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The Growing Temperature For Plant

What is the best temperature for growing house plants? Here again, consider each plant's preference, and also the relation of other cultural factors, like humidity. Some plants prefer to grow cooler than average house temperatures, some need more warmth. Optimum figures vary widely.

Except for vines specifically noted as requiring lower or higher temperatures, you can expect most varieties recommended for growing indoors to be content with the average 65-75 degrees in the home, with a drop of about 10 degrees at night. But since warm air is drying, humidity needs to be stepped up for some varieties, and more frequent watering may be necessary.

When you measure temperature, take the reading in the growing area, not in a cooler window, or over a radiator, or in a far corner of the room.

Plants will usually show you when the temperature is not to their liking. If it is too cool, they will not grow at their usual speed and will refuse to flower. If it is too warm, growth will be sickly and often elongated, particularly if warmth is combined with lack of light. "Bud blast," in which plants drop their flower buds before they open, frequently results from too much warmth and dry air.

Humidity

Except in arid areas, the air in most of the outdoor locations where plants like peace lily outdoors grow naturally contains more moisture than inside a heated home in winter. This is humidity, correctly called "relative humidity" because it is a percentage comparison of the amount of moisture in the air with the total amount of moisture the air can possibly hold at a given temperature.

Plants indicate need for higher humidity by crisping and drying leaf edges and flower buds, and by failing to grow and bloom. When humidity is too high - and particularly when high humidity combines with cool air, moist soil, and lack of light - leaves go soggy, stems feel limp and watery, rot and mildew may result. Adequate circulation of fresh air is a better preventive than cure.