How to Treat Plant Fungus with Baking Soda
Fungal issues are one of the most persistent problems that a plant can develop. While more common for outside plants, houseplants can also be subjected to fungal organisms that can damage or kill them. Often a pest infestation can weaken a houseplant and result in an infection. If your plant has started showing signs of unusual spotting or has growths that are different colors than the plant, it probably has a fungus. There are a variety of ways to treat fungal problems in outside plants such as fungicides. But, harsh sprays that contain chemicals aren’t the ideal way to treat plant problems inside your home. There are ways to treat most plant issues that are completely safe for you, your children and pets. And, to treat fungus, baking soda is one of the safest. Baking soda is a gentle and effective way to prevent fungus and to kill some forms of fungus that are established in your indoor and outdoor plants. Research has also proven that it can be highly effective in treating powdery mildew and some strains of black spot. But, best of all it is completely non-toxic. It’s also something that you probably already have on hand. Baking Soda Spray Solution You can make a baking soda spray by adding one teaspoon of baking soda to one quart of water. Adding a few drops of mild detergent or insecticidal soap will help the baking soda solution stick to the leaves and stems. Just make sure that you don’t use a harsh detergent. Spray the entire plant from top to bottom making sure that you get underneath the leaves as well and allow the plant to dry. If the fungus is really bad you may need to repeat the application again. You can even double the amount of baking soda to create a stronger solution. The process can be repeated when needed as a preventive treatment or if you see any more signs of fungus. If after repeated applications you can get the fungus under control, then you may need to consider an alternative treatment. Written by Connie Corder for HousplantsForYou.com, Copyright...
What Is An Exotic Angel Houseplant?
If you are a houseplant fanatic, then chances are you’ve seen houseplants that say “Exotic Angel” on the care tag. Exotic Angel isn’t a species of plant, it is actually a brand name. So, an Exotic Angel heartleaf philodendron is just like any other heartleaf philodendron, or is it? Well basically it is, but at the same time it might not be! An Exotic Angel golden pothos might be a better choice over an unnamed golden pothos. Although it might sound confusing, it’s really not. It’s the same concept of branded food items verses generic food items. While some generic products are close in quality to name brands, some are not. When a manufacturer puts their name on a product they tend to be more concerned in providing a better higher quality product to their customers. Exotic Angel plants are grown by Hermann Engelmann Greenhouses, one of the oldest and most respected names in foliage plants. During the 70’s when houseplants became really popular, Engelmann moved his plant facilities located in the north to Florida. Today, the company has almost 3 million square feet of greenhouses in the “foliage plant capital of the world,” Apopka, Florida. While many other houseplant growers have tried to establish a private brand, few have been successful. Every Exotic Angel plant comes directly from Engelmann’s greenhouses in Florida. Exotic Angels all carry the distinctive logo that has became a symbol of innovation and quality around the world. They each come with their care requirements and have the unique color coded tags for light requirements. The line now consists of over 400 different varieties of houseplants that have been grown indoors and come accimilated to the lower light conditions of most homes. Their motto “Taking Care Of Our Customers Is Taking Care Of Our Future” reflects their dedication to providing high quality, healthy houseplants. And, the healthier your houseplant is when you bring it home, the better your chances are for having a plant that will give you years of pleasure. Written by Connie Corder for HousplantsForYou.com, Copyright...
How to Grow Propagate and Store Caladiums
Caladiums are commonly referred to as Angel Wings, Heart of Jesus and/or Elephant Ear. There are more than 1000 different cultivars of the Caladium. Native to the Amazon River, Caladiums are a tropical plant that is loved for its spectacular color combinations. While all the varieties have green leaves you can find them splashed with white, vivid red and pink. Aside from the color combinations, Caladiums are available in either fancy leaved or strap leaved. Generally regarded as an outdoor plant, Caladiums can also be grown indoors if the right conditions are maintained. While most Caladiums reach a height of between 18 and 24 inches, the dwarf variety only reaches from 8 to 12 inches in height. Although a few varieties can tolerant some direct sun, most Caladiums thrive in a partially shaded area with bright light. Well draining soil should be kept consistently moist during the growing season. And, during spring and summer the plant should be feed every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer that is high in nitrogen at half strength. While Caladiums are very easy to grow they do require a little extra attention, they love humidity. A humidifier will provide the best results. But, you can place the pot on a tray filled with small stones and water. Misting on a daily basis with water that is at room temperature will also help. During their growth period they prefer a warm temperature ranging from 70 to 85 degrees. Planting Caladium Tubers When you plant Caladium tubers you want to place the tuber in the soil with the knobby side facing upward. The leaves of the plant grow from the knobs, or eyes of the tuber. If you have already planted your tubers and aren’t sure if they are planted correctly, don’t worry. The Caladium will still grow and find its way to the surface it will just take longer for the leaves to appear. Caladiums should be planted in soil that is rich and has very good drainage to prevent the tubers from rotting. Dig the hole large enough so that the top of the tuber is about two inches below the surface of the soil and place tubers at least six inches apart. Give the tubers plenty of water and keep them in a warm area and you should start to see the sprouts emerging through the top of the soil within 4 to 6 weeks. Storing Caladium Tubers Through The Winter Whether Caladiums are grown outdoors or as a houseplant they still go dormant during fall and winter. The tubers can be left in the ground if you live in an area that stays warm year round. If you live in an area that has a cool or cold winter you will need to dig the tubers up and store them. Plants that are in pots can remain in pots through the dormant season. Allow the soil in the pots to completely dry and remove all the leaves and store indoors until spring. When the temperatures start reaching around 50 degrees at night reduce watering and let the leaves die and fall off. If the plants haven’t lost all their leaves before the weather gets really cold you can cut them off about 1/2 inch above the tuber. After you dig the tubers up allow them to air dry for about a week. Caladium tubers should be stored in a warm area at 55 degrees or more that is well ventilated. Place them in a mesh bag or box and cover them with vermiculite or peat moss. Periodically you will need to check them and remove any tubers that have started to rot. If the tubers start to shrivel you can give them a small amount of water. Be careful not to over water. You can check them the next day and if they’re still shriveled add a little more water. Propagating Caladium Tubers While you have your tubers out of the ground it’s the ideal opportunity for propagation. Caladium tubers are very easy to propagate. You need to use a sharp, sterile knife and slice the tubers to make more plants. For the best chance at success make sure that each section you slice off of a tuber has at least two eyes. Written by Connie Corder for HousplantsForYou.com, Copyright...
How To Care For Dusty Miller
While generally grown as an annual, Dusty Miller is actually a perennial plant. Typically, they have lacy fern like leaves, but they can have sometimes have ruffled edges. The leaves look as if they’ve been dusted with a white or silvery gray powder and have a soft velvety feel. While they are a beautiful plant on their own, they’re commonly used to add a nice contrast to flower beds and along borders because they look good with any type and color of flower or plant. Dusty Miller usually only reach around 12 inches in height which makes them an ideal choice for using as ground cover around larger plants. However, some plants can get up to 2 feet in height. To keep the plant compact the tops can be cut off to promote bushier growth. With proper care, they will add beautiful foliage to any flower bed or container from spring all the way through to late fall. Although Dusty Miller can tolerate areas that have low light or partial shade, they prefer a sunny location. They will have a much prettier color if grown in full sun. And, with inadequate light the can become very lanky and won’t keep their compact growth pattern. If you live in an area that has extremely warm temperatures, the plant will be more tolerant of shady areas. Dusty Miller thrives in well drained soil and should be planted from 9 to 12 inches apart. The holes should be dug to the same approximate size of the container the plants are growing in. Plant them in dry soil and just lightly cover the root balls with soil. Add water to allow the soil to compact around the roots to prevent damage and then add more soil if needed. In temperatures below 90 degrees, watering once weekly is generally sufficient. Increase watering to twice weekly in higher temperatures. While the plant is drought and heat tolerant once well established, it should be watered as soon as the soil is completely dry and you notice any signs of wilting. Dusty Millers are hardy plants that are easy to grow but they are prone to root rot. The best way to keep them healthy is to make sure that the soil has lots of drainage. Moist soils don’t contain enough nutrients for these plants, so fertilization is necessary. Both water soluble and slow release fertilizers work fine. Water soluble fertilizers should be mixed according to instructions and applied about every two weeks. Slow release fertilizer can be mixed into the soil once each growing season. Best known for its beautiful foliage, Dusty Miller also produce bright yellow or purple blooms. However, if you want a prettier bushier plant the blooms need to be removed. The flowers will suck nutrients from the plant and usually cause it to be lanky and less bushy. For this reason it’s rare to see the plant in full bloom in landscaping or gardens. Dusty Miller can be propagated from stem cuttings during the summer, root division and it easily grows from seed. In some areas the plant will even come back on its own year after year. The cuttings can be planted in a mixture of moist perlite and peat, covered with plastic and placed in an area with bright light until well established. Seeds can be started indoors approximately 10 weeks before the last frost. Dusty Miller seeds are very tiny and germination requires light. The seeds should be sown on top of moist soil and left uncovered. Place the container in an area where the temperatures range from 65 to 75 degrees and where the seeds can receive lots of light. Germination generally occurs within 10 to 15 days. Written by Connie Corder, Copyright 2011...
Clean Your Houseplants To Keep Them Healthier
Everyone knows how quickly dust, grease and grime can accumulate inside the home. But, while you probably clean your furniture on a regular basis you probably haven’t even considered that airborne particles are also gathering on your houseplants leaves and stems. Most people don’t even think about how dirty their plants are until they are completely covered. And, dirty leaves result in a very unhealthy plant. Outside plants are washed naturally by the rain, but inside plants need a helping hand to stay clean. Everyone has heard of photosynthesis, the process where plants absorb carbon dioxide and sun to produce food. The plants leaves inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen through openings called stomatas. When these openings become clogged, the plant can no longer make food. Keeping your houseplants clean will not only make them look better it will also help to stimulate growth and reduce insects and pests. How often you need to clean them will depend on the area in which you live. If you live in a windy area, or near dirt roads or a busy street, you may need to clean them more often. A good way to tell if it’s time to clean your plants is to try to blow the dust off the leaves. If you can’t blow it off, it’s time for a good cleaning! The quickest and easiest way to clean the plant is to sit it in the shower or sink and spray it. Make sure to adjust the water so that it’s lukewarm and not cold or hot which can damage the plant. You also need to make sure the water pressure isn’t too strong for the plant or you could end up ripping leaves off or breaking the stems. Thoroughly spray the leaves on both sides to remove as much grime and dust as possible. If the leaves are really dirty or greasy, combine one quart of water and about a fourth of a teaspoon of dish liquid in a spray bottle. Just make sure that you rinse the plant thoroughly with clean water after you’ve cleaned it. Just as soap can leave a film on your shower it can leave a film on the plant that can be as harmful as the dust and grime. So, make sure you rinse all the soap away. While spraying your houseplants might be the easiest way to clean them, depending on the pot it’s not the best way for some plants. If your pot doesn’t have drainage holes in the bottom spraying will leave the soil drenched and can cause the roots to rot. It’s also not a good choice for plants that are too large or heavy to move to a sink or tub. For these plants you will need to clean the leaves individually by hand. To clean the leaves by hand you’ll need a soft cloth. Pieces cut from an old tee-shirt or an old cotton sock are both ideal. Simply wet the cloth in lukewarm water and gently wipe each leaf. Use your hand to support the leaf to prevent breakage. If the leaves are really dirty you can use the dish liquid method to remove the grime. Once the leaves are clean, use a clean cloth in clean water to remove as much of the dish liquid as possible. Spray cleaning or using dish liquid and water is a great way to clean plants with smooth leaves, but it’s not ideal for plants with fuzzy leaves or plants that are prone to water spots. The best way to clean this type of plant is with a soft paint brush or a makeup brush. Support the leaves in your hand and gently brush them until they are clean. If you have purchased a new houseplant that has a white film all over the leaves it’s most likely calcium. Many nurseries get their water from wells and it has a high calcium content. The best way to remove the film is with a mixture of water and a small amount of vinegar. Either put the mixture in a spray bottle or use a cloth to wipe each leaf. Although some people suggest using food products like milk and mayonnaise to clean leaves and make them shine, it’s not a good idea. Mayonnaise contains oil that can clog the stomatas and defeat the whole purpose of cleaning the plant. Food products are also very likely to attract pests such as flies and gnats. It’s much better to use plain water or a soap and water mixture to clean your houseplants. Written by Connie Corder, Copyright 2011...
Grow Your Own Herbs at Home
Nothing beats a home cooked meal, and certainly nothing beats fresh herbs to season the food with. Store-bought herbs sold in bulk are fine in a pinch, but true gourmets will always advocate using freshly picked garden herbs. It is not only much more inexpensive, it will make people think you spent a fortune to prepare delicious meals. You only use what is needed at any given time, while the remainder of the herbs will continue to flourish and grow, providing you with no end of flavors that are right there in the home. Growing Your Own Herbs Is Easy! It’s very easy to start your own herb garden indoors, whether it is transplants from the garden or starting from scratch. Plants that are already grown and re-transplanted will do better than seed, and grow much faster. Rather than spend a fortune trying to find just the right herbs for your next big dinner, just take the time to care for an herb garden. The results will be worth it and so will the grocery savings! Indoor herb gardens often do better than ones grown outside because it is easier to manage the temperature and lighting. It is best to grow herbs by giving them at least 14 hours a day of artificial light or 6-8 hours of natural sunlight. Windowsills are optimum growing areas for herbs, especially if the plan is to use natural sunlight. Temperatures should be kept as stable as possible, with a normal room temperature of 65-70 degrees. Fans and opened windows should be kept as constant as possible to allow proper air movement to circulate. Pushing out bacteria-laden air and replacing it with oxygen rich fresh air will keep the herbs growing freely. Mediums for Growing Herbs The medium for growing the herbs should be a light, easily drained soil that can be made at home. Simply by using one part sand, one part peat moss and one part regular potting soil, the perfect home can be made for the herbs to thrive. Fertilizing Your Herbs Fertilizer should be used with the specific herbal needs, and again, this can be made at home. They do require more maintenance with fertilizer when grown indoors as opposed to outdoors, so it is important to check what needs each particular herb has. Watering Your Herbs Watering with many herbs should be monitored so that the soil is never completely dried out, but is also not saturated. This should be double checked however, as some herbs actually thrive with a bit of neglect. Avoiding Pests To avoid pests, place stick traps near the indoor garden to keep pests away and use a light soapy solution for controlling harmful infestations. Herb Garden Containers Containers for herb gardens are the quickest way to get results. Nearly any container is suitable, as long as it has holes in the bottom for draining water. Self-watering containers can be efficient, but only with herbs that don’t need to be dried out a bit between waterings. Different herbs can be grown in the same container as long as they all have the same basic needs for nutrition and lighting. It is up to the individual how many plants are desired in the container, as most do fine with a little overcrowding. Herbs can also be mixed in any container type garden to add a decorative and aromatic flair to any mixture of plants that have similar tending needs. The more herbs that are picked and pinched back, the more bountiful they will grow again. The Windowsill Herb Garden If the plan is to grow herbs in a kitchen windowsill for easy access, make sure it is in a south or southeast window so it will get an average of at least 5-6 hours of direct daylight. It should also be in an area that has as few drafts as possible. Containers for windowsill herb gardens should be at least 6 inches deep and can be up to 12 for larger window frames. A few inches of potting soil mixture is all that is needed to get started on a lovely herb garden that will offer handy seasonings right where it is needed most. Herbs That Are Easy To Grow There are several types of herbs that can be grown easily, although they do all have specific needs. Herbs that have similar tending requirements can be grown together. Some herbs are better grown in pots or tubs rather than the trough system of growing in a windowsill, and some need more lighting than others. If there is no adequate lighting from natural light, then using “grow” lights or any fluorescent lighting will do....
How to Choose and Grow Orchids
Having fresh flowers adds beauty and tranquility to a living or work space. Some plants seem to require so much maintenance that it can discourage a beginner from wanting to get started, but all it takes is a little self education. Contrary to myth, a very simple flower to grow and take care of is the orchid. Even someone with no “green thumb” can enjoy the fresh scents and beautiful blossoms of these sturdy flowers. The two types of orchids are terrestrials, which are grown from the ground, and epiphytes, which come from trees. Epiphytes are not only orchid trees, but any plant who has a root system above the ground. Terrestrial orchids are what many people are looking for in starting a garden or flowerbox for their home, and there are many species and hybrids. Most orchids do best in moderate temperatures of 50-75 degrees. Humidity is another important factor, especially when growing the orchids indoors. Check the humidity of the room, and if it isn’t at least 40% on average, then use a misting bottle regularly on the plant or consider getting a humidity tray. Watering needs are fairly minimal, although it is important to check the specifics of the particular orchid being grown. Most are an average of once or twice weekly, with some only needing it every other week. Their root systems are extremely proficient in storing water, and some orchids even do a bit better if the medium has a chance to dry out a bit. Lighting and temperature are also important in making the most of the orchid’s beauty and durability. Many do well in medium to bright lighting, although there are some that grow adequately even when the light is dimmer. Temperatures should remain in the 50-75 degree range. Lower temperatures in the evenings will not harm the plants at all, and growth is often stimulated by making sure there is at least a ten degree temperature change between day and night. The most popular orchid plant for the beginner is the *Cymbidium*. They are extremely sturdy and grow very well with just a bit of tending. They are ideal for indoors and do best when given bright lighting and watered once weekly, as well as a nutrient fertilizer designed specifically for orchids applied once a month during the spring and summer. These plants will grow well indoors during the winter and early spring months, which make it very popular for those who live in climates that require plants to be brought inside due to colder temperatures. Another type that is easy to grow is *Paphiopedilium* (also known as Lady’s Slipper). These grow well in most lighting and as with Cymbidium orchids, they need watered once a week and fed fertilizer once during each of the warmer months. The foliage from these orchids are nearly as beautiful as the flowers themselves, so they will be attractive even when not blooming. Jewel orchids (*Lucicia discolor) *grow attractive blossoms, but is is their lush, vibrant leaves that are the real focal point of this particular plant. The foliage is a deep purple with stripes of pink throughout. Bright light is not needed as it does well in medium to lower lighting and should be watered twice weekly with basic fertilizer needs in warmer months. This plant is most productive in a humid environment, so always make sure the humidity in the room is above 40% or that the plant is regularly misted. Oncidium orchids bloom in small flowering clusters with blossoms in red, yellow, pink, and purple often enhanced with contrasting shades. They do need the brighter light, and watering every other week is often sufficient, along with monthly spring and summer fertilizer boosts. A very similar type to these are Odontoglossoms, which may be a bit harder to grow, depending on the variety. They are often referred to as “odunts”, and sprout brightly colored blossoms that can last for many weeks if tended to. Watering should be done on an average of once a week, however skipping a week in between will not harm these orchids. Temperatures are best in 50-70 degrees. Cattleya orchids are the ones most often used in corsages, however they also make a beautiful every day plant for the home. The colors range in bright hues of orange, red, pink, and yellow, among others. They thrive best in bright or medium lighting, and need watered once or twice a week with the standard fertilizer needs during the warmer months. If properly cared for, the flowers will bloom twice a year and will last for several weeks. *Encyclia cochleata,*or cockleshell orchids grow beautiful tentacle-like strands...
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