What can I do to give my plants back that beautiful shine and healthy
by
Linda Jacobs
+23
Now that the weather is colder my house plants are looking dull and has less life to them. What do I do to give that beautiful shine and healthy look?
What about a grow light? Usually home improvement stores have a garden center and you might find one there. Otherwise, search the web.
It might be where they are located , I have had the same issue , sometimes, plants don t do well , where you place them , just because they have the right light, doesn't mean they will do well . Some plants don't like the cold , so next to a window , might be too cold for them. Try placing them in different areas of the house , you might be surprised ! I had a plant, that I had in my kitchen for years...It did ok there , was a slow grower, but healthy . I did some re re arranging in my kitchen and moved the plant into the living room , where it seemed to have the same amount of light. wow ... What a surprise... My plant took off in size it is about 3x as large in a matter of months !!!!
Yes, I agree with Shirl. A grow light is just what they need for a few hours a day.
Put them all in the shower to rinse their leaves well. Then next time you water them give them a dilute of Peters plant food. Do this like every 3 months and be sure they get enough light, even if you have to "Break up the family" and put some in different rooms.
During the winter, houses are drier due to heat. Make sure they get more water. Keep the leaves clean by dusting and if all else fails, you can make them shine with a milk/water bath. Dilute milk with water and gently clean the leaves with it.
There is a commercial product available OTC called Plant Shine or something similar. It is a spray so I’d advise using it outdoors. The floral industry uses it to keep their plants bright and shiny.
Cotton ball (or round) dipped in milk! Wipe down leaves....they'll be shiny and clean!
You can also use a little mayonnaise on a piece of cloth to wipe down the leaves
If specific "grow lights" are too expensive try changing your room's light bulbs to a daylight bulb (they're not too expensive and does the same thing without paying for the branding!) They come in various formats, I like the LED but can come in incandescent, and mini fluorescent too.
You can try cleaning the leaves of giving them a slight bath in the shower instead of your normal watering. Just remember to dry up the leaves as some plants don't like wet leaves.
What if you raise the plants up higher to gain more window light? If nearer the window is too cold, consider insulating it further with plastic film or foil for the winter. Also, placing a mirror on top of the furniture will reflect light back up under the leaves. Take them outside when you can, so they can get some fresh air and sunshine. There's a chance that some of the plant have used up the nutrients in their soil and need a booster.
I remember when I was a little girl (back in the 60's) my mom polishing the leaves with butter and a soft cloth.
My grandmother used to wash/wipe her plant leaves with a soft rag and milk.
Hi I have used milk on paper towel to clean mine. .you will be surprised at the dust they collect. .I bought Miracle Gro leaf shine at home depot. does a good job. .I also like Miracle Gro plant food .you have some nice plants. . Good luck. .
Mild soap and warm water, don't ever use oil to make the leaves shiny. This will smother the leaves and kill them.
As another answer was given, a sure way yo give the leaves on your plants an immediate , beautiful , lasting shine is mayonnaise. Just put a little on a paper towel and apply it on the leaves. There is no mayo smell. Make sure there’s no dust on the plants if so, put them in your sink and use the sprayer to clean them. Let them dry and then use the mayonnaise. People are always complementing how beautiful my plants are.
in reply to Niki K’s reply (above) regarding dusting, every so often, when I water my plants, I take them to the kitchen sink, spray them with the faucet spray and water them. This is a fast and efficient way to dust and water them at the same time.
I put mine in the shower/tub and rinse them off.Best not to put anything on leaves they need to be able to breathe. Some Miracle grow water soluble to give the plants & soil nutrients.