Indoor plants get their lightly mostly from a sideways direction, whereas outdoor plants catch most of their rays from above. No wonder many houseplants tend to lean sideways — they’re leaning toward the light. A plant that continually leans in one direction eventually winds up flat on its side with its potting mix spread across your carpet. Not a good thing!
One solution to the leaning-plant problem is to install a skylight in your ceiling. Plants that receive light from above are naturally more symmetrical than plants that receive their light from conventional windows. But a skylight will cost you an arm and a leg! And isn’t even possible if you live in a apartment or a condo.
A cheaper solution is to simply give your plants a quarter turn, always in the same direction, every time you water them. This technique is simple, cheap and effective – and the plant grows evenly in all directions just as effectively as if you had punched a $2,000 hole in the roof!
For attractive indoor plants, therefore, make giving a quarter turn a habit!
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I left all my houseplants bunched up next to one window while we are gone. (I had to pull drapes against the cold.) I’m guessing I’ll probably be tossing most of them when I return.
Just pushing them up against each other will at least increase the humidity and decrease their watering needs. Enjoy your travels!