How To Properly Care For Your Christmas Cactus
While Poinsettias are probably the most popular Christmas plant, there are many people that wouldn’t consider celebrating the holiday season without a Christmas cactus. The Schlumbergera, or Christmas cactus has been a favorite holiday plant since the 1800’s. Even though the Christmas cactus is a true cacti, unlike other cacti that normally grow in the heat of the desert, they grow in trees in tropical rain forests. And, therefore don’t like as much sun as most cacti, they should be kept in an area that gets bright indirect sunlight. Christmas cactus will adapt to low lighting conditions, but they bloom much better when exposed to bright indirect light. They can even be set outdoors and will do quite well as long as they’re not setting in bright sun. And, are brought inside before the weather gets too cold. This tropical cactus isn’t as drought tolerant as other cacti, although being a succulent, it does store some water in the leaves. The Christmas cactus should be watered when the top inch or so of the soil becomes dry. Don’t follow a regular watering schedule, the temperature in the room, humidity and even the growth rate will vary. Only water when the top of the soil is dry. Christmas cacti are very adaptable to temperatures, they can survive temperatures as low as 35* and as high as 100*. But, the excessive high and low temperatures can cause a lot of damage to the plant. The best temperature to keep them at is between 65* and 80*. They don’t require a lot of fertilizing, between 2 and 4 times each year is more than sufficient to keep them healthy. A high quality fertilizer that is labeled 20-20-20 is excellent. And, if you have had your plant for awhile and know the approximate time when it will bloom, don’t use any fertilizer about a month before the new buds should appear. The soil has to be a well draining mixture, this is very important to prevent root rot. You can purchase a good quality commercial potting soil that is mixed especially for succulents. If you like mixing your own soil mediums, use one part clean sand and two parts of regular potting soil. After your plant has lost it’s blooms, you can encourage the stems to branch out by pruning them. Just remove a few of the sections of the stems with a sharp knife. These sections can then be placed into some moist vermiculite and they will root to propagate new plants. To get your Christmas cactus to bloom again the following season, they need a little extra attention. In order to bloom, they need long periods of darkness and temperatures around 50* at night. The shorter days and cooler temperatures let the plant know when it’s time to bloom! Around the middle of October you can begin the dark treatments to have them blooming by the holidays. The ideal conditions to force blooming is to keep the plant at the cooler temperature, cut back on watering and provide them with 12 to 14 hours of complete darkness each night. Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights...
How To Keep Your Orchids Healthy and Thriving
While many people are still hesitant to purchase orchids, they’ve became more popular than ever. These beautiful, exotic tropical flowers have a bad reputation for being hard to take care of. But, with a little extra care, almost anyone can keep orchids alive and flourishing. The most important part of keeping an orchid healthy is to start out with a healthy plant. When shopping for an orchid make sure that the pseudo bulb is nice and firm. Check the plant to make sure that there are lot’s of new shoots and that the leaves don’t have brown spots. The more blooms a plant has the healthier it is. Purchase orchids depending on where you plan to keep the flower, orchids are classified into several temperature ranges, there are warm, temperate and cool orchids. Older plants are more established and will also have a better chance at survival, although they are generally a little more expensive. Orchids normally only need watering about every 4 to 7 days, but it will depend on the season, the temperature of your home and even the amount of sun that the plant receives. The best way to check the plant is to insert a pencil into the soil, if the pencil is dry when you remove it, the plant needs to be watered. But, it the pencil is damp, don’t water it and just keep checking the soil. The best type of fertilizer is one that is made especially for orchids. You can fertilize them once a week with a diluted solution. Following the directions on the container, only use half of the recommended amount of fertilizer when mixing it with water. Although, orchids seem to like to be root bound, they will eventually need to be repotted. When choosing a new pot, make sure that there is only about an inch between the pot and the root ball. Remove all of the old soil from the container very carefully so that none of the roots get damaged. Rinse the roots thoroughly with water and trim off any of the roots that feel mushy. Gently press the soil around the plant, pushing to hard can damage the fragile roots. If the plant is too heavy, place a stick inside the pot and tie the plant to it for support. Orchids shouldn’t be watered for at least three days after you’ve repotted them. To help provide the right amount of humidity for orchids, you mist them daily. Misting should be done early in the morning or afternoon, misting them too late in the evening won’t give them enough time to dry before the temperature cools down. And, the cooler air can damage wet leaves. During the dryer winter months, the plant can be placed in an evaporation tray. Just fill the tray with stones and water and set it near the plant. As the water evaporates into the air, it will supply humidity to the plant. Make sure that you clean the stones every few months to remove any bacteria or algae that may be growing on them. Most types of orchids do best if kept in areas with medium lighting. They should receive around four hours of bright sunlight every day. The best way to tell if your plant is getting enough light is by checking the leaves. If the plant is getting sufficient light, there will be some reddish colored spots on the leaves. Too much light will cause the leaves to yellow and they’ll wither and die. It will also cause the leaves to fade and become covered with beige spots. Too little light and the leaves will be a dark green, although dark green is associated with being healthy, with orchids it means that it’s not getting the right amount of light to be able to bloom! Written by Connie Corder, Copyright 2008...
How to Care For a Croton
Crotons are some of the most colorful houseplants that you can find. Their broad, long leaves can sport red, pinks, greens, yellows, oranges and many other colors. They’re very exotic looking plants that can really brighten up any room with their wide range of colors. The waxy feeling leaves start out as dark or medium green and the colors appear as the leaf matures and can reach ten inches in length. Croton’s are small shrubs that can grow as high as six feet, but when grown indoors they usually only grow a few feet tall. As with most plants that have lot’s of color, Croton’s prefer bright lighting. But, many of the newer varieties of the plant can survive in low lighting conditions. If leaves are still mainly green after they reach maturity, the plant isn’t receiving enough light. They should never be allowed to completely dry out, but you don’t want the plants roots sitting in water either. Just keep the soil evenly moist and use lukewarm or room temperature water when watering. The plant can also be misted with lukewarm water several times a week to help with the high humidity needs of the plant. Both cold drafts and using cold water to water the plant will cause it to drop it’s lower leaves. On plants that are in 8″ pots, you should water when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch. With larger plants allow the top two or three inches of soil to become dry before watering. You can use a well balanced liquid fertilizer about twice a month to keep you plant healthy. Slow released fertilizer can be worked into the soil once each growing season. Don’t fertilize the plant from October until February when it’s growth rate is slowed. Croton’s will actually flower during the spring and summer months, the tiny flowers are about 1/4 of an inch wide and are white. With a little extra care this gorgeous colorful plant will add years of beauty to your home! Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights...
How To Grow A Venus Fly Trap
The Venus fly trap is perhaps the most well know carnivorous plant species. It’s an interesting conversation plant and an amazing predator to watch. These plants produce a sweet nectar that lures their prey into the jaws of their traps. The traps are lined with a series of fine hairs that when touched, trigger the jaws to close. After the prey has been trapped, the Venus fly trap will secrete an enzyme that literally dissolves the insect into an easily digestible meal. It will take several days for the plant to complete the digestive process. But, as soon as it does, the traps will open once again and wait for it’s next meal to come along. Given the proper care, Venus fly traps are fairly easy to grow. They need a very bright light, but can’t survive in hot, direct sunlight. Because they need a warm temperature, high humidity and constant moisture, they are an excellent choice for terrariums. The potting medium should consist of 30 percent coarse pumice or perlite and 70 percent sphagnum moss or peat moss. Venus fly traps are very sensitive to any type of chemicals. For this reason, it’s crucial that you only use rain water, spring water or distilled water. If you absolutely have to use water from the tap, make sure you let it set in an open container for 24 to 48 hours so any chemicals and chlorine can dissipate. These hungry predators do not need any fertilizer. They get all the nutrients they need from the insects they consume. They do have a “feeding season” that runs from May until October. During these months, the soil needs to be damp at all times. And, the plant should be kept in temperatures that range from 70 to 95 degrees. During the winter months, Venus fly traps need a dormant period of approximately 3 months. During this period, most or all of the leaves will die. While dormant, you can move the plant to a cooler area where the temperatures will be from 45 to 50 degrees. You can also remove the plant bulb, clean it with fungicide and wrap it in live, damp sphagnum moss. Place the bulb in a plastic bag and keep it in a cool area. If the plant is grown in a pot instead of a terrarium, you should place the pot in a container with about an inch of water. You can elevate the pot by setting it on a bed of gravel so that the bottom of the pot barely touches the water. You want the soil to stay moist, but you don’t want it to be soggy. When Venus fly traps are grown in a terrarium, you will need to feed it. One plant will consume about 2 or 3 flies per month. You can feed the plant dead insects as long as they’ve not come in contact with any poisons. Small crickets make an ideal food source and you can usually purchase them at a local pet shop. While some people recommend that you feed the plant meats such as hamburger, it’s not a good idea. Hamburger and other meats are high in fat content which is fatal to a Venus fly trap. It might be entertaining to spring the trap with your finger, but it drains a lot of energy from the plant. If you do that too often, the fine hairs inside the trap will lose much of their sensitivity and the plant could starve to death. Written by Connie Corder, Copyright 2010...
How to Grow the Cast Iron Plant
During the Victorian Era, the Cast Iron plant was one of the most popular houseplants. With it’s draping green leaves, it’s an ideal way to add a tropical flair to any room, although it isn’t a tropical plant. It’s available in both a dark green and variegated variety. This plant is very hardy and once the plant is established it can even tolerate drought. It’s a slow growing plant, so if you want one of any substantial size, it’s best to just purchase it. These plants can reach just over 3 feet in height. The variegated variety generally costs about twice as much as the standard green variety. But, the white contrast on the dark green leaves might be worth paying extra for. It’s a really pretty plant that doesn’t require a lot of care. Occasionally, the Cast Iron plant will flower when kept indoors, but this is very rare. When it does, the plant produces groups of small flowers near, or slightly under the top of the soil that are purplish brown in color. Because of the location of the star shaped flowers, often they aren’t even noticed. This plant will do well in any lighting environment except for total darkness or bright, direct sunlight. This makes it an excellent choice for both a houseplant and for shady areas of the garden or yard. The soil should be allowed to dry out to around one or two inches of the surface before watering. In low light areas, it’s not uncommon for the plant to only need water every few weeks. The main reason that houseplant hobbyists fail with the Cast Iron plant is too much water. Like many other types of plants, the Cast Iron plant is very susceptible to root rot. Make sure that you provide good drainage so that the plants roots are never sitting in water. The ideal solution is to use a plant with a drainage hole which allow the excess water to drain into a saucer. However, the saucer should be emptied to prevent the soil from remaining to wet. The plant needs to be fertilized on a monthly basis with a high quality liquid fertilizer. One that is designed specifically for houseplants is ideal. However, if you have the variegated variety, make sure that you don’t over feed it. Too much fertilizer will literally cause the plant to lose it’s variegation. The leaves will all end up dark green. Propagation of this plant is done through root division. When the plant is well established with lots of leaves, you can separate it into several plants. Take the plant out of the pot and carefully separate the root ball into sections. Place each section in a pot filled with a good quality potting mix and water thoroughly. After a few months, you should begin to notice some new growth. Written by Connie Corder, Copyright 2010...
Best Houseplants for Low Light Areas
Here are the most popular and easy to care for low light houseplants. If you want to grow plants in a low light or shady area be sure to choose those that thrive in those lighting conditions. When choosing plants for inside the home, you can’t just pick a plant you like. You have to take several things into consideration, such as size and ease of care. But, the most important factor in choosing a houseplant is the lighting conditions of your home. Even if you provide the perfect amount of water and fertilizer, without adequate light, a houseplant can’t thrive. Growing healthy houseplants that flourish and give you years of enjoyment, depends on knowing which plants can survive under poor lighting conditions. Often, people think that they just simply don’t have a “green thumb” because they can’t keep a houseplant alive. When in reality, the plant has died because it didn’t receive enough light. Just because your home doesn’t have large windows that let lots of sunlight into your home, it doesn’t mean that you have to settle for silk plants. In fact, there are several plants that are perfectly happy living in minimal light. If you choose the right houseplants you might just find that you do indeed have a “green thumb”! Mother-in-Law Tongue The Mother-in-Law Tongue has long, pointy leaves and is very sturdy. It’s very adaptable and can withstand a little negligence. Often called the snake plant, it is ideal for low light areas although the plant will not produce blossoms without adequate light. The main enemies of this plant is too much water and freezing temperatures. Detailed care information ~ Mother-in-Law Tongue Cast Iron Plant The Cast Iron plant grows to approximately two feet in height and has long, arching leaves. It’s a great plant for any low light area and it requires very little care to grow. It’s just as happy in a warm area as it is in a cooler area. While the plant can tolerate dry soil, it does much better if you keep the soil evenly moist. The main cause of death for this plant is rotting roots from too much water. It needs to be fertilized about once a month. But, during the growing phases in spring and summer, it can be fertilized every two weeks. Detailed care information ~ Cast Iron Plant Dragon Tree The dragon tree is another really good choice for low light conditions. The plant features spiky green leaves that are often trimmed in color along the edges. The plant is not at all fussy and will do well with normal home temperatures and low light. Water the dragon tree when the soil is dry 1/3 of the depth of the pot. The plant only needs fertilized about once a year. Detailed care information ~ Dragon Tree Parlor Palm The Parlor Palm has been a popular houseplant since the Victorian Era. It’s the easiest to grow of all the palms and requires very little as far as care. The plant has a fairly small stem with lots of feathery green leaves and thrives in filtered light. Water the plant when the surface of the soil feels dry, never allow the soil to dry out completely. But, avoid letting the roots sit in water. Detailed care information ~ Parlor Palm Philodendron The Philodendron is one of the most popular houseplants. The vine will grow very well in low light conditions. However, if the plant gets too little light, the leaves will be much smaller. At the same time, full sunlight will burn the plant and stunt it’s growth. The plant likes evenly moist soil and does much better if the roots are slightly pot bound. Detailed care information ~ Philodendron Peace Lily The Peace Lily has glossy green leaves and produces beautiful flowers on tall stems. It can reach anywhere from one to four feet in height depending on growing conditions. It can grow well in either low light or filtered light areas. The soil should be kept evenly moist, but never soaked. It should also be given a high quality fertilizer every two months. Detailed care information ~ Peace Lily Written by Connie Corder, Copyright 2010...
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