It’s time for my houseplants to come home from summer camp. Like most campers, they are happy to be home, but arrive needing a shower and perhaps a change of clothing. Here’s my routine:

1. I clip off any browned leaves before the plant comes in. While cleaning them off I watch for freeloaders such as slugs, insects and random tree frogs, whisking them away as I see them. If the plant is due for a new pot, I do that outside, water it well, then bring it inside.
2. If the plant has had insects in the past, I will spray it with Neem Max, being sure to coat the tops and undersides of the leaves, stems and sometimes drench the soil.
3. At the same time that the plants come in, I will put a yellow sticky card in the area to trap fungus gnats and other insect hitchhikers.
   

   Yellow Sticky cards trap fungus gnats and other small, flying insects. You can use a wire photo-display to hold them.

One way to fit more plants in a window is to use a plant stand that allows you to place one above another. The stand needs to be as open as possible, so that it doesn’t block the light. The ones I use in my kitchen are extremely sturdy and can be found here. 

This works well for putting smaller plants underneath the stand, and being sure that the plant up on top doesn’t drape so far down that it shades the one on the ground floor. 

The orchid on the top of the stand in no way blocks the light for the Hoya down below. I try and arrange my houseplants first for function, making sure that every plant is getting the amount of light that it needs, and next for a pleasing arrangement. Just like planting a garden, the aim is to display plants with different colors and textures of foliage together, with some color-echoing as well. In this kitchen window the flowers on the crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii) echo the pink tones in the begonia. 

I use a metal boot tray under my plants, along with plastic saucers. It’s important to have a large enough saucer under the plant to be able to water it well, and the boot tray provides an added layer of protection should the water overflow. If you don’t have a large enough saucer, you’re likely to just give your plants “a lick and a promise” instead of enough water to saturate the root ball. 

I love when the plants all come home from camp and once again my kitchen, living room and other areas become filled with indoor greenery.