Houseplant Pests

scale, mites and mealy, oh my! This is the time of year when pests become noticeable on houseplants. You might be seeing leaves turning yellow, or looking dirty on the undersides. Maybe you’re noticing webs, or stickiness on the plants or surfaces around the pots. You might even be seeing the insects themselves as the…

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Time To Repot Houseplants

I find that the early spring is a great time to repot houseplants. Since the days are getting longer this is giving all plants the signal that it’s time to grow, and if you put some of your plants out for “summer camp” in late May, they will be well adjusted to their new digs…

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Fragrant Plant for a Winter Lift

At this time of year it often feels like spring just can’t come fast enough. Fortunately, we can cheer ourselves up with indoor plants that are blooming, fragrant, or both. Here are just a few of the commonly found fragrant plants that are sure to lift your spirits out of the winter doldrums.

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Watering and Fertilizing Houseplants

The main reason people’s houseplants die is from the way they are watered: too much or too little water kills indoor plants. Watering isn’t the only reason some plants fail, of course, but improper watering leads to the decline of plants in the majority of cases. Here are some general guidelines for watering, followed by…

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Houseplant Problem Solvers

January is the month when we start to notice problems on indoor plants. There are good reasons for this timing: the plants have been living with less than ideal light since October. The air in our centrally heated houses is dry. Plants might be crammed in together so that there isn’t good air circulation and…

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An Indoor Plant for Every Heart

I walked through the front greenhouse at Country Garden the other day because I wanted to be surrounded by the amazing selection of houseplants. I needed a serious dose of growth! That day I noticed that Christina and Marsha were unpacking a new shipment of indoor plants, so of course I had to take a…

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An Aloe For Every House

I was cooking with a friend a few years back and touched my thumb to a pan that had just come out of the oven. I held the minor burn under cold water for a time, and then asked my friend for ice. To my surprise, she brought me not only an ice cube, but…

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