Holiday Plant Care
November 12, 2011 by Deb
Holiday Plants like Poinsettias, amaryllis, Christmas cactus, and paperwhites add interest and color to any holiday display. Proper care of these plants can keep them looking beautiful beyond the holiday season.
A few tips from the Plantlady:
Poinsettia Care:
– Keep soil slightly moist. Water when surface feels powdery making sure to keep water off the leaves. Luke-warm tap water is best. To cut down on watering needs use a wetting agent or subirrigation. Place your Poinsettia in a sunny location free from drafts. Remove dead leaves and flowers to keep your Poinsettia looking fresh and healthy.
Amaryllis Care:
-Plant in two inches of soil making sure to leave about one-third of the bulb exposed. Water sparingly until the stem appears, then, as the bud and leaves appear, gradually water more. Place in sunny location. Blooms will emerge in 7-10 weeks. Keep away from heat sources.
Christmas Cactus:
-To have your cactus blooming by the holidays make sure to place in a spot that receives bright light during the day and total darkness at night starting in mid October. Water when soil begins to feel dry. After the blooms have faded make sure to prune back the plant to encourage it to branch out.
Paperwhites:
– Fill container part way with rock. Set Paperwhite bulbs onto the stones, pushing them down just far enough so the bulbs are supported in an upright position. Put several of them together. Add water just to the bottom of the bulb. If the water covers too much of the bulb, they can rot. Now put them in a cool, dark place for one to two weeks. When the roots have begin to take hold, and the plant has sprung from the bulb, take the pot out into a brightly lit room. Four to six weeks later, your Paperwhites will be in bloom.
For more Plantlady tips on taking care of your Holiday Plants join us for our Poinsettia and Holiday Plant Care Class on November 19th at 11:00 a.m.
Bring your Holidays to life with living, breathing, beautiful indoor plants!
October 8, 2011 by Deb
Can you belive we’re into October already? With the holidays just around the corner its time to start thinking how to bring a little GREEN into your holiday celebrations! Give the gift of health! Living plants improve indoor air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and other toxins. Everyone can enjoy breathing a little easier this holiday season!
Top 10 Plants most effective in Cleaning Air
This Month we are featuring the Snake Plant as are plant of the month. Recieve 20% off the month of October.
Bringing Houseplants Indoors For The Winter
September 19, 2011 by Deb
If you let your houseplants “vacation” on the back deck or front porch this summer, then by early September, it’s time to start getting them ready to bring back inside for the winter. Since conditions vary between the inside and outside of your home, a gradual reintroduction is best. Make sure to bring your plants inside before temperatures dip below 45 degrees. Inspect plants for insects or disease and treat before bringing them inside. To avoid shocking your plants move plants to a covered outdoor area or garage for a couple days. Then transition plants indoors for a few nights, making sure to move them back to sheltered area during the day. After a week of transitioning your houseplants they’ll be ready for the big migration! Once inside, don’t over water. Plants will grow slower during the winter months, due to lower light levels. Keep a close eye on the soil, only water when necessary.
This is also a good time to re-pot if any of your plants are needing it. Don’t have the time? Drop your plants off at the store, we have all the necessary supplies.
Watering plants while on vacation.
August 10, 2011 by Deb
Most of you are planning a vacation this summer. What do you do with your interior plants when you don’t have anyone to come by and water. Of course you can call Plantscaping but most of the time with a few hints your plants are fine while you are away.
Most of your plants say Dracena’s, Ficus woun’t require water if you are going for 7-9 days. If a couple days longer, the day you leave give them a bigger drink then usual. These plants are very forgiving when it come to drying out.
Now if you have little guys that normally take a drink more then a 7 day period I have a method my Mother used.
Watering with Bricks
If you don’t mind bricks in your bathtub or utility sink, bricks can water indoor plants while you’re on vacation. Simply fold a bath towel in half lengthwise, and place enough bricks on the towel to support your indoor plants. Add lukewarm water to the bathtub until it barely covers the bricks. Remove any saucers from beneath your indoor plants, and set your indoor plants on the bricks. Your indoor plants will absorb the water they need while you’re on vacation. If she was going to be even longer she would also cover the bathtub with plastic to even hold in more moisture. Which leads into the following hint…
Plastic Bag Method
Many people don’t realize that plants can survive in a sealed container or bag, and this is a plus for those going on vacation. Sealing indoor plants in clear plastic bags holds in valuable moisture and humidity, and indoor plants thrive in this type of environment.
Simply place your plants, pots and all, into individual clear plastic bags. Make sure the bags are large enough so the plastic doesn’t come in contact with the foliage. If necessary, place sticks in the pots to keep the plastic from touching the plants. Water the plants thoroughly, and tie the top of the bag with a twist tie, or simply tie a knot. Humidity will form on the sides of the bags, and your plants will stay moist and healthy while you’re on vacation.If your plants are very large, wrap only the pots in clear plastic bags, and secure the plastic around the base of the stems with twine. This plant watering method isn’t as effective as the whole bag method, but this will keep your indoor plants from drying out for at least a week.
Other methods we have used in the interior industry are selfwatering containers, wicking or capillary mats. That is another blog…
Have a GREAT summer fellow Plant Geeks!
Jack’s Classic Petunia Feed
July 25, 2011 by Deb
We just got in a great new product at the store! Problem Petunias, million bells, bacopa or other iron hungry bedding plants? This best selling ‘Jacks’ formulation has extra iron and magnesuim for dark green foliage. Excellent for hanging baskets, containers, and flower beds. This will keep your blooms looking beautiful all summer long!
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