When buying interior plants, make sure that you are looking for healthy, bushy, vigorous plants. Stay away from limp or leggy plants. Do not buy plants that have yellow leaves. Usually this is a sign that the plant is not getting enough light, is too old, or is having some kind of root or disease problem. Check the plant for insects by inspecting both the underside and upper sides of the leaves. Check the stems as well. By looking only at the top of the plant, you cannot al ways see the insects that may do the damage.

A healthy plant is one that is fairly full, has a dark green color to the leaves, and is well branched (if it normally branches). A long, tall plant that does not have a good foliage canopy is usually one that has been kept under low light for too long, has had problems in growing, or does not have the root system that it needs. An exception to this may be very large Dieffenbachia or Dracaena. These plants tend to lose some of their lower leaves as they get older. However, you still want to look for plants that are full of leaves and have plenty of fresh growth.

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When transporting interior plants, remember the two seasons of the year that can cause damage to the plants, the hot summer and cold winter. In the summer, avoid placing the plant in a vehicle and leaving the vehicle closed. Heat will build up and may possibly destroy the plant. This heat build-up can occur in a very short period of time.

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The growth of interior plants and the length of time they remain attractive depend on the amount of light they receive in relation to how much light they need. Light is necessary for all plants because they use this energy source to manufacture food.

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Most interior plants tolerate the normal temperatures found in homes and of fices. The ideal temperature is 70 to 80 F in the day time and 60 to 65 F at night. Many flowering plants will keep their flowers longer when the night tem perature is 50 to 60 F. Some interior plants can withstand night temperatures as low as 40 F for short periods. They should not stay at these temperatures for long periods though. If they do, they may deteriorate and even die. A minimum tem perature of 50 F is recommended for many interior plants. The rule of thumb to follow for temperatures for interior plants is to maintain the night time tempera ture 10 to 15 F lower than the daytime temperature.

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