quot a a Ltd a a a m r Myu a / a a for Sheho Dekeep soil evenly moist a by Susan Mcclure new York times keeping a House Plant looking Good year after year takes certain management skills you done to need to treat it to a Power lunch with a heavy dose of fertilizer or Leaf Shine for Success instead says John Peterson professor of. Horticulture at Ohio state University you need to find the right balance of culture and climate. Key your initial administrative skills into Light and most other factors will fall right into place. A. The direction your windows face will Tell you much. Windows pointing South Are usually the brightest Eastern and Western exposure May bring in a half Day of Sun. However sur Power estimates May not be Clear Cut. A although summer Days Are longer Winter Sun is lower in the sky and May Shine directly into upper Story windows. Longer than it would in the summer a a. Likewise Quot when Trees have dropped their foliage a previously shaded window can come to life make note of the number of hours of Light a Plant receives if your management plans include research and r development invest in a Plant Light meter and buy plants that lit available foot  you have North facing windows you can raise Smalt plants under fluorescent lights. A unless you have an atrium or heated Sun porch your. A House is probably Low on Light compared to the tropics a where most indoor plants originate and since few rooms can accommodate a tropical Jungle you can and should. Encourage foliage plants to grow slowly a the secret is to keep the soil evenly  a explains too much or too Little water can injure the roots and affect the entire Plank \. O _ a a. Juggle different watering schedules until you slow growth without jetting the. Plant Wilt or drop leaves you will know you Are on the right track if you can inspire an occasional new / Leaf Quot keep fertilizer Levels appropriate Toi tins slow grow plan. Use just enough to got desired results and suck to pioduct.-. A cont Amii in hit Rogon Vahi Otvis easy for Points Iott co Ana  Likely to Burn Plant roots. A. T just Tiow Eil Estivo a Haiti cuff dose of . I its  be depends  unseen elements Siuw out of your faucet the pm and Sal Levels Are most  Ami a cab. Variable Columbus. Ohio water Tore an g re a of a Narro tic it Cire Natios plaints w Ltd Limestone in  drop  acidity or alkalinity will tie up certain essential nutrients and. Ultimately Hurt the Plant. Irrigating a Plant repeatedly with water High in salts a certainty in Many arid states can make the soil brackish and suck water out of the roots until the Plant Wilts and Dies. The problem is compounded by the very nature of House plants. To spare the carpet or the Woodwork we trap irrigation water in the Plant s Container and there the Salt concentrate. You May see the briny White crust they leave on Clay pots. Repair Salt damage by reporting in fresh soil or prevent the problem by using a . High tech containers manufactured by planter ,. Technology systems pulse a Ter into the pot from a Bottom Reservoir when a sensor indicates that the soil is dry. A Rubbermaid system developed with help from -. Peterson uses an absorb Benwick to keep soil continually a moist. To. Children and plants most plants Are Safe to have in the Home few particularly the cheery Poinsettia and Christmas Cactus were Long rumoured to be dangerous. It is now Clear that neither is particularly harmful if eaten. Still children should be taught not to eat any potted plants. Some plants. Especially berries Are very poisonous and should be kept out of the reach of children. Here Are the ones to be wary of Plant it Yew Mistletoe Jerusalem Cherry Holly. A poisonous part effect All parts especially leaves and berries berries leaves a a stems fruits which resemble Cherry tomatoes leaves and berries Page 16 k Kuk the stars and stripes Boxwood leaves and twigs wreaths. Dried _ 3erries and leaves bittersweet Soutch hew cd 1 Ives saturday january 5, 1991 heart or. Respiratory failure heart or respiratory failure heart or respiratory failure severe gastric upset. Gastric upset a gastric upset convulsions a amps Susan hams surface evaporation pulls water from below to the top. In either Case salts Are pulled away from the roots to the soil surface where they Are easy to scrape  one time or another most plants will become Home for insects. The Best Way to protect your plants is to. Watch for pests so you can control them before much damage is done. A a  a a when spider mites first attack leaves become Dull and a lighter coloured. After a month or so of unchecked multiplication the nearly microscopic mites spin tiny webs. And Parachute off to new targets. If you miss the first Leaf changes you will have a much. Tougher problem to Deal with later. With a pest problem identified you can undertake a cure. Pesticides Are one but not the Only option. Spurred _. By popular demand Peterson and other researchers have been looking for non toxic alternatives. Begin with water. Wash insects right  commercial sprays Are a second line of defense. Peterson believes safer s sect Edical soaps Are among tile Best pyrethrin and reset grins once derived from plants Are also Tow in toxicity but May require More frequent application. C.  like scale and mealy bugs can be eliminated with Oil based sprays that do not Poison but instead coat and smother. Systemic pesticides drawn up from the roots Are a Good alternative for succulent plants but will not move Well through Woody stems. Whatever product you use move the Plant to a place where you can Spray it thoroughly without harming anything nearby. With pesticides that work on Contact you heed to reach every Leaf above and below every Axil and Nook on the Stem. Don t expect an insect to walk Over and eat the pesticide Peterson says. A you can use the environment to limit insect pests As Well keep it healthy for the Plant but uncomfortable for the insects. Since mites multiply most rapidly in warm dry air Wash an infested Plant and keep it in a brightly lit humid bathroom. A _ bring in some Lap Plant Sjo draw pests away from permanent House plants. If White Fly flurry about your ficus attract them to a Florist s azaleas or poinsettias then Send them out in the co d. Or buy plants that Are More resistant to Quot insects such As the ornate Scheffler. Its Glossy Leaf has a thick waxy cuticle that is loss appealing to mealybug mites and Quot scale Quot a a a