Posts Tagged ‘houseplant’
How You Can Pick The Best Flowers For Your Indoor Garden
Easy-to-Grow House Plants
A lot of indoor plants are popular for the beautiful foliage and therefore have great decorative value through the different seasons. The plants discussed here are very easy to grow and will do great in your home, office or shop, all you need to do is provide a bit of love and care.
Ficus,philodendron and ivy of any kind are all very attractive and easy to grow options.
For wall or pillar covering, plants with a climbing nature and those with skinny, long shoots which need support are quite suitable for adorning your home. Some plants are grown for the foliage alone and others for the beauty of the leaves.
The plants listed on the following list have become common and popular because they can withstand dry conditions and can withstand any environment quite well.
Asparagus plumosus
The plant above, has dark green, fern-line foliage on very delicate, wiry stems that vine with support and grows several feet long. It should not be confused with the Asparagus plumosus nanus, which is smaller and more compact and not a climber.
Cissus
This plant is great or trellis or any support structure to which you must tie the stems securely.
Euphorbia
Owing to its semi-succulent nature, this beautiful flowering plant is ideal for growing in a sunny window.
Because of its succulent nature, this flowering beauty is great for growing on a sunny window ledge.
Hedera (Ivy)
This plant has many different varieties, some have green while others have variegated coloring. These plants are among the heartiest of house plants.
Hoya carnosa
These plants are more commonly known as waxflower, they have a slim, corded stem which can be easily trained to grow in any position. The flowers bloom on the older flower spurs in bunches that must not be cut.
Monstera deliciosa
As a potted plant, this one has become widely popular in recent years. It is easy to recognize because its leaves are large and irregularly shaped holes. Younger plants are small and bushy, but the plants will eventually get long stems which need to be supported.
Passiflora
This plant is a true climber with spiral springy tendrils which will easily adherer to anything available for support. It will also get shoots that can be up to several feet long.
Philodendron
This plant is a great plant to train to climb to a frame. It will covers its support surfaces with a large mass of shiny green foliage. Some species have aerial roots and this will fix to support posts if they are covered with a thick layer of moss of some kind.
Window Sill Gardens
Growing flowers or foliage plants on a window sill is a form of gardening, most people can easily do this. For those who live in flats, and other people who do not have a garden, especially shut-ins who are confined to their home, this option provide them with countless pleasures with this type of gardening.
Window sill plants could be more popular if it were not for the fact, it takes a great amount of time to fill and empty the pots. Additionally, there are also watering problems, draining water drips on the heads of people in the street and this can be very annoying.
However, by taking some easy precautions during construction of the containers and setting the up in position, problems like this can be avoided. These kinds of problems will be addressed at the end of the chapter.
There is a wide array of outdoor and indoor plants which you have to choose from. You can choose from the fussy ones to the easy tough plants. Plus there are many ways a beautiful way displays can be gotten.
A popular method involves planting during the spring and summer seasons to show of the beautiful blooms. The can be achieved by adopting the same planting method that is used to display plants in a flower bed, in an open garden.
For people who are not familiar with types of plants used for this reason, a visit to the public parks should assist in understanding. This means speaking with gardeners and other people knowledgeable about how the best bedding plants can be found. Many plants chosen for bedding are also just fine for window boxes, but only dwarfs are better used for this purpose.
Tags: garden, gardening, house plant, houseplant, indoor plant, outdoor plant
How To Protect Your HousePlants From Pests
There are many different types of species that eat up houseplants. There are also a few found in almost all areas.
The first type of common houseplant pests are so tiny you cannot even see them with your eyes, though their damage can become obvious, bacteria.
Rotting roots is a common type of problem with plants that are victim of over watering. Some forms of rot are the result of fungi that grow as a result of over water. The excess moisture aids the growth of bacteria found in the soil that already live in the soil and can be beneficial in small amounts. Once they get to a certain size, the attack the roots and they get transported up into the body of the plant and the leaves. This can quickly kill even the healthiest plant.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is applicable here. Simply watch how much you water your plants and when. How much water is the right amount, when it best time to water and this will vary from one species to another. You need to research the different types of needs your plant may have.
Whiteflies, are a common indoor plant pest. They bugs are easy to identify, and have long waxy white bodies. You may seem the flying around the leaves if you shake them gently. Aphids appear similar, however they do not display the same rapid pattern of movement as whiteflies and their body is more round, particularly after they feed.
Mealy bugs are very different, they attach themselves to a joint between the branch and leaf stem. They leave behind small sacks that appear like wet cotton.
Spider mites are quite a common plant pest and can be easily spotted by taking a closer look with a magnifying glass if necessary. They appear like small spiders with tiny webs. Oftentimes, their bodies are yellow and will turn red, with tiny black spots, and black mites are also another common pest.
Fungus gnats are another type of pest, though the flying pests arent a major problem for houseplants. Their larvae are developed from eggs that are laid in the soil and can damage your plants. You can treat the soil and kill the flying adult bugs, they will only proceed to lay more eggs if not dealt with.
These common bugs, although seldom found on zz plant, can be taken care of with a commercial insecticide. For fungus gnat, spider mites the solution is neem oil. For mealy bugs, lady bugs are best eradicated by a biological control means. In most cases, using a simple spray of diluted liquid dishwashing soap works quite well. To make your own, add a half ounce of soap to water and mix well. Spray the plant and make certain to get the under part of leaves as well.
Be careful not to overdo the mix concentration or over spraying. You do not want to clog the leave pores, this is how a plant breathes. They breathe in carbon dioxide and exert oxygen into the air through these pores.
When its hot outside, they close down, this makes it a good time to spray. When the temp drops and the bugs die, you can spray with clean water to rinse. Through the right mix an spraying, this is not necessary.
Tags: gardening, house plant, houseplant, indoor plant, insecticide, neem oil, plant care
The Secret On How To Grow A Healthy House Plants
Lighting
Indoor house plants prefer an environment where they can get sunlight in a doorway, archway or other location. Direct sunshine for a portion of the day will happily tolerated by plants as long as it is not direct sunlight for long periods of time. Morning or filtered sunshine is ideal and bright light coming through colored or frosted glass panes makes a pretty background for a group of potted palms and can be highly beneficial to their growth. Such glass as this however, can transmit heat and this makes the plant need more frequent watering and attention to humidity needs to be added if needed. Solar films can be applied to windows to reduce heat and glare can be very important to house plants.
Humidity Needs
An indoor environment generally has low humidity and will fluctuate with considerable changes in the outdoor environment, heating and cooling. Plants do not tend to do well with low humidity though there is a wide range of responses within any given group of plants. Some species will not be tolerable of low and varying humidity and will lose their luster and seem dull and can become the victim of a pest attack such as by spider mites or mealy bugs.
The solution to low humidity is to change the environment around the plant and this does not mean you need to increase watering though the plants should not be allowed to dry out either. Many indoor palms have been killed by over watering because its leaves seem to advertise dryness. However, in fact, this dryness is a result of low humidity and cannot be fixed by increasing the amount of water a plant gets. You need to increase the humidity level around the leaves, and this will most likely be a viable solution. This can be done by putting groups of plants together so they can benefit each other. For this reason, a number of plants in each separate pot is way more successful than simply having one. Standing the pot up in a large pan of water or scoria is another useful technique for increasing humidity levels and you can also mist the leaves as well.
Temperatures
Many plants are tropical in nature and therefore do not like low temps, though some indoor species grow quite well in temperate areas. Tropical plants experiencing active growth may experience or damage from temps around 14 C. However, if they are dormant, or growing slow, they can stand lower temps. The period of time the plant is exposed to low temps also has a considerable influence. Low temps are not an issue in tropical climates, however in highland districts and temperate zones, the winter temps inside can drop to a level low enough to damage.
Homes with internal heating can avoid the issues of cold damaging indoor plants, but the resulting dry environment can also cause a lot of water loss. Indoor plants grow more slowly in the winter, not only because of lower temps but also because of a reduced light intensity and shorter daytime hours.
Watering Requirements
Though watering house plants is simple common sense, for many reasons it can create more problems and frustrations than any other dimension of plant care. Healthy plants need to be watered regularly and depending upon the prevailing temps and humidity, these two factors will determine with what frequency. In the summertime, plants can be watered daily if needed, however in the winter time their needs change. The same requirements for an indoor plant applies to plants that grow quickly, they need to be water more frequently then their slower growing counterparts or perhaps not at all, plants need more water in the summer and less in the winter. Plants in bright lighting conditions need to be watered more often because they dry out faster then a plant in a dimmer position.
Other things that need to be thought about, such as the size of the pot, what type of soil mix is being used and how full the pot is of roots and the prevailing temperature and humidity conditions. The potting mix must be allowed to drain properly, but also be able to retain enough water for the plant to be able to grow. Heavier soils can become soggy when watered and are not of any use to plants, as they only lead to root rot and growth retardation or possibly death.
Plants that are kept in drier conditions will lose the shine on their leaves and generally appear unhealthy and possibly droop. Plants that are overly wet suffer damage to the tips of leaves which will turn brown and die. If the plant suffers root damage such as from rotting of root tips, the waterlogged plant will droop and wilt because the bad roots will not be able to extract any water from the soil. Wilting in plants is not a predominant as in other types of plants.
The best watering regime will keep the potting mix in sufficient moisture and keep adequate oxygen and water which will be available for the roots to be able to grow. Regular topping off of the plant will be satisfactory but sometimes the potting mix will need to be soaked until there is water flowing out of the drainage holes. This is to ensure a complete watering of the roots and it also removes salts which may have built up from the breakdown of any fertilizers used. This process should be done outdoors on in the sink or bathtub.
In many groups of indoor plants, some of them are going to require more watering than others. It is tempting to water all the plants at one time, however this should not be done and the individual needs of each plant need to be taken into consideration. If all the plants are watered at the same time, more vigorously growing plants can dry out and the less vigorous ones will be overloaded with water.
Resting & Recuperation
Indoor house plants, just like any plant inside, will appreciate an occasional refreshing up sometimes. This may consist of hosing down the plant to wash the dust from the leaves and to refresh the plant in general. This act is very important because it removes pest build up and discourages mites, which prefer a dry environment. It is also good practice to put plants outdoors on a rainy day, but not to leave them outside in direct sunlight. Sudden over exposure can result in plants being burned up, because they are not used to it.
To help your indoor palms get a rest, move them into a shady position in the garden or bush house can be very beneficial. They are well watered, repotted and fertilized if needed and generally allowed to just recuperate and achieve new growth. Once done the plants can be moved back inside and with careful planning, you can do a series of plants in this type of cycle. Those indoors will reach their peak and maintain that state. Your plants should be moved outside for a rest period every 2-3 weeks after an initial two month period indoors.
Fertilizer Needs
Indoor palm trees benefit greatly from having fertilizer applied, but this should only be applied during the warmer months of the year when the plant it actively growing. Fertilizers that are applied during the winter time when growing is slower, to plants that may be starving or sick, will provide no added benefit and may result in the plant being burned up. Fertilizers are best when applied in smaller doses and at regular times, and the soil should be watered completely and regularly after it is applied. Quick-release fertilizer should never be added to plants that are newly potted or to those who have damaged root systems, weak or newer roots are extremely easy to burns.
There is a wide array of products that can be used for indoor fertilizer, and most will work with plants. The best fertilizers are usually mixed with the potting soil to increase initial growth and this can be supplemented with side dressings if growth needs a quick boost. Complete mixes are usually used in the potting mix and these can either be a quick or slow releasing type. Organic manure and fertilizers can be extremely helpful, but some such as blood and bone are not the best idea because they produce a bad odor and draw animals to the garden.
You can do supplementary fertilization of plants using a slow-release product, plant pills or a liquid preparation. Liquid mixes are extremely beneficial and are safer except when the plant has been over watered. A cheap and useful nitrogenous solution can be mixed by adding 1 ” tsp. of urea or ammonium nitrate to a can of water. Commercial preparations have the amounts on the back of the packet and these instructions should be followed to the letter. Some nutrients can be applied through the leaves directly and this process is known as foliar feeding. This method is less satisfactory than the ones mention previously, and it is also more expensive than other root mixtures.
Pests
It is also important to mention that potted plants may have more of a susceptibility to pests than other plants that are garden grown. The three most common pests that can attack potted plants are; mealy bugs, spider mites and scale insects. Spider mites love dry conditions and are a prime pest of indoor plants. Their damage can be reduced by frequent misting or hosing with water. Mealy bugs and scale insects can be present on any tupe of palm, however they may become very severe to those plants that are compromised or neglected. Healthy plants are better able to resist pests than a weak one.
Tags: gardening, house plant, houseplant, indoor plant, plant, plant care
The Importance of Environment and Care in Growing Houseplants
It is always easier to prevent a disease than to cure it. Did you know that this is as true for people as it is for house plants? There are many different types of plant diseases and blights, but in fact more plants fall victim to neglect or the gardeners lack of knowledge, so if you want to make sure your plants are healthy, be sure to do your research. It is easier to care for them correctly from the beginning than to undo the damage youve already done. If you follow these tips, youll be able to garden successfully even if you dont think you have a green thumb. Everyone can be a gardener if they do their research first.
Many houseplants die from neglect. Your plants need constant care including watering, pruning, sunlight, food and soil, as well as good living conditions. Provide your plants with an atmosphere where they can prosper, and they will reward you. Pay attention to the temperature and humidity requirements of the plants you choose, and ensure that they get enough fresh air. You dont need to watch them constantly, and some dont even need daily attention or watering. But you must know the needs of the specific varieties of plants that you have chosen.
If you dont wish to grow plants that require a lot of care, try your hand at a cactus or succulent that only needs occasional watering. However, most other plants that you choose of your home require a little more care. This care is easy and inexpensive, and you will be rewarded with beautiful plants.
Many house plants also die because of gardeners trying to grow them in unsuitable conditions. Some plants, including Lantana and Morning Glory, require as much sun as you can provide them, and absolutely must be placed in a South-facing window. Others, like the African violet, and many varieties of English Ivy, will thrive in low light settings. Be aware of your plants location requirements if you are buying a plant for a specific spot.
Most indoor plants are somewhat adaptable. Because the modern home is designed for humans and not plants, it can be difficult for them to thrive. These indoor plants must acclimate to their new surroundings in order to live. Thats why a desert cactus and a tropical fern can live in the same room, as long as you care for them with an understanding of their needs.
There are a wide variety of houseplants available at your local nursery or garden center, and these vary widely in their requirements. Dont assume that what works for your cactus will work for your fern; many plants will die with the exact same conditions under which other plants thrive.
Tags: gardening, house plant, houseplant, plant, plant care
How To Effective Protect Your Plants Against Disease
House plants are actually living organisms and they can be attacked by other living organisms that can produce damage and diseases. Listed here are the most common symptoms along with tips on how to treat the diseases they cause.
Your plants might be covered with a powdery substance that can be wiped away easily with your hand or a soft cloth. That is a sign of powder mildew a very common plant disorder. The powder can be white or brown in color and is usually on top of the leaves where it can be seen with the naked eye. The disorder occurs more often when your plants has gotten too little sunlight or the soil has been kept too dry.
This condition can be easily treated, all you have to do is remove the powdery substance with a soft cloth. However, for more complete treatment and long term protection, use a mildewcide. Place the plant in a location where it can get more sun exposure and keep it watered properly.
Brown spotting on the leaves can be a sign of improper watering, which may make leaf spot fungus. Figure out how much water and when to give it, for your particular plant. Give the plant a bit more sun exposure and moving it close to a light source is a good idea. There is rarely any need for further treatment.
Spots are usually concentric shaped rings, in this case, they are mostly likely due to a fungus. Remove any dead leaves and allowing for good air circulation around the plant. To ensure that water spots do not remain on the leaves for long periods of time. This will promote the growth of fungus, use a fungicide.
Leaf spotting can also be the result of bacteria.
Bacterial spots on leafs can appear as a yellow-hued halo and the spots will get bigger to the point where they form a blob whenever the plant is continually wet. Drier conditions make brown spots and then the leaves become somewhat speckled. Keep the plants warm enough as recommended for their species and give them plenty of room to grow and spread. Treat with a bacteriacide when necessary.
Another common problem from over watering houseplants, is stem rot. The outer leaves of the plant will not hold tight to the plants and will possibly even fall off when touched. The outer edges of the leaves become yellow over time. To care for wilted houseplants applying a fungicide for quick relief but the only long term solution is to discover what type of watering pattern will work best for the type of plant you have.
Root rot is another problem that is cause by having too much moisture in the soil. Bacteria will thrive all the time becoming harmful to leavees and invade the roots and eventually work its way up the plant. The leaves will begin to be discolored and you can try easing up on the water, but few plants ever recover
To lower the risk of plants becoming damaged by disease, begin with disease free plants. The best way to do this is to buy from a reputable dealer only. Use sterile soil and not just old dirt from around your yard. Early and often treatment are also important and you should not let these problems go unchecked.
Tags: gardening, houseplant, indoor plant, plant, plant care, watering
Orchids Can Grow Well in Your Windowsill
It’s easy to grow orchids in your home. It can be a beautiful hobby, and orchids have been a symbol of love and commitment for centuries. Traditionally used in wedding bouquets and corsages, they can add an exotic touch to any room. Orchids are an especially beautiful flower, and they are relatively easy to grow. However, they do require some special care, and you should learn how to grow orchids properly before investing in one, because it does take patience.
Making a place for your new orchids
When you are first learning how to grow an orchid, buy a book on them. This will help you provide all of the requirements orchids need to thrive. Your new orchid would enjoy a home on a windowsill, with southern exposure if possible. You’ll also need a humidity tray on which to place your potted orchids, because they are used to a very humid climate. You should also have a misting bottle to provide them even more moisture.
Determining Light Levels
Once you have your windowsill ready for an orchid, purchase two or three plants. Any more will crowd your windowsill and may be hard to handle. Check your orchid book to determine the necessary light levels for the types of orchids you have chosen. If yours enjoy lots of sunlight, place them several inches from the glass in your window. If your type of orchid enjoys shade, it can be grown in the shadow of your other orchid. Be careful, because direct sunlight can burn the leaves of your orchids, especially during the summer months.
Regulating conditions
To protect your orchids from light and heat, you may want to consider placing a sheer curtain over the window. Orchids also thrive with good air circulation, so consider directing a fan just above the leaves of your orchid plants. If you see pests on your plant, spot treat the leaves with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), which is ah handy household chemical.
Watering your orchids
You need to be especially careful when watering your plants, especially if you are just beginning to grow orchids. They will be better off a little too dry rather than too wet. When watering your orchid, make sure that the water runs through the pot, to get rid of any mineral deposits that have settled into the soil. The amount of water your orchid needs depends on the size of the pot, the type of soil, the specific type of orchid, and its light and heat conditions. If it is in its active growing season, it will need more water. Over-watering an orchid, however, can be quite damaging.
Growing your own orchids is a beautiful and easy hobby. Care for many orchids such as the Phalaenopsis or Moth orchid may not seem easy especially when you see them in wedding bouquets and corsages, but in fact they can be successfully grown as houseplants with the right care and attention.
Tags: home, houseplant, orchids
Beautify Your Home With Colorful Plants
One of the best and easiest ways to bring a spark of life to your home is to add some plants. If you love plants and enjoy gardening, you can put several in each room of your house. You will be amazed at how it provides you with a feeling of comfort and pleasure. Surrounding yourself with plants is a wonderful way to enhance your home.
Houseplants are easy to grow and manage, if you take care of them well, they will provide you with a great source of beauty. They also keep the air inside your home clean.
People can become discouraged with houseplants also, because they cannot seem to get them to grow properly. Some people give up and throw their hands in the air, feeling that their home is not the proper environment conducive to growing plants, or that maybe they do not have the loving touch required, so they may give up in frustration.
However, most problems with houseplants is caused by inadequate potting, over or under watering, improper feeding or other issues surrounding plant care. With a bit of knowledge, almost anyone can grow lush beautiful house plants.
You need to realize that indoor plants do not have the same advantage for soil drainage as outdoor plants. When it sits in a pot and is over watered, it can cause the roots to rot and the plant gets diseased from sitting in dirty water. One of the most important things to remember is to make sure your plants have adequate drainage for any excess water.
Making drain holes for your plants is very easy. Make sure that your plants are potted in a container which has drain holes in the bottom. These drain holes provide extra water with a way to seep out into the drain pan. If your pot does not have any holes, then you need to put a few inches of rock into the bottom of the pot. Rocks act as a drain area for the extra water and the plant roots will not become water logged and soggy every time you water your plant.
The next thing that is important to know, is that plants require a different type of dirt than outside plants. You need to buy indoor potting soil, and use this for your house plants instead of outdoor dirt.
And last but not least: Make sure the pot you’re trying to grow your plant in is not too small for it. Many indoor plants which you buy at the store are too crowded, so they must be transplanted to a larger container once you’ve brought them home. There are some types of plants such as ferns, which prefer to be crowded, but generally the more room your plants have to grow, the healthier and prettier they’ll be.
Lastly, make sure that the plant pot you are using is not too small. Lots of indoor plants you buy at the store are over crowded, so they need to be transferred to a larger container once you get them home. There are plants like ferns, which prefer to be in crowded conditions, but as a rule, the more room your plants have to grow, the healthier and more vibrant they will be. In fact, for ornamental plants care guide specifically bromeliad care guide prefers a spacious space so their flowers can be given more focus.
Tags: garden, home, houseplant, plant, plant care
How To Propagate Ferns From Spores
Air-layering and Hormone Treatments
To increase a plants woody stem, air-layering is necessary. The main house plants that are propagated in this manner are azalea, cissus, codiaeum, fatsia, philodendron and rhoicissus.
The action is performed by slitting through the stem on one side to form a sort of groove or tongue, where you want to incite roots to be produced. The tongue is dusted with a hormone powder and dampened moss is packed into the slit and the layer is then covered with moss. In order to prevent tissue damage or drying, the moss is covered with a polythene sheet and this is best done during the summertime when active growth is occurring.
Once roots have been sufficiently formed, the shoot is then cut off and set in a suitably sized pot.
How to do ring propagation
The method is called this because it involves removing a ring from the stems of plants, where new root growth is desired.
When the lower leaves of plants get to be too tall and leggy, ringing is performed.
The ideal time for ringing is early in the spring when active growth begins. About an inch wide section or ring of bark is removed, just below the lower leaves. The ring stem is bound with moss and covered with plastic film, which keeps it most until the newer roots form. Then the rooted upper portion can be cut and set up in a separate pot.
How to Grow Ferns from Spores
Many fern plants that are used as house plants can be increased by using spores. Boston fern plant spores form in clusters and usually on the backsides of matured fern fronds. The clusters are brown colored and if they are ready for sowing, the fronds should be gathered together and put into a paper bag and hung in a warm room for a couple days. By this time, the spores will have dropped to the bottom of the bag and formed a brownish colored powder.
Place a flower pot filled with a soil and covered with a layer of sifted peat moss. The spores might then be sprinkled in a thin layer on the surface and cover the pot with a pane of glass and put in a saucer of water. The pot need to be placed in a warm room and in about four to six weeks, the top of the compost will be covered with a fine layer of moss like growth. The growth contains small structures bearing male and female organs, after they have been fertilized, new ferns begin to appear. The young ferns can be taken out, much in the same way other seedlings are, into a light and fertile soil. After they have been picked out and put in a pan or pot, they have to be put into a pan or saucer of water and covered with a pane of glass once again. Eventually the plants will be large enough to put into separate pots. The final step is to put these plant into a glass-covered box, here they remain until they have achieved their maximum growth potential. Then the glass can be removed and the plants can be acclimated to the environment of the room.
Tags: boston fern, ferns, gardening, house plant, houseplant, spores
How To Protect Your HousePlants From Pests
There are many different types of species that eat up houseplants. There are also a few found in almost all areas.
The first type of common houseplant pests are so tiny you cannot even see them with your eyes, though their damage can become obvious, bacteria.
Rotting roots is a common type of problem with plants that are victim of over watering. Some forms of rot are the result of fungi that grow as a result of over water. The excess moisture aids the growth of bacteria found in the soil that already live in the soil and can be beneficial in small amounts. Once they get to a certain size, the attack the roots and they get transported up into the body of the plant and the leaves. This can quickly kill even the healthiest plant.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is applicable here. Simply watch how much you water your plants and when. How much water is the right amount, when it best time to water and this will vary from one species to another. You need to research the different types of needs your plant may have.
Whiteflies, are a common indoor plant pest. They bugs are easy to identify, and have long waxy white bodies. You may seem the flying around the leaves if you shake them gently. Aphids appear similar, however they do not display the same rapid pattern of movement as whiteflies and their body is more round, particularly after they feed.
Mealy bugs are very different, they attach themselves to a joint between the branch and leaf stem. They leave behind small sacks that appear like wet cotton.
Spider mites are quite a common plant pest and can be easily spotted by taking a closer look with a magnifying glass if necessary. They appear like small spiders with tiny webs. Oftentimes, their bodies are yellow and will turn red, with tiny black spots, and black mites are also another common pest.
Fungus gnats are another type of pest, though the flying pests arent a major problem for houseplants. Their larvae are developed from eggs that are laid in the soil and can damage your plants. You can treat the soil and kill the flying adult bugs, they will only proceed to lay more eggs if not dealt with.
These common bugs, although seldom found on zz plant, can be taken care of with a commercial insecticide. For fungus gnat, spider mites the solution is neem oil. For mealy bugs, lady bugs are best eradicated by a biological control means. In most cases, using a simple spray of diluted liquid dishwashing soap works quite well. To make your own, add a half ounce of soap to water and mix well. Spray the plant and make certain to get the under part of leaves as well.
Be careful not to overdo the mix concentration or over spraying. You do not want to clog the leave pores, this is how a plant breathes. They breathe in carbon dioxide and exert oxygen into the air through these pores.
When its hot outside, they close down, this makes it a good time to spray. When the temp drops and the bugs die, you can spray with clean water to rinse. Through the right mix an spraying, this is not necessary.
Tags: gardening, house plant, houseplant, indoor plant, insecticide, neem oil, plant care
How To Grow A Beautiful Spider Plant
A spider plant is a great choice for a houseplant. It is attractive and easy to take care of. It is possible to over or under water, but they are much more resilient than other plants. They also have a long life span.
The plants have long leaves that are narrow and come in other variations such as dark green with yellow striping, variegated, speckled and more. A spider plant will grow fast and produce a lot of foliage, which means they are a great choice for decorating. When they grow, they also tolerate being root bound quite well.
The watering requirements of the plant require a very small effort, however do not over water because it can cause root rot. A consistently moist soil with occasional dry periods is best recommended. Spider plants can go for several days without being watered, especially during the fall and winter, when they are less active.
If you see the tips are growing brown or become spotted, you need to change the kind of water you are using. If you have been using tap water, then it is okay depending where you live. If in the city, the water supply may have a high chlorine concentration and possibly fluorine as well. These minerals can damage your plant, so try using rainwater or purified water free of minerals to see if the problem will be alleviated.
Spider plants are flexible with light requirements, they do quite well in indirect sunlight, but can also handle direct and bright lights for several hours daily. The idea is to give them a few hours of light that is not in an area that is too hot or too cold. They can stand temps anywhere from 55-65 F, this is a part of their natural environment.
The plants are very easy about fertilizer requirements also, but it is important no to overdo it. A liquid NPK mix applied to the plant every three to four months is sufficient during the growing season. There is no need to do it in the fall or winter, that means generally they only get two or three feedings per year.
In the summer time, spider plants produce small, star shaped flowers that are white. The flowers grow along the stalk that can reach over three feet in length. If you notice the stalk is leaning or bending, it is a good idea to stake it. The plant may also bloom more than once and can develop flowers again in spring or early fall.
Spider plants make a beautiful hanging basket, particularly when they are older and have an abundance of leaves. They can grow out of a pot, so you need to divide and replant about every two years. Spider plants can reach a few feet wide and even apart from flower stalks, can get up to two feet in height. Caring for a healthy plant if done properly can help your Spider Plants grow so much it will crack a clay pot.
You can add a beautiful look to your indoor plant garden with this plant that is easy to take care of, you should try a spider plant.
Tags: gardening, houseplant, plant, plant care, spider plants
