Indoor Gardening

Hold Off for Healthier Soil: Managing Spring Compaction Risks 

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By Nora Doonan, Soil Science Graduate Student, UConn Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture 

Bare soil and patchy grass showing deep tire tracks and compacted earth across a lawn area.
Repeated traffic over lawn causing immediate, visible wear and long-term soil compaction. (Nora Doonan)

In the case of soil compaction, the early bird often does not get the worm. As temperatures rise, many Connecticut residents are eager to get back into their gardens and begin lawn care. However, after a winter marked by significant snowfall, the effects of snowmelt are still present in the form of pooling water and high soil moisture. Although the warmer weather may seem like the perfect time to begin spring yard work, it is often best to wait. Working or walking on wet soil can lead to compaction, a soil condition that can negatively impact plant health throughout the growing season. Wet soils are more easily compacted than dry soils, and once compacted, they are much harder to remediate.  

Soil compaction restricts root growth, making it difficult for plants to access water, nutrients, and oxygen. As a result, plants may show reduced growth and lower yields. Compacted soils also limit water infiltration, which can lead to increased runoff during spring precipitation events. This not only reduces water availability for plants but can also contribute to soil erosion and water pollution, particularly in areas located near streams, ponds, and other water bodies.  

Soil microorganisms are impacted by compaction, some of which are responsible for soil nutrient cycling. For example, compaction reduces pore space, which holds oxygen and a lack of oxygen in the soil can increase the rate in which some bacteria perform denitrification, a gaseous loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere. Other soil organisms are impacted as well. Non-burrowing animals, such as mites and springtails, have difficulty penetrating compacted soil, and there is often a decline in burrowing species like earthworms, ants, and beetles.  

Common causes of soil compaction include heavy foot traffic and the use of equipment such as lawn mowers, spreaders, and vehicles. Following the same consistent pathway through your yard and garden, even if it seems insignificant, can lead to substantial compaction overtime, especially in high soil moisture conditions. Homeowners should also be cautious about allowing heavy vehicles, such as mulch delivery trucks or off-street parking, onto lawns when soils are wet. Additionally, tilling wet soil can do more harm than good by creating dense soil layers and deep ruts. It is important to wait until soils have dried sufficiently before working them. 

To assess whether soil is compacted, start with a visual inspection. Areas with poor plant growth, shallow roots, or standing water after rainfall may indicate compaction. Simple field tests can provide further insight. One method is to dig into the soil with a shovel or spade a few days after a rainstorm. Signs of compaction include surface crusting, plate-like soil structure (resembling stacked dinner plates), or large, dense clods. Another method is to perform a soil hardness test. A few days after rain, try pushing a wire flag or similar probing object into the soil. Hold the flag at the top and press the wire into the soil without bending it. This test is most accurate when soils are moist but not saturated, and care should be taken to avoid rocks. If the probe penetrates less than 4 inches, the soil is considered compacted.  

Preventing soil compaction is far easier than correcting it. Avoid walking on garden beds and refrain from working soils when they are wet. Use lighter equipment whenever possible and maintain ground cover to protect the soil surface. If necessary, aerate compacted soils and incorporate compost or organic matter to encourage biological activity from soil organisms that naturally improve soil structure. While organic residues such as compost can help cushion the effects of compaction, excessive traffic will degrade these materials over time. Soils with low organic matter are especially vulnerable to compaction, making regular amendment essential. 

Patience in early spring can pay off throughout the growing season. Waiting until soils are drier before beginning yard work will help protect soil structure, promote healthy plant growth, and support long-term landscape sustainability. 

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at extension.uconn.edu/locations. 

This article was published in the Hartford Courant April 4, 2026

I “Heart” Philodendrons

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By Dr. Matthew Lisy, UConn Adjunct Faculty

 

Hanging philodendron plant with trailing green heart-shaped leaves in a black pot suspended by cords against a light-colored wall.
Philodendron hederaceum, the legendary Heartleaf Philodendron in its classic green form (photo by M. Lisy). 

Back in the late1970s when I stumbled upon my mother’s abandoned houseplant book, I had no idea what impact that would have on my life.  It was a treasure-trove of knowledge for me, and came with a gallery of some of the most common houseplants.  One in particular caught my eye – the Heartleaf Philodendron.  I was immediately in love (see what I did there?).  All jokes aside, this was one of the biggest staples of the houseplant world, and it still is.  Characterized by green heart-shaped leaves, they were commonly displayed in macramé plant hangers.   

 These plants, like many of our houseplants, come from humid tropical Central and South American forests.  The word Philodendron comes from the Greek and means “tree lover.”  This name serves as both the scientific and the common name.  As one would expect, plants in this genus grow on trees in some fashion.  Of course there are exceptions, but most will readily grow up moss poles if provided.  A number of the species are perfectly suited to life in a hanging basket, and are commonly referred to as “trailing” to describe their growth habit.  A few of my favorite trailing-types are the ones I will focus on for this article.  Trailing Philodendrons are one of the easiest plants to grow and also the easiest plants to kill.  The secret to their success is to not over water them.  The top inch or two of the soil should dry out before they are watered again.  They are very unforgiving to overwatering, and quickly develop a fungal infection that will fist cause many leaves to drop, and then the vines will wither and die.  Many people see this and assume the plant needs more water, and then accidentally ensure the plant’s death.  If they are put outside for the summer, I recommend hanging them under a covered porch so the watering is controlled.  

The old-school Heartleaf Philodendron was just the beginning.  It is known as Philodendron hederaceum by scientists.  It may be incorrectly labeled as Philodendron cordatum, but this is an older/inaccurate name and beyond the scope of this article.  One modern favorite variety is called Lemon Lime.  As expected, it has some light green to yellow leaves in bright light.  Next to the regular green, this variety really stands out.  Lemon Lime is similar to one I had thirty years ago called Lemon which had only yellow leaves.  There is another new one called Neon that has all yellow leaves as well.  It is hard to know if these are true varieties or repackaged versions of the old Lemon with newer names.  Brazil is another very hardy variety that has green leaves with a large, thick yellow stripe down the center of each leaf.  There is variability in the amount of yellow in each leaf, which adds further interest to the plant.  A similar but more striking variety is called Silver Stripe.  This plant has a thinner stripe down the middle that is mostly cream or silver colored.  This was extremely expensive last year, but is much more common and therefore cheaper now.   

 There are a number of different species with similar appearance and growth habits to our P. hederaceum.  One of the real stand-outs is the Philodendron brandtianum, commonly referred to as the Silver Leaf Philodendron or Philodendron Brandi.  The leaves are a gorgeous true silver color with green stripes following the veins.  These are slower growing than the others mentioned here.  By the end of last year, it was somewhat affordable in four-inch pots.  I have yet to see it offered in a larger hanging basket (probably a few years away from that).  A close look-a-like to this plant is the Philodendron sodiroi, which is also called the Silver Leaf Philodendron.  Though less intensely silver and with paler green coloration, the leaves are larger.  I finally saw one for sale last summer but passed on it as I think it was a mislabeled P. brandtianum.  Nevertheless, I am sure these will be equally popular with collectors. 

Close-up of a single bright green, heart-shaped leaf with smooth edges and subtle veins against a white background.Close-up of a heart-shaped leaf with dark green coloration and irregular lighter green variegation, slightly curled and textured, against a pale background. Close-up of a single heart-shaped green leaf with a lighter yellow-green stripe running down the center against a white background. Close-up of a single heart-shaped leaf with dark green coloring and silvery mottled patterns against a white background.

From left to right: Philodendron hederaceum ‘Lemon Lime,’ ‘Brazil,’ ‘Silver Stripe,’ and Philodendron brandtianum (photos by M. Lisy). 

All of these plants are easy to propagate by cutting the stem and leaving one leaf per node.  Dip it in rooting hormone and keep it in a moist, clear-bag-covered pot and in a few months, there will be new growth.  Alternatively, they can be rooting in water, but I prefer the soil method as it doesn’t have to adapt from water to soil when transplanted. 

 I am hopeful that this article will rekindle an old flame with the Heartleaf Philodendron or its relatives.  They are all generally available now in many of the big box, online, and brick-and-mortar plant stores.  Why not pick one up to beautify the home for many years to come? 

The UConn Home Garden Education Office supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension Center at extension.uconn.edu/locations.     

This article was published in the Hartford Courant March 28, 2026

Potted Bulbs for Color and Scent 

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By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home Garden Education Office 

Potted hyacinths and freesia plants sit on a windowsill, with purple blooms and green leaves contrasted against a snowy outdoor scene visible through the window.
Photo by Dawn Pettinelli

With snow covered gardens and more wintry weather on the way, many of us can’t resist the temptation to purchase potted hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, primroses and other delightful spring blooming plants to bring some early color and fragrance to our homes. It was especially difficult to leave the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show last week without an armload of plants forced into bloom.  

 To enjoy your plants to the fullest, here are some tips on caring for them. First realize that these plants were ‘forced’ into bloom at an earlier time than they would on their own. Growers manipulate the growing conditions of the plants by regulating temperature, light and moisture. This does stress plants somewhat so depending on the type of bulb, some may or may not bloom again.  

If you have not purchased any pots of forced bulbs yet but are planning to, select ones that are still budded or ones where just a few flowers have opened. This will ensure a longer bloom period for you to enjoy. If temperatures are below 40 F, it is best to bag or wrap the plant in the store to keep the blossoms and foliage from cold injury and get the plants home as soon as possible. Leaving them in an unheated car in frigid temperatures is not a good idea.  

Whether you’ve chosen to bring home spring flowering bulbs, like hyacinths, or a hardy perennial, like primroses, they pretty much all have similar requirements as houseplants. All these plants appreciate being kept in cool temperatures with between 50 and 60 F being optimum and 70 F probably being the upper limit. Warmer temperatures will cause plant growth and flowering to speed up so your blooms won’t last as long.  

Bright indirect light for 6 to 8 hours of the day will keep your plants growing longer. Lately with the cloudy weather and limited sunshine, most of us can keep plants in a south window this time of year as the sun’s light is less intense and also, sparser than we would hope. Usually, the temperatures near windows are much cooler than other areas of the house.  

All of these plants, as well as most other houseplants, grow best when kept moderately moist. Avoid overwatering or having pots sit in water as that can lead to root rots. I’ve noticed growers shying away from peat based potting mixes that were more moisture retentive. So, check plants every other day at first to see when they are in need of watering. While the plastic or foil pot wraps might make your selection look more appealing, they often do not have drainage holes so if pots are overwatered, the excess water stays in the wrap and the roots remain saturated and prone to rot. I like to water these plants by taking them out of the wrap, bringing them to the sink and applying enough water so that it runs out the bottom for a half minute or so and then let them sit in the sink until excess water drains out. Then return to their wrap or better yet, a saucer where excess water can be easily seen and dumped.  

As far as fertilizing goes, it depends on whether you want to keep these plants and set them out in your garden when warmer weather arrives or will they get relegated to the compost or trash heap. If you intend to plant them out, then fertilize them using a half strength houseplant fertilizer every other week. The reason being you want the green foliage to photosynthesize as much as possible before the plants go dormant. The food produced by this process will enable the bulbs to sprout and grow next year. Even if not planted out, perennials like primroses will bloom for a longer period of time inside if regularly fertilized.  

I have found flowering bulbs, like hyacinths and daffodils, to come back pretty successfully when planted in the garden, while having little success with tulips, unless they are species tulips or some of the smaller Greigii varieties. If keeping bulbs for planting out, remove the flower stem after blooms have faded but keep watering foliage until it starts to fade and brown. Remove the dying leaves and then the pot can be moved to a cool, dimly lit spot and just kept barely moist until the soil can be worked in the spring.  

For primroses, remove the flower stalks as blossoms fade. Depending on the species purchased, your plants may or may not be hardy outside. Hopefully the plant tag will mention hardiness zones or at least give you the species so you can look it up. Primroses can be kept as houseplants but they do require cool temperatures, bright indirect lighting and regular fertilizing and watering when forming buds and in bloom. In the garden, primroses sulk in hot weather often dying back until next spring when cooler temperatures prevail.  

With a little care, flowering bulbs and other plants can liven up these dreary winter days. At least they let us know, spring is right around the corner. 

The UConn Home Garden Education Office supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension Center at extension.uconn.edu/locations.  

 

This article was published in the Hartford Courant February 28, 2026

Keeping Valentines Day Flowers Fresh

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By Heather Zidack, UConn Home Garden Education Office

Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest holidays, next to Mother’s Day, in the floral industry. Whether you’re buying fresh cut flowers, or a potted plant for someone special, helping them keep those flowers looking their best can be part of the gift you give this year.  

Pink, yellow, and purple Alstroemeria flowers arranged together in a small bouquet with green leaves.
Photo by H. Zidack

Start by selecting flowers that look healthy and vibrant. You want flowers with firm petals, with buds just starting to open or have just recently opened. Avoid flowers that are releasing pollen, are discolored, or have drooping foliage. Check the stems for rigidity and make sure that plant material is clean with no indications of mold or decay. When you purchase your flowers, many florists will give you packaging to help reduce their exposure to the extreme cold as you carry them to your car. This is an important step, so don’t skip it if you can! Avoiding large temperature fluctuations will keep your flowers fresh for longer.  

When you get home with your flowers find a vase that is clean and free of debris. Always wash vases with warm, soapy water in between uses to prevent the transmission of bacteria and disease from one bouquet to the next. Add fresh, tepid water. Remove all plastic, rubber bands, and other packaging from your bouquet. Cut each flower stem at a 45-degree angle using hand pruners or snips. Using scissors, or knives that aren’t sharp may crush the vascular tissue and prevent the flowers from taking up water, leading to faster decline. Remove any leaves that would sit below the water line before placing stems into the vase.  

If you have a bouquet of roses, take special care when you are preparing their stems. These flowers will live longer if you cut their stems under water, using the same 45-degree angle, and place them in your vase of water as quickly as possible. This extra step ensures that air bubbles don’t work their way into the vascular tissue and will keep your roses fresh for longer. When we see roses develop a “floppy neck,” this is most often the cause. While it is possible to revive your roses from this issue, it is best to try to avoid it altogether.  

There are many anecdotes out there regarding additives to provide food and antimicrobial agents to the water to help your flowers last longer. Many of these anecdotes aren’t based in research. If your bouquet comes with a flower food packet, mix it as instructed and use it in your vase. However, if you don’t have one, don’t worry about adding anything. Instead, focus on ensuring that you are giving your flowers fresh, clean water. 

Decay and microbial growth are two of the biggest reasons our cut flowers pass quickly. Many of the strategies mentioned above help to mitigate this concern, but it is important to keep a watchful eye. Besides washing your vase in between use, sanitize your flower snips or pruners in between uses as well and watch the water quality in your vase, replacing it every couple of days with fresh, cool, water. Always change the water if it appears murky or cloudy in the vase.  

When changing your water, make a fresh cut 1-2 inches up the stem to ensure that the vascular system is staying open and clean of any debris or bacteria. If stems are starting to get mushy, cut high enough above the decay, or consider removing the stem entirely from the arrangement. Keep your flowers in a location that is bright but avoid direct sunlight, and keep them away from drafts, or entryways where large temperature fluctuations are likely. Lastly, know when to say goodbye and dispose of any flowers that are past bloom, or showing signs of decay. You may notice that you’ll need a smaller vase as you cut your stems shorter or remove flowers as they pass. A mason jar makes for a great display for those longest lasting flowers!  

There’s no doubt that fresh flowers bring vibrancy and life into our homes during these blustery, winter months. Whether you’re buying a bouquet for yourself, or for someone special this Valentine’s day, keep a close eye on them and you’ll be sure to have long lasting blooms to enjoy!  

The UConn Home Garden Education Office supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension Center at extension.uconn.edu/locations.  

This article was published in the Hartford Courant February 15, 2026

Camellias for Color, Inside and Out

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By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home Garden Education Office

The image shows a plant with dark green leaves and vibrant red flowers with yellow stamens. The background has colorful lights.
Photo by Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home Garden Education Office

Now that the holidays are over, the decorations are put away and scenes of dreary, wintry weather dance in our heads, one plant with flowers resembling roses that comes into bloom this time of year are camellias. These Asian natives have been cultivated for possibly 5000 years. Most of us are familiar with Camellia sinensis var. sinensis aka, tea! Black tea, white tea, green tea all come from the same plant just processed differently.  

 Other camellia species were noted and grown for their flowers gracing gardens of temples and nobility. Prized plants were selected and crossed and eventually made their way to England, sometime in the 1730s. These elegant and highly treasured plants soon were spread all over Europe with hybridists and propagators in Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Germany and the U.K. by the middle of the 19th century. More and more hybrids and cultivars were being developed with the number now well over 3,000. As their popularity grew, camellias were soon being grown in Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. Societies, like the American Camellia Society sprang up and shows were held (and still are) to exhibit various forms and compete for awards.

Options for growing camellias in Connecticut depend on what part of the state you live in. Thanks to breeding efforts of Dr. William Ackerman (retired USDA plant breeder) and Dr Clifford Parks (Univ of NC botanist) varieties of camellias hardy to zone 6 (-10 F) were developed. Depending on the variety and environmental conditions, camellias can bloom from fall to spring. Many of the most popular cold hardy, fall blooming cultivars belong to the Winter Series bred by Ackerman and include plants such as ‘Polar Ice’, Winter Charm’ and ‘Winter Rose’, the latter reaching only 2 to 3 feet high and wide making it a possibility for container culture.  

 Dr. Parks focused on cold hardy spring bloomers including the April series (C. japonica hybrids). Many grow from 5 to 10 feet tall and can be found at some local nurseries. Look for ‘April Rose’, ‘April Blush’, ‘April Remembered’ and ‘April Tryst’.   

Keep in mind that our weather has been somewhat unpredictable so those in zone 6 might want to locate plants in a semi-shaded, protected location. Camellia flowers are just exquisite, resembling roses in colors ranging from white to pink to red. Some are picoteed, some are double and some are very fragrant. The dark green foliage holds up year-round.  

The image shows a close-up of a delicate flower with soft pink petals, yellow stamens, and glossy green leaves. The background is slightly blurred.
Photo by Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home Garden Education Office

Camellias, being broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, have similar requirements to rhododendrons. They do best in an acidic, well-drained soil amended with organic matter. It is often best to group them for effect and also for some protection from the elements. Plants are slow-growing and need adequate moisture but avoid planting them in poorly drained sites. Semi to full shade is preferable as the leaves may scorch in sunny, dry areas. A fertilizer for acid-loving plants can be applied in early spring as directed on the package. Pruning is rarely needed but could be done right after flowering.  

I’ve never been fortunate to live in a warm enough location to plant camellias outdoors, but several cultivars are perfect as house plants if kept in a cool spot indoors. Two available from Logee’s in Danielson are ‘High Fragrance’ with delightfully scented light pink semi-double flowers and ‘Scentuous’ with fragrant, semi-double white blossoms. They have others blooming in their greenhouse.  

Growing camellias in containers is a splendid way to get winter color, often along with fragrance. According to Logee’s co-owner and horticulturist, Bryron Martin, plants require an acid soil with a pH around 4.8 to 5.8. They can be grown in a camellia/azalea potting mix. Martin advises that young plants can be pinched back for fuller growth although that will delay flowering a bit. Keep in mind that some cultivars can get up to 6 feet in height so either select those that mature at a smaller size or be sure you have space to accommodate them.   

Temperature is key to induce blooms. Ideally Martin recommends nighttime temperatures no higher than 59 F during the winter and preferably 30 – 40 F so an unheated room or sun porch is a great place for camellias. If nighttime temperatures are too high, the buds will drop. An east or west exposure will provide adequate light.  

Fertilize camellias in the spring when active growth begins. Use a fertilizer for acid loving plants as directed. Commercial synthetic and organic camellia fertilizers are available. Some growers use a cottonseed meal/bloodmeal homemade blend. To supply adequate magnesium to plants, Martin recommends dissolving 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts in a gallon of water and applying this mixture twice a year.  

For late fall through spring blossoms, indoors or out, camellias are attractive, evocative plants that perhaps more folks might consider cultivating. Those looking for a Valentine’s Day activity might consider the Camellia Festival at Planting Fields in Oyster Bay, NY. The Lyman estate in Waltham, MA also has a camellia greenhouse that is open to the public.   

The UConn Home Garden Education Office supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension Center at extension.uconn.edu/locations.  

This article was published in the Hartford Courant January 18, 2026

You Are the Sunshine of My Life

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By Dr. Matthew Lisy, UConn Adjunct Faculty

Small potted plants inside a clear plastic dome under bright pink LED grow lights.
The pink/purple light caused from a combination of red and blue LEDs are great for growing these Cissus discolor cuttings, but it does not help humans to see their true colors (photo by M. Lisy).

This old song seemed like the perfect title for talking about artificial lights for houseplants.  Even if there are windows in a room, the amount of light is very low.  Fortunately, there are relatively cheap LED options available.  Light is made up of the different colors, or wavelengths, of the visible spectrum – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.  A plant’s pigments capture light energy and use it to make food.  Chlorophyll production peaks in the red and blue spectrums, but accessory pigments help plants capture additional wavelengths of light.  As such, there are optimal wavelengths of light that will better support plant growth.  This is known as Photosynthetically Active Radiation, or PAR.  We measure PAR by using the Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density, or PPFD.  This measures the amount of photons of light in the correct range hitting a specific area, and is measured in micromoles per square meter per second (µmol/m2/s).  A PAR meter is an expensive way to measure how much usable light is available for your plants.   

LED specialty lamps that have a good spectral output (PAR) are easily acquired.  I would caution the buyer to read the reviews to help judge the quality.  Good lights will generally include some description of PAR and/or PPFD.  Light quickly diminishes with distance, as it essentially becomes less concentrated.  Look in the product information for how close the plant should be to the light for maximum effectiveness.  Generally, keep the plant 12-18 inches away from the light source.  If it is too close, or the light is too bright, plants can be burned, drop leaves, or become spotted.  A cheaper option is to use existing light fixtures and replace the bulbs with either full spectrum or plant grow bulbs.  The ideal plant grow bulbs look pink, as they have red and blue LEDs.  Full spectrum bulbs tend to have a better mix of wavelengths to make the light appear more natural to us, but still have good PAR.  CRI, or Color Rendering Index is a measure of a light’s ability to accurately show colors compared to natural light.  The closer to 100, the better the light’s appearance.   

We can also judge a bulb by “color temperature” reported with a Kelvin number.  For example, a 2700K bulb is commonly referred to as a warm white.  This is reminiscent of the light given off by a traditional incandescent bulb, and shows heavier output in the red end of the spectrum.  A 6000K bulb would be called a “daylight” bulb, and has a heavier output in the blue end of the spectrum.   

Many people confuse quality of light with brightness, which is measured in lumens.  Light can be very bright, but of poor quality.  Too bright, and it may burn the plants.  Also, buying a light that throws out a lot of green light does not do much, even if it has a high output (lumens).   Lastly, Watts are used as a measure of energy consumption.  While it is true that higher wattage may mean a greater output of light energy, the efficiency of LEDs means that a lot less watts are needed to put out the same number of lumens as compared to an incandescent bulb. 

So, then, this begs the question: What light is best for growing plants?  To answer, I am going to assume that the plants are going to be displayed in the living area and viewed by people regularly.  In this case, I would try and find a 5000K bulb with a CRI close 97 or 98, and a PPFD rating that matched the requirement of my plants for the given distance from the light fixture. 

The following is a quick list of what is useful and what is not useful as a metric for plant growth:

PAR - Photosynthetically Active Radiation. It is the ideal measurement for plant growth.

PPFD - Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density. It is a useful metric to judge output at a particular distance from the fixture.

Kelvin - Kelvin refers to “color temperature” – lower number more red (ex. 2700), higher number more blue (ex 6500). It is not detailed enough as a metric for plant growth.

CRI - Color Rendering Index. It is useful for how true-to-life the plants will look.

Lumens - A unit to measure brightness. It is not particularly useful as a metric for plant growth.

Watts - How much energy is used to run the bulb/fixture. It’s not useful as a metric for plant growth, but lower wattage costs less to run equipment.

Warm vs Cool - Warm indicates the red end of the spectrum while cool indicates the blue end of the spectrum.  See Kelvin. It is not detailed enough as a metric for plant growth.

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at extension.uconn.edu/locations.

This article was published in the Hartford Courant November 1, 2025

Fall Gardening and Preparing for Winter on CRIS Radio

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CRIS Radio: Focal Point 10/13/2025

Heather Zidack from the UConn Home & Garden Education Center talks to host, Stephen Thal, about the summer weather patterns, and how they have impacted our fall garden chores!

Transcript

00:00:01 Stephen Thal 

Hi, welcome to another segment on Focal Point. This is Stephen Thal, your host. And boy, we got another exciting program for our listeners. Today we're going to be talking about plants and gardens and how to take care of them, especially with the challenging weather- humid, hot. Oh, the plants must be having a tough time and garden things. What's happening? 

00:00:27 Stephen Thal 

Well, here to help us work this all out is Heather Zidack, and she's from the UConn Plant and Garden Education Center. Welcome, Heather. 

00:00:40 Heather Zidack 

Hi, Stephen. Thanks for having me. 

00:00:42 Stephen Thal 

Oh, it's always a pleasure. So what did the weather do to the plants this year? 

00:00:49 Heather Zidack 

So, this year was a wild year for our plants. It was a wild year for us too. Some of the weather that we noticed was quite crazy. But in particular, we had a very hot, very humid summer that led us to see a lot of fungal diseases. We got a lot of phone calls, a lot of emails, a lot of samples into our diagnostic lab that had a lot of diseases in the garden. So that was something that we saw. We actually have also been getting reports right now. People are asking us why are their lilacs blooming? And it's because of the stress that we've had this season. 

00:01:28 Heather Zidack 

So with that heat, that humidity, we've also had some really dry stretches that have kept us kind of right on the border of a drought. We're not quite there yet, but we are in abnormally dry conditions. So when plants are stressed, sometimes they do some really strange things and so people have been seeing their lilacs blooming in the fall when that's normally a spring blooming plant. It's not something that's normal, but it's definitely it's an environmental thing and it's not going to be like detrimental to the lilacs if you are seeing that. So it's it's worth noting, but it's not necessarily need for alarm. 

00:02:06 Heather Zidack 

We had earlier in the summer, we had the wildfires and smoke from that may have affected some of your plants. Because believe it or not, the air quality can affect your plants in the garden. And so that could have led to some ozone damage, which we see is like curling in the leaves. It can look like distortion in the leaves. So some weird things with that. 

00:02:29 Heather Zidack 

And then the other thing is that we saw temperatures whenever we went over 85 degrees, usually our common vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, things like that will actually kind of put a pause on. And so, they will not ripen or they may not fruit as heavily. So, we got some calls in saying, “Hey, why have my tomatoes been green for so long?” And it was probably because of the weather. 

00:02:56 Heather Zidack 

So a lot of things happening, the swings in moisture, so we'd have some really warm days, some really dry weather, and then we'd get kind of a deluge of rain. That kind of also stressed the plants out as well. 

00:03:12 Heather Zidack 

So we are advising right now to water your plants, especially your evergreens going into the fall. If we're not seeing an inch of rain forecasted, you want to make sure you're out there watering during any of your new plantings, any of your evergreens, anything like that. 

00:03:31 Heather Zidack 

The drought that we had last fall, so fall of 2024, actually caused a lot of losses in the garden for evergreens, rhododendrons, things like that in 2025 when we were coming into the spring and plants were starting to wake up. So, watering now is going to save you a headache in the spring for sure and if you've had anything like if you have had experience with like fungal disease in your garden this year we're recommending cut all of that tissue back let those leaves drop rake them up and dispose of them don't come compost it because you don't want to put it back into your garden so a lot of different weather patterns have caused the gardeners to have a little extra work this fall I think. 

00:04:14 Stephen Thal 

Okay so where do we go from here with the weather are we going to be bringing some plants into the house? And and we'll also be checking on the plants that have been in the house that may need some help for the fall. 

00:04:32 Heather Zidack 

Yeah, so it's definitely that time of year we recommend bringing in your plants when nighttime temperatures are 50 degrees or lower. And so, we've kind of been doing okay with that weather-wise but we are starting to get into that time where it's consistent and we're seeing that below 50 degrees. 

So, a lot of things if you keep, you know, palms outside or if you keep any citrus trees or anything outside, they need to be in if they're not already. So, some species can be a little more sensitive, so they may have needed to come in already, like even before that 50 degree mark, but that's our rule of thumb. 

00:05:13 Heather Zidack 

When you start to bring them inside, definitely look them over really well, feel them over really well, make sure that the leaves are smooth, everything is healthy, you're not feeling any kind of like insects or any sticky leaves or anything like that. If you are, it is time to kind of have a little bit of a closer look, have checked out for bugs, make sure that you're not bringing anything into your house that you don't want staying there for the winter with your plants. You know, check the undersides of the leaves, check through the soil a little bit, and identify and treat any of those issues before they come into the house. 

00:05:51 Heather Zidack 

So, we do help homeowners if you have pictures, you can send us pictures and we can take a look to see if any of those plant related insects are anything that you need to do anything about before it comes inside. 

00:06:07 Heather Zidack 

You want to give your plants a chance to transition from inside to outside. So if 50 degree nights is what they're-the goal is and we've been letting the weather come down to that 50 degrees and then you're bringing it into your 68 degree house, that's an 18 degree temperature difference. So they may show signs of stress. 

00:06:29 Heather Zidack 

They may kind of not be used to the amount of moisture in the air in your home as compared to what was outside, especially as it starts to get a little colder and we start kicking on the furnace and the air is drier inside the home. 

00:06:43 Heather Zidack 

So keep an eye on your plants, monitor them. Those stress responses may happen, but don't-go ahead and-don't overreact to it. So if you see them drying out, if you see them wilting a little bit, don't change your practices too much. Continue to water as you've always watered. Continue to take all the care that you always have to make sure that they're not drying out, but you're not over watering either. 

00:07:12 Heather Zidack 

We see a lot of people that will over love their plants and over water them. So you end up kind of seeing things come inside, the wilt, we’ll panic and then we'll put a ton of water on it, which then sends it to swing the other way into that over watering and root rot and things like that. 

00:07:30 Heather Zidack 

So just keep doing what you're doing, but keep an eye on what's happening to make sure that you can respond if there is an issue. 

00:07:39 Stephen Thal 

Okay. And that also goes for the local gardeners too. They probably experience a lot of people requesting help during the summer and now how to make best use of their garden. 

00:07:54 Heather Zidack 

Yeah, yeah. And we're going to start seeing now with, you know, again, weather related, we're going to start seeing frosts. Some parts of the state may have seen them already. 

If you have anything like mums or pumpkins outside, those are things that you may want to protect from those frosts. 

What happens is that when the dew falls at night and it crystallizes into frost on your plant material, it can actually damage the tissue and that causes your pumpkins to rot faster. It causes a lot of tender flower petals to not look so good. 

00:08:31 Heather Zidack 

So, what we recommend is to either bring them inside if you just have one mum on the front step, that's easy to bring in and just leave in the kitchen overnight. 

00:08:40 Heather Zidack 

But if you have a larger grouping of plants or if you have some, you know, some cole crop vegetables or something like that that you may want to protect, you can use something as simple as a bed sheet or a towel even. 

Never use a plastic tarp or anything to cover plants because that will just exacerbate the cold against the plant tissue, but definitely do find a way to cover them if frost is coming or bring them inside. 

00:09:12 Stephen Thal 

What kind of covers can you use? 

00:09:14 Heather Zidack 

So, anything that is fabric based is going to work really well. They do sell specific like frost covers, but you don't have to go that far. 

If you have an old sheet, if you have towels, a pillowcase even, kind of depends on your plant size, but a lot of those just to keep that frost from falling onto and making contact with the plant tissue. 

00:09:37 Stephen Thal 

Okay so now we got to get in and roll up our sleeves and begin the work to preparing the plants as Heather has been saying earlier because of the weather and now she's trying to talk a little bit more specifically about plants that come in the house to make sure they don't have some sort of a disease, which will impact the plants that are in the house as well. 

Now, is this the time too, because of the changing of the sunsets and amount of light coming in, you have to move your plants inside the house to different positions in the house. 

00:10:21 Heather Zidack 

So not necessarily different positions. Plants that we have indoors go through yearly cycles just like the ones outdoors. And so some of them may be able to tolerate that change in light as they adjust because it happens slowly. Always check your plant label to make sure if it needs like a full sun or indirect sun. 

You know, we've talked about before those differences are kind of like if you think about a cat in the living room, right? So, if it needs bright indirect light, maybe the cat is somewhere that the light is not shining through the window but it's right next door versus if it needs bright direct light, the cat is sitting right in the window and if it needs shade, it's over by the couch and you don't see it necessarily. 

So, if you always kind of think about in that way, you can remember where your plants need to be in terms of their labeling, which is important to follow. 

00:11:14 Heather Zidack 

But they do adapt a little bit over time when they're indoors, which is why we need to help them adapt when they go outside. 

So if you keep them in a place that is draft free, bright enough for whatever their requirement is, and away from any of the heat sources, so away from any radiators, vents, anything like that that can dry them out, keep them away from like being too close to wood stoves obviously, and that will help them to not be too dry so they don't lose water as quickly. But the other thing too is that like I said, they go through those yearly cycles, so they will go dormant just like the outdoor plants. 

00:11:58 Heather Zidack 

Cooler temperatures, changes in light, changes in water can trigger dormancy, but it is species dependent and so with our houseplants because we keep them in a steady environment as possible, some years they'll go into dormancy, some years they won't. 

And so it's just kind of knowing what plant you have and whether to expect that or not. That can be really helpful. The other quick tip with houseplants that I like to remind everybody is that we allow the soil to dry in between waterings. 

00:12:32 Heather Zidack 

So don't keep your soil wet when your plants are indoors. Let it dry out as much as you can in between to help prevent fungus gnats. Those are those little black flies that seem to get everywhere. 

Again, follow what your plant needs for watering, but if you can stretch it and let it dry out a little bit, you're going to help reduce that issue. 

00:12:54 Stephen Thal 

Oh, that's great. Is this also a time to take a look at repotting any of the soils or any of the plants that we're bringing in or the house plants that have already been there. 

00:13:07 Heather Zidack 

You certainly can. 

00:13:09 Heather Zidack 

People like to repot either in the fall or in the spring. Usually when you repot in the fall, it can be good if you've had them outside and you're worried about any critters that may come in with them in the soil. It's a good time to do it. 

You can do it in the spring if they've put on a lot of growth over the winter while they've been indoors.  

So it all matters on checking the plant in the pot to see if there's any presence of any kind of insect or anything. 

00:13:40 Heather Zidack 

You're definitely going to want to change out your soil. But also if the plant is, those roots are a little too tight in the pot, it starts to get root-bound, that's more your sign of whether to do it or not. It doesn't have to be on a time frame per se. 

00:13:56 Stephen Thal 

Okay, this is Stephen Thal with another segment on Focal Point, and we're interviewing Heather Zidack from the University of Connecticut Plant and Garden Center up in Storrs, Connecticut. 

00:14:08 Stephen Thal 

And she'll give us some phone numbers that we can call regarding if you need some help with your plants or the garden that you've been doing. 

Heather, you got some phone numbers we can use? 

00:14:24 Heather Zidack 

Absolutely. 

So, if you have questions about anything in the garden, anything plant related, your house plants, anything that you have that you you keep for plant material, we can help at the Home Garden Education Center. 

That number is 877-486-6271. Again, that's 877-486-6271 or you can always e-mail us at ladybug@uconn.edu. Again, that's ladybug@uconn.edu. 

00:15:03 Heather Zidack 

We look at pictures to help with diagnosis, so sometimes a picture says a thousand words. Also, I can give you the phone number too. It's a great time of year to be doing soil testing. 

So, the Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab, their number is 860-486-4274. Again, that's 860-486-4274. 

00:15:26 Heather Zidack 

So, between the services in the Home Garden Education Center, we work with our plant diagnostic lab and then the soil lab. We have pretty much everything that the home gardener or plant enthusiast needs to make sure that they're keeping their plants healthy. 

00:15:45 Stephen Thal 

That's good. 

00:15:45 Stephen Thal 

What about fertilizers? 

When does that come into play? 

00:15:50 Heather Zidack 

Yeah, that's a good question. So at this point, we should not be fertilizing anything. There are some exceptions for like lawn care and things like that, but my colleague is much more versed in that. 

00:16:05 Heather Zidack 

In general, it is too cold to fertilize anything right now because what's going to happen is if you were to put down any plant food,you would be pushing growth and any growth that's new on plants is very tender and very small and very susceptible to damage. 

So, it'll push out new growth and then it would freeze and cause damage and not do so well for your plant. So, we don't recommend fertilizing at this point in the year. 

The next time that you would be able to or you should would be for the springtime, once the soil temperatures start to climb up again and it starts to warm up. 

00:16:46 Heather Zidack 

If you have houseplants, you can fertilize. 

00:16:50 Heather Zidack 

However, some of them only need it once a year. It really depends on the species of houseplant you have. 

And so again, like I talked about over loving our plants with watering, sometimes we can over love our plants with fertilizer and, you know, overfeed them. And so sometimes we don't want to do that. So it's something to be aware of. 

Usually, as long as the plant is in active growth, you're able to fertilize. And so since we're kind of in that time of year where things are winding down and going to bed for the season, we just don't do it. But it all depends on what you're growing and what you have to keep an eye on. 

00:17:30 Stephen Thal 

Okay, what are some of the other things that we need to take care of in the fall? 

We did mention, we talked a little bit about fertilizer. 

We talked about bringing plants into the house. Making sure they're not bringing some critters in. 

00:17:43 Stephen Thal 

What about the compost pile? Is that something that we do all year round or just certain times of the year? 

00:17:50 Heather Zidack 

Yeah, composting is year round. So you want to make sure that you're continuously turning your compost pile. There's a couple different kinds. 

So there's hot composting where you keep your compost pile at 140 degrees by turning it throughout the year. 

There's also cold composting, which is what I'm a little better at, where you kind of throw it together, turn it when you can, but it takes longer and it may not necessarily take out all of the pathogens and weed seeds in the same way that hot composting will. So you have to be really careful with your compost at that point. 

00:18:25 Heather Zidack 

Which is a good thing to keep in mind because right now, we advise people who are doing their garden cleanup for the season. 

There's a lot of controversy between that going for do I clean up in the fall or do I clean up in the spring? And so, what I tell people with that is to maintain what I call goal-oriented gardening. So, if your garden is all about pollinators and wildlife support and native plants and all of that. Definitely clean up in the spring. Don't cut back your perennials right now. You can leave your leaves a little bit. That leaves habitat options like hollow stems, leaf litter, and all of that for overwintering insects. And it leaves seed heads for birds to feed on as well as for winter interest. 

00:19:16 Heather Zidack 

However, if you have had a lot of disease this year and we talked about like with all the weather conditions, we saw fungal disease, people had, you know, if you had insects in your garden this year or things like that that you needed to manage, then one of the best things that you can do is clean up your garden in the fall. 

00:19:37 Heather Zidack 

And it goes against that instinct to leave the leaves and leave that pollinator habitat, however, it does help us to reduce our need for chemicals and other products in the spring and the following season because you're taking out anything that's potentially infected and just disposing of it right now instead of letting it overwinter and come back in the next season. So, if you've had disease in the garden and your goal is to have to try to not have that happen again next year. 

You want to clean up all your leaf litter, you want to pull up all your sick plants, dispose of everything in the garbage, don't compost it. You know that you are removing some of those habitat opportunities for the pollinators, but you're keeping your plants healthy for them to come back to and find next season. So it's kind of a toss up between the two. 

00:20:31 Heather Zidack 

And so I always encourage gardeners to really look at their own personal goals in their garden and see what they're willing to work with. If they really want that pollinator habitat to clean up in the spring, go for it. If they want to manage the disease, then fall may be the better time. And the other thing to keep in mind that I encourage people is to think about their own time. 

00:20:56 Heather Zidack 

So your time is valuable when it comes to garden cleanup. And make sure you're doing what you have time for when you have the time. So I've explained this and I've talked to other gardeners about this and I am a big football fan and so on Sundays, I am watching football instead of being out in my garden, believe it or not.  

And so sometimes for me, cleaning in the spring allows me to have that extra hobby and so it's kind of looking at my time and my priorities and really making sure that my garden is fitting that. 

00:21:31 Heather Zidack 

Because at the end of the day, we all do gardening as something we enjoy, and we want to make sure that we continue to get out there to enjoy it. 

00:21:40 Stephen Thal 

Okay, are there any other major things that we need to cover at this point, Heather? 

00:21:46 Heather Zidack 

One of the things that I definitely encourage people, like right now, if you're out in the garden, make sure that you're digging up any of your bulbs. It's the bulb time of year. 

So when I say dig up bulbs, I mean all of your elephant ears, your canna lilies, your gladiolus, any of those annual bulbs should be dug up, put into paper bags for storage. If you're growing them in containers, you can just cut them back and put the container in the garage or the basement to make sure that it will stay cool, but it won't freeze. 

On the other side of that, you want to start planting your spring blooming bulbs right now, you want to plant your garlic in late October, early November, you want to remove your vegetable plants that have those signs of disease, and don't compost again like I had mentioned. 

00:22:39 Heather Zidack 

The other thing that you want to do is you want to try to cover your soil in any of your garden beds. So a lot of the perennial garden beds that you have and a lot of your foundation plantings and things like that may already have mulch around them, so it might not be as important. 

But for your vegetable gardens and things that you're turning over every year, it's important to make sure that that soil is covered for the winter. Some gardeners were able to put in some cover crops by now and have something to hold the soil, like plant material-wise, that they'll be able to turn in. However, at this point in the season, we recommend just using something like straw, leaf mulch. You can chop up your leaves and put them out onto the garden as long as they were disease free. 

00:23:29 Heather Zidack 

And what that does is when you break up your leaves and you chop them up first, it allows them to break down faster so that there's less cleanup for you in the spring instead of having like if you've ever seen outside the dense thick leaf patches that we tend to have in the spring where leaves have collected. You want to make sure that they're chopped up, they're fine and that they're able to be turned into the soil at the end of the season. 

When you do, if you do have anything that you're turning in, so if you're going to do the leaves this fall and turn things in in the spring, it needs to be about three weeks before you're planting in the springtime. So, keep that in mind. 

00:24:11 Heather Zidack 

Make sure that you are cutting back any of your perennials, if fall cleanup is your goal, this is the time to do it. You want to cut back and leave one third of the perennials above the ground. 

So, say you have a six inch perennial, you want to cut it back to a two inch stub and that's where you'll leave it for the fall if you decide to clean up now. 

00:24:35 Heather Zidack 

If conditions continue to stay dry like they have been, keep watering all of your trees, your shrubs, your perennials, especially your new plantings until the ground freezes. So we've still got a little bit of time that we should be watering with supplemental water. 

We recommend one inch of water a week, which actually ends up being about, I think it's like 0.62 gallons per square foot. So that can help you kind of figure out how much water you need in a week for your plants. 

00:25:07 Heather Zidack 

And you want to wait till all your shrubs are dormant so their leaves have dropped before pruning in the fall. Do not prune any of your spring blooming shrubs. 

So, you don't want to prune your hydrangeas. You don't want to prune your forsythia, your lilacs, anything like that because things likely already set their buds for next year already. So, if you prune them now, you could lose your flowers. 

00:25:34 Heather Zidack 

The other thing that we recommend is, like I said, you don't want to fertilize anymore at this point. You know, consider getting your soil tested now so that you can have those results in the spring and be able to hit the ground running. 

00:25:48 Heather Zidack 

And again, like I said, our office is open year-round to help support with any of these home garden houseplant questions that you may have. 

00:25:59 Stephen Thal 

And also you have a number of local gardeners, don't you, or grangers? 

00:26:05 Heather Zidack 

We do. We have county offices that will help with garden questions as well through our master gardener colleagues will help with identification and things like that. If it's disease questions, definitely send it to the Home Garden Education Center. 

00:26:23 Heather Zidack 

But the master gardeners at the county offices are also very well equipped to help with cultural questions, how to take care of plants, how to identify them, and some of these fall and spring cleanup tips as well. 

00:26:36 Stephen Thal 

Do you have many fruit plants that need to be taken care of, or are they all pretty much gone? 

00:26:43 Heather Zidack 

They're pretty well done the only one to keep in mind is your fall blooming raspberries or your fall fruiting raspberries those you want to prune after fruiting is complete otherwise you're going to be all set um mostly in the winter when things are totally dormant so we're looking at like March would be the time to start pruning your fruit trees. 

00:27:04 Stephen Thal 

Oh okay one other thing I forgot to ask you you also have to take clean your tools that you use the garden with. 

00:27:12 Heather Zidack 

Absolutely. That's a great winter chore. Clean your tools, especially if you're between pruning diseased plants. 

The other thing is in the winter, it's great to not only clean your tools, but if you need to sharpen your tools or it's a good time also to make sure that you repaint all the handles so you can find them again when you have them in the garden. 

00:27:34 Stephen Thal 

Hey, Heather's going to give us the phone number one more time in case you missed it the first time. 

00:27:40 Heather Zidack 

Yes. So if you have any plant or garden questions, you can always call our office at 877-486-6271. Again, that's 877-486-6271. 

00:27:55 Stephen Thal 

That'll be great. 

Well, thank you again for coming again to help our gardeners or people that have interested in starting gardens or plants or whatever. Great information. 

Give my best to your whole team and I know when it comes around Christmas there's a lot of plants there that have to be protected once the season goes by. 

00:28:20 Heather Zidack 

Yes, yeah there's a lot of holiday plants that we could certainly talk about. 

00:28:26 Stephen Thal 

Okay well thank you again and wishing you and the whole team at UConn Plant and Garden Center continued success. 

00:28:33 Heather Zidack 

Thank you so much. 

00:28:35 Stephen Thal 

Stephen Thal with another segment on Focal Point. 

I want to thank all of you for listening. 

And a couple of things we want to remind you of is first, make sure that you wear a hat and dark glasses to protect your eyes against the sun all year around, particularly during the winter, particularly if we get snow, be a lot of glare. 

00:28:59 Stephen Thal 

The other item I wanted to mention is to make sure that you have an emergency plan and practice it. If you need any help with it, call your local fire department or police department and they can direct you to the proper resources to help you build one of these plans because someday that life may be somebody in your family that you save. 

00:29:23 Stephen Thal 

And also when you travel, make sure you know what the emergency rules are so that should you get into a situation, you know what to do. 

00:29:33 Stephen Thal 

So once again, thank you all for listening. 

Stay safe and stay healthy. 

 

Plants Enjoy Summer Too!

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By Dr. Matthew Lisy, UConn Adjunct Faculty 

A monstera adansonii with yellowing, curling and damaged leaves
This Monstera adansonii, that was sunburned. The damage can take weeks to fully appear, first starting as faint yellowing, then brown dead tissue (photo by M. Lisy).

A summer vacation can be beneficial for our houseplants provided that we pay attention to some abiotic (nonliving) factors.  Plants need time to adapt to new growing conditions or they can have deadly consequences.  Try and make the change as gradual as possible.  I usually wait until the end of May, where temperatures are consistently in the 70s for the highs, and no lower than 50s for the lows.   

Our plants cannot go from dim, indoor lighting to super bright full sun outside.  Any leaves subject to this will burn and die.  The best way to acclimate plants to life outdoors is to place them in the shade of a large tree for about a week, and then gradually expose them to some direct sunlight.  At first, start with only an hour or two of sun, and then add a bit more the following week until you transition them to full sun.  This is assuming that the plants in question are ones that need full sun.  Cacti and succulents can generally be transitioned to full sun (one notable exception are the forest cacti).   

Most of our houseplants are actually forest-floor species or epiphytes (these grow and live on the trunks of other trees).  Either way, those two groups of plants grow in the understory shade of a larger tree in nature, and do well there over the summer.  Some plants I saw recently for sale were called neon philodendron.  These have light green leaves (similar color to neon pothos).  The light was so intense that it bleached the leaves to a pale-yellow color, and some were turning brown.  The plants looked miserable, and the grower said she was going to move them to a shadier location.   

 I am not sure why we cannot have normal weather, but it seems we have had either too dry or too wet the last five years.  When it rains consistently, it keeps our plants in a constantly moist state, which leads to root rot.  I lost a few really nice philodendrons due to them being too moist in last summer’s constant rain.  The ideal setting would have the plants exposed to good light while under cover.  This way, the gardener can water them appropriately based on the needs of each plant.  If this is not an option, repotting and adding some extra perlite to the mix will help the pot shed the excess water.  Be sure to remove the saucer from the pots and hanging baskets while the plants are outside.  These will hold excess water and keep the plants in a constantly moist state and favor fungal infections.   

 A pot or hanging basket may only have about a gallon or two of soil at best, and will dry out quickly in the heat.  Depending on your soil type, it may be almost impossible to water enough.  Try to avoid full sun in the hottest part of the day between noon and 2:00 p.m.   

 In an exposed location, wind can rapidly desiccate, windburn, or break plants. A good friend of mine with a large houseplant collection in the Midwest had almost everything he owned blown over and damaged when a tornado swept through his town last summer.  Although he did not experience a direct hit, the winds were so bad it ruined many of his mature plants.  I told him to look at it like an unintentional propagation event.  When vining plants are grown in hanging baskets, they sometimes start to cling to the branches around them and rip in the wind.   

Hopefully this article will help plants enjoy their summer vacation.  It is a great time for plants to grow and be propagated.  Be careful of the extremes of summer, and give the plants a gentle exposure to the outdoors. 

 The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations. 

This article was published in the Hartford Courant and The Westerly Sun June 21, 2025