House Plant Care And Information

How To Grow Healthy Petunias

Indoor Gardener — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:26:51 +0000

Petunias are one of the most popular flowers for both landscaping and hanging baskets. They are considered the number one plant as far as ease of care. Petunias produce continuous flowers from spring all the way through to cold weather. The large flowers are shaped like a trumpet and come in a wide variety of colors from white and red, to purple and pinks.

There are also a few fancier varieties of Petunias that are a basic color with a contrasting white stripe. And, still others that have fringed edges. These beautiful plants are half hardy annuals that will thrive in the full heat of the sun. Growing to 18 inches or more, Petunias make excellent plants for a hanging basket. While they don’t actually vine, because of their height they will drape over the side of the baskets like a vine.

Petunias are available in three different types, large…

How To Grow Upside Down Tomatoes

Indoor Gardener — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:18:31 +0000

In recent years growing tomatoes upside down has became a really popular way to enjoy sweet vine ripened tomatoes. It’s an ideal choice for anyone that has limited space. Because the tomatoes are grown in a hanging container, you can grow them almost anywhere. While you can purchase upside down tomato kits, you can easily make your own for free.

When you are choosing tomato plants, bear in mind that you need to use the smaller varieties that are suitable for growing in a container. Choose healthy plants that are well established and about 6 inches tall. Avoid plants that blooms or fruit. While it might seem like plants that have already started to produce fruit might give you a earlier yield, it actually might delay harvest.

Choose a bucket or container based on how large the variety of tomato you choose grows. You need a sturdy bucket that has…

How To Grow Impatiens

Indoor Gardener — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:14:36 +0000

Impatiens are one of the easiest flowers to grow, only coming in second to Petunias. They are often referred to as “Touch Me Nots” because when you touch the seed pods they explode spreading seeds in every direction. There are approximately 1,000 different species of Impatiens. But, there are only two varieties that are widely available, Impatiens balsamina and Impatiens walleriana.

Impatiens can be planted in almost any area in the garden which makes them a very popular flower. Depending on the variety you choose, Impatiens can thrive in either sun or shade. They are an excellent choice for hanging baskets. And, are often used as an edging around porches, decks, sidewalks and trees. While they are easy to care for, they do still need some basic care.

There are several different varieties available that grow from 8 inches in height up to two feet tall. They come in a…

Creating A Raised Bed Garden To Improve Drainage

Indoor Gardener — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 09:27:13 +0000

The amount of water a plant receives is often hard to control in a regular garden. Some plants require lots of water to grow healthy and strong, while others require very little water. Many plants are susceptible to root rot if they’re left standing in water for too long. Too much water is one of the main causes of dead plants.

There is an easy way to test your soil to see how well it drains. Dig a hole in any area of the garden that measures ten inches deep. Fill the hole up with water and wait for all of the water to soak into the ground. Then, fill the hole back up with water again. If that water isn’t gone within approximately ten hours, the soil has very poor drainage and is not suitable for most plants.

The most common way to provide the proper drainage for plants…

How To Grow A Venus Fly Trap

Indoor Gardener — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 10:59:02 +0000

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…

Grow Your Own Sweet Juicy Strawberries

Indoor Gardener — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:43:47 +0000

There’s few things that can match the juicy sweetness of a fresh picked strawberry. That sun ripened taste just can’t be found in your local grocery store. Growing your own strawberries is very rewarding. You can eat them still warm from the vine, in a favorite dish or pie, or you can make delicious home made strawberry jam.

Strawberries only grow about 6 to 8 inches in height and spread to around one foot. So, they don’t require a large amount of space to grow. In fact, you can even grow strawberries in a window box, hanging basket or other container. They produce long runners that bloom with pink or white flowers which eventually turn into a delicious strawberry.

In areas that experience mild winters, strawberries can be planted in the last summer or fall for a wonderful spring harvest. In areas with harsh winters, you will need to wait…

Best Houseplants for Low Light Areas

Indoor Gardener — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:19:31 +0000

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…

Cast Iron Plant

Indoor Gardener — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:38:43 +0000

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.…

Parlor Palm

Indoor Gardener — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:27:28 +0000

Sometimes referred to as the Bella Palm, the Parlor Palm (Chamaedora elegans) is a relatively easy houseplant to grow. It’s a fairly inexpensive palm that is very well suited to indoor life. The Parlor Palm is an upright plant that rarely reaches over 4 foot in height, or 3 foot in width. The compact growth and easy care makes it an ideal houseplant.

The palm will flourish and grow much better in filtered light. With this plant you actually don’t need to guess about adequate lighting. If the palm is sitting in an area where there is enough light for it to cast a shadow, it’s getting enough light! And, it will do well in both natural sunlight or artificial lighting.

The amount of water the Parlor Palm needs will depend on how much light it receives. A brighter light means more water, while lower lighting means less water. On…

Madagascar Dragon Tree

Indoor Gardener — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:06:12 +0000

The Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata) is characterized by long, narrow leaves that are extremely spiked. The foliage is generally dark green with edges that are adorned with a reddish purple and can grow up to 16 inches in length. As the tree grows it will naturally lose it’s lowest leaves leaving tufts of leaves atop a bare woody cane.

Although species vary, this variety can grow as tall as 20 feet in height. But, when kept as a houseplant, it generally only reaches around 6 to 8 feet. The size can be controlled by cutting the tops off. The cane can be cut at any height and within weeks you will begin to see a new tuft of leaves growing at the cut area. It’s better on the plants health to cut the cane during spring or early summer.

One of the fun things about this plant is that…