Before you get too busy in the garden, it's a good time to take a close look at your plants inside and see how they've fared during the dormant season. Let's face it, sometimes we're not as attentive to plants when they're not in active growth or not putting out gorgeous blooms that wow our senses. So get out a sponge or two and a pair of scissors or nips, and let's get started.
Clean and Trim
The first step in a good spring cleaning is to wipe down the pots and plants to remove dust buildup. Be careful, though: Overcleaning can remove important cells that are necessary to the health of the plant, so wipe gently.
To clean the leaves of large accent plants, try using two sponges--one below the leaf and one on top.
Once plants are clean, you can add shine with a commercial plant-shine product. Hold the spray bottle about a foot above the plant and spray a fine mist over the leaves. Never spray plant-shine products on the underside of leaves, however. Specialized stomata cells on the bottom of leaves could be damaged.
Now it's time to trim the foliage and remove any spent blooms or dead leaves at the base of the plant. If you're eliminating branching leaves or stems, use the cuttings to propagate new plants!
Some plants that normally spend the warm months outside can become susceptible to insect infestations, such as spider mites, when they overwinter indoors. You can control the bug problem by making some "weather." Simply create a little wind and rain by spraying the infested plant with water, being sure to target both the tops and undersides of the leaves, where mites like to hide. Do this weekly to help fight mites and other creepy-crawlies.
Soft shell scale (right, above) can be a little tougher to get rid of and calls for the use of some soap and water. Simply wash the leaves and stems of the plant (in this case, a Ponderosa lemon) with warm water mixed with a few drops of dishwashing liquid (right, below). Rinse with clear water and then spray the plant with a good insecticidal soap, which is harmless to humans and works well to prevent future infestations.
Adjust Light Conditions
Now that your plants are all cleaned up and "de-bugged," take a good look at their leaf color. Yellow leaves mean they're getting too much light, which can happen as the longer days of spring approach. This orchid, for instance, needs bright light to thrive and did well in a south-facing window over winter. The leaves have yellowed a bit, though, which means the light is a little too bright now, and the plant should be moved to an east or west window as the growing season gets under way.
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