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I have had many questions about the Staghorn fern. I have written two articles before,  Indoor Plants: The Staghorn Fern and its Care, and the other, How to Grow and Ariel Theme Garden. 

But recently I had a question on how to divide a Staghorn fern that was bought in a pot. Some people grow the Staghorn ferns this way and they are beautiful.  The question was how to divide a plant that was bought this way and place it on a board.

I also like the look of the Staghorn fern on a piece of wood and to me it adds to my home décor and can be hung anywhere where the growing conditions are correct. In warmer climates many people hang them on fences or trees and leave them out year round.

If you get a Staghorn in a pot and want to divide it and place it on a board you need to check the plant and make sure any division or “pup” as they are referred to has at least two fronds or stems. Division is best done in the spring or summer when the sterile “shield” fronds are brown.

First thoroughly water the Staghorn to be divided. Next, use a sharp knife and cut through the sterile fronds at an equal distance between the parent plant and the pup. I pack wet moss around the new section of the plant immediately and also pack the area with moss where I removed the small plant form the original. This encourages new root growth and keeps the area from drying out.

Make sure the pup is oriented (placed up) the same as it was on the parent plant when placing the plant on a board.

Squeeze most of the water out of the moss and pack it around the pup. Using the fishing line, cross back and forth tightly over the shield on the pup, close to the fronds, hooking the line around the nails. When it is securely fastened tie the end onto one of the nails. Using the technique described above apply a “patch” of moss into the area where you removed the pup from the parent plant.

Your new plant should thrive. And if by change you need to wait for a bit for you plants to develop more fronds before separating they will do well in a hanging pot. Care for them as you would a plant placed on a board

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photo credit: audreyjm529 Overall, if given a rest period during the year and watered and fertilized properly the Shamrock will live for many years. If you notice your plant looks a little weak or seems to be suffering there are two plant diseases that affect the shamrock plant.

Shamrock Plant Disease

Fungal Rust can be diagnosed when you notice an obvious orange color on the underside of the leaves. Treatment: I remove the plant from the pot and clean the pot thoroughly. If you feel the plant needs repotted this it the time to do so.

Before placing the plant back in its pot wash the plant carefully with a mix of neem oil. Neem oil is not one of the toxic chemicals that many people use so I feel its safe to use and its good for several other forms of plant diseases too.

After placing the plant back in the pot remove the top layer of soil and replace with fresh soil. Water the plant lightly with a chamomile tea mix. If your plant has really suffered you may want to take extra measures. This site has information on common plant disease

Spider Mites are a common problem on the shamrock plant.  These insect parasites are small mites that are almost not visible. They produce a little white webbing that is sticky. They seem to choose to hide and live under leaves and in the joints of stems.

You need to remedy the problem as quickly as possible or they will spread. A spider mite sucks the juice out of the plant and weakens it. If left untreated the plant will slowly die.

If you suspect mites, there are two treatments.  A home remedy of water a few drops of dish soap and a touch of garlic will stop the mites. If the mites are quite large touching them with Sea Breeze that is placed on a Q-tip will kill the bug.

You can treat the plant with Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insecticide.  Mix this product with water as directed and pour on the soil around the base of the plant.  It will kill the bugs within a week or so.  The plus to this product is that it provides protection from reinfestation for up to a year.

Note: Make sure you remove any old or infected soil from the top of the pot.

For more information on this plant check Shamrock Plant Care and The Shamrock Plant

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Once started the cotton plant is not that hard to care for. I started my seeds in four-inch pots with rich fertilized soil. You can also use regular potting soil but add plant fertilizer to enhance the soil.

Place 4 seeds in each four-inch pot. Water the seeds and place in a sunny area. I often will cover new seeds with a plastic cover to keep in the moisture. It acts like a greenhouse and helps the seeds to sprout quicker. When the seeds begin to sprout remove the plastic so that the plants can breath.

Once the seedlings have begun to grow, leave the healthiest looking seedling to grow in each pot. I remove the smaller ones and repot them. My nephews always enjoy these plants or I will take them to a retirement home for them to grow.

When the plants outgrow their original pots transplant them into 12-inch pots. Usually when the plants are developing their second set of full sized leaves they are ready to be transferred. After you transfer the plants, water them well and add some fertilizer to help with transplants shock. I give the plants a few days with less sun to recover then move them back into a sunny area.

Cotton plants thrive with a typical tomato feed that can be found in most garden centers, nurseries or online stores. The tomato feed is high in nutrients, which benefit the cotton plant.

Water the cotton plants regularly, usually once a week. I grow my cotton plants on my patio and bring them in the fall at night when the temperatures start to cool. Cotton is more of a warm weather crop so if your climate is a cool climate they may benefit from being brought in at night.

When the flowers of the cotton plant begin to die off, the ‘bolls’, which hold the cotton seed, begins to form. Cotton plants that are grown outdoors will drop their bolls at the end of the season when the plant is dying. Indoor cotton plants need to have the bolls picked.

Cotton plants are fun and unique, particularly the pastel colored cotton, but the plants have prickers and can scratch you so you need to take care around them.
photo credit: chadmiller

I remember my first time I picked cotton at my cousins farm in Georgia. The cotton took a little getting used to in order to pick it properly without scratching yourself and ripping the boll. But it was a fun adventure and a field of cotton is a pretty site.

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A very interesting terrarium is one set up with carnivorous plants. Most carnivorous plants are native to the United States. With their tropical look this fact surprises many people. And they are one of the more difficult plant varieties to grow. But growing them in a terrarium creates an atmosphere they like and it is a fun project to try.

Supplies needed for your Carnivorous Plant terrarium

·    Activated charcoal
·    Distilled water
·    Glass container – fish tank or unique glass bowls make great terrariums
·    Gravel
·    Several carnivorous plants
·    Sphagnum peat moss
·    Insects such as crickets or flies

Choose a glass container for your terrarium. If you have a lot of plants you may want a fish tank. I pick up my glass containers at garage sales and auctions and I look for interesting shapes. Your Carnivorous plants will need a lot of humidity, so the container should have a lid.

Next add a layer of gravel of loose pebbles or gravel to the bottom of your terrarium. The layer should be an inch deep. Then top the gravel with about 1/2 inch of activated charcoal. This absorbs any odors in the tank.
photo credit: ljmacphee

Cover the gravel and charcoal with a layer of sphagnum peat moss. Next I add about three inches of unfertilized soil. My friend told me many years ago to using sphagnum peat moss with silica sand or medium grade orchid bark. This mix will create an acidic soil that carnivorous plants like.

Add distilled water to the peat moss and mix until it turns black.  Then you will want to mix in the sand or bark. This creates a bog type soil that the plants need to thrive.

Now comes the fun part. Adding the plants! These are a few carnivorous plants that you might select for the terrarium: Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia Californica); North American Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia); Australian Pitcher Plant (Cephalotus Follicularis); South American Sun Pitchers (Heliamphora); Sundew (Drosera); Bladderwort (Utricularia); Butterwort (Pinguicula); and the most well known carnivorous plant, the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). These plants can be ordered from garden suppliers or bought at larger garden centers or greenhouses.

Water your terrarium well with distilled water. This is important. The other types of water contain minerals and additives that could stunt plant growth or kill your plants.

You will want to place the terrarium in a spot with bright light where the temperature should average 65 to 75 degrees during the day and 55 to 65 degrees at night.

Tip: Carnivorous plants do not tolerate low light levels or high temperatures. The area also should not be drafty. Since carnivorous plants need plenty of light but will overheat if placed in direct sunlight, you may need to supplement lighting by using a good quality florescent light.

Your plants will need to be fed about once a month. They will eat either live or dead ants, flies or crickets. Children enjoy a carnivorous terrarium and will learn a lot from this project.

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Plants also have many health benefits. They cleanse the air through utilizing the carbon dioxide and producing more oxygen. And in building that are more airtight these toxins can build up and cause more allergies and disease. By adding six to 12 plants to your home you can clean the air that surrounds you and add color and add aesthetic value to your décor.

Lighting

Most indoor plants need good lighting. This can be provided through natural lighting or electric lighting. Windows without drafts and sunrooms are wonderful locations for plants. If lighting is low in your home choose darker leaved plants. They usually don’t need as much light.

The plant varieties listed below usually only require medium to low light and are known to be suitable for indoor gardening:

• African violets (benefit form northern lighting)
• Boston ferns
• Creeping Fig
• Cyclamen
• Philodendrons
• Certain bulbs
• I also like to add a few herbs in my mix of indoor plants. They add great texture, aroma and the addition of fresh herbs for cooking needs.

Watering

A common mistake most people make in indoor gardening is they tend to over-water the plants, which often leads to rotting roots and moldy soil. Research the type of plant you have so that you know its watering needs. I also water all my plants from underneath, never on top of the soil. They also sit on pebbles in a tray. This adds to the humidity around a plant.
photo credit: faeryboots *away for the weekend!*

Potting

Select quality containers for your indoor plants. With all the container choices available you can add an artistic flair to any room and match your room style easily.  Make sure that the container is clean before placing your new plant into it. Rinsing the container with vinegar will help kill any germs you may have missed. The last step for you house plant is good soil. A clean container and healthy clean soil will prevent infection encourage healthy plant growth.

Humidity

Humidity is very important in the indoor garden.  The amount of moisture in the air has effect on the growth of the plants. By using pebbles on trays you will create a better humidity factor around the plants. During mornings, you could spray the plants with water for their much-needed moisture. Make sure the leaves don’t get covered in dust.

Fertilizing Plants

One final step in healthy indoor plants is feeding and fertilizing. Fertilizing your plant will depend on the type of plant.  If you have managed to supply your indoor garden with the right amount of light, water and humidity, fertilization may not need much attention. A good indoor fertilizer can be bought from garden centers or hardware stores. Read up on your type of plant to know its needs.

With a little planning and are you can have beautiful healthy plants that add to the comfort and design of your home.

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Saint Patrick’s Day is not complete without a Shamrock plant. The plant has a spring feel and signifies good luck. It’s a welcome addition to any home. But after it has flowered it will need a rest. How soon will depend on how hard it was forced to have flowers by Saint Patrick’s Day and on how it was treated before you bought the plant. If it was in poor lighting, cool areas or lacked water it may be stressed and need a break sooner.

The Shamrock plant will need to rest a couple of times during the year. the leaves will yellow and look sad. Just remove the ones that are dying and cut back on water. Soon the plant will look very sad. It’s time to remove the leaves and stems to let the plant rest. I move the plant to a low light area and ignore. When you see signs of new growth on eh bulb bring the plant back into light and water.

In no time at all the plant will spring to life.

Care of the Shamrock Plant

Any plant will need repotted after a bit. It gives the plant new nutrition, fresh soil and a clean or new home depending if you totally repot the plant. I repot my plants once a year. It gives me a chance to check the roots and see if they are healthy or root bound. I also like to give the plant a new pot and a new look.

Repotting the Shamrock Plant

My Shamrock plants are several years old. Each year in late spring I replant them. Plants will let you know if they need replanted but by changing planters each year you know your plant is getting attention and proper care. This year I am changing my four shamrocks into different colored pots and adding a few mini ceramic pottery pieces to the pot for décor.

To repot you plant, tap the sides of the pot to loosen the soil. Hold the plant in place down by the base near the soil and tip on its side. The plant should come out but if it hesitated push you finger into the drainage hole to coax the plant out.

Check the look of the soil once the plant is out. If it has any crusty dirt or whitish spots remove them. Gently loosen the soil so that the plants roots breath better; but take care not to damage any plant roots.

If you are using the same pot make sure you wash it well and let it dry completely. I am using new pots but have washed them and let them dry. I will place broken pieces of clay pot over the drainage hole to hold dirt in but let water drain through. Next put in about 2 two to three inches of rich soil in the pot.

Set the Shamrock root ball onto the dirt, and carefully fill soil around the plant. Pat the soil around the base of the plant to hold it up right. Fill in the pot with more dirt until the pot is about 7/8th full. As a final step I place very small pebbles on the top of the soil. This helps to keep the soil loose so that the water will soak into the plant easier.

I normally water my plants from the bottom of the pot. This stops soil mold from forming and the soil from getting hard. I also find the soil stays in better condition if you water from below. But once in a while I do water from the top. Water you newly potted plant and let the plant relax for a few days

4 leaf clover

photo credit: cygnus921

As a last step, place your newly potted plant on a tray of pebbles. This creates more humidity around the plant and makes for a better plant environment. If by chance you plant has looked a little stressed or tired I will place a plastic bag tent over the plant to create a greenhouse effect. This perks almost any plant up immediately.

Once my plant has adapted to its new pot I add the ceramic pottery pieces and select its home for the year. My shamrock plants have done very well over the years and have produced more bulbs, which I have potted up and given to friends. Enjoy your Shamrock plant.

Tip: If your soil gets hard on the top of your plants during the year, gently loosen with a fork. Small pebbles should alleviate this problem.

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My planting plans for perennials always depend on our winter weather but through the years I have learned that January seems to work well. I also include starting perennial herbs.

Many perennial seeds need a cold treatment (putting the seeds in cold temperature to shock them into sprouting when they warm up.) I place my perennials seeds in the refrigerator for several weeks. When I take them out I place them in wet paper towels to help soften the outside of the seed covering for a day, then plant according to the directions on the back of the package.

I start the plants in the downstairs apartment kitchen area. It has the perfect lighting for seed starting. As soon as they are two inches tall they are moved out to the solar greenhouse. In a few weeks they will be transferred into bigger pots and depending on the weather may be moved to cold frames. Pennsylvania winters are very unpredictable so the plants may have to stay in the greenhouse.

I start about 30 varieties of perennials each spring and fall. They are added to my perennial gardens. I try to choose plants I am either low on or new plants. This will be my first year for being open to the public as a perennial gardening business. Before this I grew plants for friends, family and as gifts.

I find starting my own perennials gives me a wider selection of plants I can grow. The plants are also healthier due to not being transferred in cold temperatures and left in unsuitable conditions. They are also grown in fresh organic compost that I make myself just for the plants and fed my own fertilizer tea blend.

Tips:

I use clear milk jugs to add extra warmth to the greenhouse, cold frames and in the gardens in the spring.

Perennials also make great indoor plants. They may need a timewhere they can rest or that you cut them down to let them rest and regrow, but they really add to your house and creating an indoor garden oasis.

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As with any new plant it takes time to adjust to its new home. In a home this usually means a drier climate, warmer climate and reduced lighting. When choosing a plant it’s wise to take into account all of these conditions and buy a plant that will fit, but these impulse buys or more selective plants sometimes create challenges.

Plant leaves loose water more quickly in a house than in a greenhouse so your plants may loose a few leaves the first two weeks. This may also be a sign that you need more light for the plant.

So for the first week or two water your plant more than you normally would but make sure you don’t water until the soil is soggy. It should be moist to the touch but not wet. I like to spray it more than water it, as the leaves are what usually lack the water first. I also set all my plants on pebble trays to help with humidity. And if I buy a plant that looks a little sad I use a plastic bag over it to help give it a greenhouse effect for the first week. I find this helps the plant to adjust to its new home quicker.

Lat but not least, even if the plant is a sun lover I keep it out of direct sunlight for the first week.

My Christmas cactus is sitting in its own little plastic greenhouse climate and seems to be doing fine. I will know for sure next week

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I grow mustard, spinach, several lettuces, onion and radishes on one windowsill and herbs in a hanging planter. I already have a nice crop growing and will be starting a new crop soon. I also grow cherry tomatoes and at least one experimental plant each winter.

Here are a few steps and supplies to help you set up a windowsill garden.

Supplies.

• Fresh soil… I heat it in the oven to make sure it is sterile.
• clean pots
• small pebbles or rocks
• seeds
• plastic

Start by making sure you pots are clean. I fill the pots with good soil and place the pots on a tray with rocks. This will insure I have good drainage and that the plants have a humid atmosphere. Humidity in the air promotes healthier plants.

A window with southern lighting or southwest lighting is the best for garden crops. I like to have 6 to 8 hours of light. If you don’t you can always supply additional lighting. I plant my seeds a cover with clear plastic to help them germinate quicker.

Once the plants have germinated I remove the plastic. I also water from the tray instead of on top of the soil. This prevents soil mold. If by chance you get soil mold (A light white look to the soil top) cut back on water and use artificial lighting to dry the top of the soil. You can also add a couple of sprinkles of baby powder to the top of the soil. I also water once a month with chamomile tea, which helps prevent bacteria and helps to prevent the mold.
photo credit: cygnus921

As the winter progresses you may want to use a liquid fertilizer or compost for more nutrients. I also change the soil in my pots once during the winter when I am replanting  crops.

Growing a few fresh vegetables gives you produce without chemicals and with today’s high prices will help your food budget. It is amazing how much you can grow on a windowsill! It also adds color to your rooms and reminds me of spring and the summer that will follow. I also have a few flowers mixed in the vegetables too for more color.

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Indoor plants

If you leave your indoor plants out when the nights get colder, in the low 40’s or lower, they suffer from shock and it takes too much of a toll on the plant to recover. So bring them in after 5pm and if you wish set them back out during the day as long as the temperatures are in the high 50’s.

Geraniums

Many people bring in their geraniums and save them over the winter months. There are two ways to do this. You can bring in pots or pot them up and put them in a cool place and cut back on watering them.

Or you can take the geraniums out of the soil and take off all the soil, them place in a brown paper bag and store until spring. I usually use the brown bag method. I find the plants do better in the spring in my zone 5 area. You will need to bring the plants out in late march and replant them. Cut the plants back and water. Wait until you see new growth and give them a liquid fertilizer. I will often place plastic bags over the plants to give them a greenhouse-growing atmosphere.

I also save mums, begonias, potato plants and tomato plants.

Tags: bringing indoor plants in in the fall, overwintering geraniums, The Gardeners Rake weekly gardening tip

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