Episode 146: helping houseplants cope with a heatwave, plus a Hoya question
Transcript
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When it's unusually hot, you may feel the strain: your houseplants can struggle too. I offer up some tips to help your plants cope with a heatwave, and Doug Chamberlain of Vermont Hoyas joins me to answer a listener question.
Check the notes below as you listen ...
Plants that are usually fine in a sunny spot may be sunburned from extra hours of intense light - consider moving them a metre or two back from the window.
Soil will evaporate water more quickly, and plants will be using more moisture as transpiration speeds up, so check your plants at rootball level to check they are not dry.
Open windows and doors can bring in pests such as aphids. Check plants regularly for pests, on especially new growth at the growing tips, which provide the fresh sappy growth pests love.
Wipe leaves down with a damp cloth to remove any dust and dirt, and make sure they can breathe.
If you put plants outside, remember light intensity is much higher than inside, so plants that will be fine in a sunny window may need some shade: you can move them into sunnier spots progressively, but aside from some cacti and succulents, few plants will relish full sun outdoors.
Some plants will put on a real spurt of growth in higher temperatures, but make sure they have enough nutrients by feeding regularly.
If plants do end up wilted through lack of water, act quickly and place your plant in a bucket or dish of water for an hour or two, running some water through the top of the pot to make sure that the whole rootball is soaked. Make sure it’s out of the sun, and drain well before returning to its usual spot.
Air conditioning can create cold draughts for plants so make sure plants are located well away from vents, and don’t run your AC too low!
Hold off on repotting during a heatwave, as it will add extra stress to your plant.
Question of the week
Jennifer got in touch to ask about the difference between the Hoya species H. shepherdii, H. kentiana and H. wayetti. I turned to Hoya expert Doug Chamberlain of Vermont Hoyas, who I interviewed back in episode 82, for an answer.
The two Hoyas I am confused by are Hoya villosa and H. globulosa.
We also talked about some in-demand Hoyas including slow-growing H. callistophylla, all-white flowered H. bella, and H. manipurensis with its bowtie shaped leaves. Interested in taxonomy and the idea of splitters versus lumpers? This might interest you.
Want to ask me a question? Email ontheledgepodcast@gmail.com. The more information you can include, the better - pictures of your plant, details of your location and how long you have had the plant are always useful to help solve your issue!
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CREDITS
This week's show featured the tracks Roll Jordan Roll by the Joy Drops and Endeavour by Jahzzar. Ad music is Dill Pickles and Whistling Rufus, both by the Heftone Banjo Orchestra.
Logo design by Jacqueline Colley.