Posts Tagged ‘houseplants’
Ficus
Q: I just moved my ficus to a bigger pot and all the leaves have fallen off except four. Is there anything I should do? I have not applied any fertilizer to the tree in a while. A: Weeping ficus...
Geraniums – Bringing Indoors
Those fiery red blooms look pretty ragged in late fall so this is a fine time to think about keeping them for the winter. There are three methods: keep them potted indoors in a sunny window, store them “roots, soil...
Science vs Pseudo-science
One of the most ill-informed decisions of my life was to major in chemistry in college. Sure, I had excelled in the subject in high school. I could make my own gunpowder from ingredients bought at the pharmacy in town....
Paperwhite Narcissus – Keeping Short – Science Project
Tired of floppy paperwhites?? Acording to Beth Jarvis from the University of Minnesota, if you’re bummed because your paperwhite nasrcissus always flop over, help is at hand. No, you don’t need to stake or tie them, just keep them mildly...
Ficus – Bringing Indoors
The Ficus benjamina is famous for making tremendous growth while outdoors in the heat of a Georgia summer. But it is equally famous for dropping copious quantities of leaves when brought indoors for the winter. The plant is just trying...
Ferns – Bringing Indoors
Most fern baskets must be divided each year. Otherwise, the root mass simply holds too much water and root rot begins. It is difficult for homeowners to duplicate greenhouse conditions during cold weather but try these tips: 1. Cut the...
Christmas cactus – Good Description
This excellent article tells all you need to know about these holliday favorites. Holiday Cacti Chris Currey, University of Minnesota Graduate Student Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus, Easter cactus…what about Halloween cactus, Valentine’s Day cactus or Mother’s Day cactus? Three different...
Poinsettia – Care
If the poinsettia plant came in a foil wrapper, check for water at the bottom before you add more moisture to the plant. Poinsettias are accustomed to soil that’s on the dry side. If their roots sit in water day...
Poinsettia – Choosing
Examine the tiny yellow-green flowers at the ends of the poinsettia branches. If more than one or two are open, the poinsettia will not hold its freshness for long. Poinsettias are typically sent to stores in several shipments. Ask to...
Night-Blooming Cereus – ID
Two plants are called night-blooming cereus: One is a night blooming, fragrant epiphytic cactus, classified as Hylocereus due to the TRIANGULATE leaves, and upright growth to 15′. Selenicereus grandiflorus is commonly called night-blooming cereus or Queen-of-the-Night. The leaves look like...
Christmas Cactus – Care
The striking red, pink or white flowers of the Christmas Cactus make it an obvious candidate for holiday houseplant blooms each winter. Imagine the consternation, though, when most of the flower buds fall off of a newly purchased plant! Most...
Holiday Plants – Care
If the holidays are just around the corner, your office and home are probably awash with holiday plants. Red, pink and yellow poinsettias perch on cubicle dividers. Amaryllis steadily send their thick bloom stalks skyward. Christmas cactus are either blooming...
Houseplants – Do They Clean Indoor Air
An Internet search for Web sites containing “houseplant air pollution” yields more than seven hundred entries. Most of them offer to sell me plants that clean indoor air. They vaguely refer back to a series of experiments conducted by Dr....
Orchid – General Care
One of the most popular booths at the Southeastern Flower Show is the one that sells orchids to show-goers. The aisles are crowded with persons trying to protect the brilliant flowers and slender flower stems of their newly purchased beauty....
Orchids – Best Growing Tips
Orchids have a reputation as being finicky. Far from being picky and delicate, though, they simply have different needs from most other houseplants. Once you understand those needs, they become as easy to grow as a pot full of pothos!...
Houseplants – General Care
Outdoor gardeners sometimes feel a little lost during the winter. We wander outside, picking at the occasional sprig of chickweed and removing noticeably dead tree branches, but there is not much more to be done. Forgetting the sweaty summer, when...
Houseplants – Cleaning and Propagating
Last week I covered pruning and providing moisture for houseplants. I also detailed how to care for a holiday poinsettia. This week, I’ll describe how to clean leaves and propagate a couple of houseplants plus give some hints on amaryllis...
Clivia
When I answered a question about clivia on my radio show, a listener had mush to say on the subject. Read Mary’s comments below: “Last Saturday a caller asked about a seed pod on her clivia. The seed pod turns...
