As spring nears, houseplants feel it too and can get unruly

No matter that winter winds and snow still come and go in much of the country. The most obvious reason to prune a houseplant’s stems is to keep the plant manageable. For a plant with many stems, such as a weeping fig, a few severe cuts usually gives better results than many small cuts. Stand the plant upright and — brutal as it might seem — slice off the outer edge of soil and roots all around the root ball. Stand the plant back in its old pot and pack new potting soil in the gaps between the shorn root ball and the container.