Spruce up your indoor plants
Satish Narula

The winter fury is waning and it is time for the gardener to be active again. No doubt the day temperature is rising, but beware, the late winter frost sometimes comes unannounced and the damage it can inflict is irreparable. However, you can start some of the following operations.

The potted plants that were confined indoors to protect them from winter damage are due to be taken out as even the shade-loving foliage plants cannot be kept inside for long. If you feel they need immediate shifting, move them out in stages. Put them under the shade of the verandah first for two to three days and then near the south-facing wall to let them enjoy the warmth of the early morning sun. You can also shift them under the dense foliage of a tree. But keep an eye. Any abrupt change in the weather and you must rush them in.

With the rise in temperature various insects make an appearance. In case of indoor plants even a single damaged leaf can completely mar a plant as in most of the indoor plants even the basal foliage lasts for many years. It is important to identify their presence, which is revealed by the kind of damage they inflict upon various plant parts. Whereas the insects like caterpillars and other leaf cutters are easily visible and identified, the presence of jassids, aphids, etc, could be judged by upward or downward curling of leaves. To find such insects you will have to probe the underside of the leaves where you will find them clinging. A keen gardener will also identify the presence of the some of these insects by looking at the base of the plant or the soil surface in a pot where the excreta of the insect falls. In case you find some white or off-white woolly mass, it means your plant has been attacked by scales. In case you find a silky web on the underside of the leaves, then it is mites. So, once you have identified the insects be ready to get rid of them.

To spray and kill these small devils it is important to be specific in identification and use of a chemical. It is also important to be particular about the concentration of the chemical used. Sevin or hexavin(carbaryl) at 2.5 gm in a litre of water is quite effective to control caterpillars. The sucking insects like jassids and aphids, etc, could be controlled by the use of systemic insecticides like rogor or metasystox that go into the system of the plant.

It is, however, difficult to control scales. They have a protective covering on their body and could escape the chemical onslaught to some extent. The easiest way to get rid of them is to touch them with alcohol or spirit swab. This work needs a lot of patience, but the control is complete.

Some of the plants that have not coped with the continuous confinement indoors and have lost most of their foliage need careful handling. The new growth will start within no time now. In case of indoor plants, I have found syringing (washing with a jet of water) to be the best tonic. It helps not only in washing the foliage but also rids the plants of most of the insects. This treatment also reduces your cost on chemicals and is environment-friendly.

The only way to simplify life is to get organised. Take spring cleaning, for example. Most of us hate it, yet it is certainly something that needs to be done. It is probably the first thing you are willing to put on the back burner when something else comes up!

Yet who doesn't love the peace of mind that comes with a clean home? It's great to know that there are no dust bunnies mating under the couch or cobwebs forming in the closet. You can have a clean home -- a "ready for guests" clean home— with just a minimal time investment of about 15-20 minutes, five days a week.

A cleaning calendar is the answer! Sit down and list the rooms in your home. For example: kitchen, baths, living room, dining room, bedrooms, den, etc. Assign each room a day of the week: let's say Monday — kitchen, Tuesday— baths, Wednesday— bedrooms, etc.

Taking the kitchen as an example, list the jobs that need to be completed there: wipe down stove top, refrigerator top, range hood, and countertops. Scrub back splash and sink. Disinfect/deodorise garbage pail. Clean cabinet fronts. Wash floor, interior windows, and walls. Now go!

But seriously, the idea here is to never let the house get ahead of you. You should never have to scrub month-old tomato sauce from the back splash. Most likely you will have to start with a thorough scrubbing down. Clean the kitchen until it sparkles. Then every Monday take 15-20 minutes to complete the jobs I've listed above. An all-purpose cleaner (one with a grease cutter for the kitchen) and a good sponge should take care of the weekly build-up.

Does it sound far-fetched? It works! It really does. Sure, the occasional big job comes up — the oven needs to be cleaned, the cabinet interiors need washing, but this happens maybe four times a year.

Sure, there may be toys cluttering the floor or papers scattered across the dining room table, but underneath, the house is clean. With 10 minutes warning, you can hide the clutter before the doorbell rings, but you cannot dust the whole house in ten minutes.

Have a clean house in 15 minutes !

If spring is here, can spring cleaning be far behind. So, get out your vaccuum cleaners and dusters and bust the dust and clear away the clutter before it gets the better of you.

A crash programme can get your house spic and span bang in 15 minutes or so if you get organised and take well-planned measures. Here's How:

Place a large empty box and a trash can in the centre of the room.

First, remove any dishes and glasses from the room and put them into the kitchen sink or dishwasher.

Next, collect all trash (newspapers, wrappers, etc.) and throw it in the wastebasket.

Then, collect all miscellaneous items that do not belong in the living room (clothing, toys, mail) and throw them into the box.

Take both the wastebasket and the box to the garage, basement or other out-of-the-way spot.

Grab 2 washcloths — one damp (but wrung out very dry), and the other completely dry. Quickly wipe off picture frames and mirrors, first with the damp, then the dry rag.

Next, wipe all objects and tabletops with the damp rag, and remove moisture with the dry cloth.

Neatly stack magazines on the coffee table. Rearrange decorative objects to an attractive position.

Bring flower arrangements or fresh plants into the room.

Spray the air lightly with a pleasing scent.

If you still have a few minutes, vacuum traffic areas quickly.

Take the cleaning cloths to the powder room and wipe off the mirror, sink, counter, etc. Put out fresh towels.

Turn on some soft music, comb your hair and sit down!

(Courtesy About.com)