You Should Rotate Your Houseplants
Houseplants can add some color and life to a dull space. But even if you make sure they get plenty of water and sunlight, you may notice that at times some of your plants can look a little crooked. If so, you probably need to start rotating your houseplants . Here’s how to do it.
Why You Should Rotate Houseplants
Unlike some of their outdoor counterparts, only one side of a houseplant faces directly into the sun as it passes through a window. To remedy this, plants naturally start growing towards sunlight, even if they managed to grow in the shade.
This is a process called “phototropism” and here’s how it works, according to Liz Bessler of Gardening Know How :
“Every plant contains cells called auxins, and their rate of growth determines the shape of the plant. The auxins on the side of the plant that receives full sun become shorter and stronger, while the auxins on the more shaded side of the plant become longer and spindle-shaped. This means that one side of your plant becomes taller than the other, creating a stretching and curving effect.”
Luckily, there is an easy solution to this problem: houseplant rotation.
How to rotate a houseplant
“Rotating” a houseplant simply means turning its planter or pot to change the direction it is facing. There are several different approaches you can take:
- Rotate the plant pot a quarter of a turn each time you water it.
- Turn the pot as soon as you notice that part of the plant is growing towards the sun.
- Rotate the plant pot half a turn every two to three months.
Some plants will begin to adjust their growth immediately, while others may take several weeks.