In my home houseplants are difficult to grow and I have had many people ask questions so here is a you tube about houseplants and a few varieties that are very hardy. And the plant selections are plants that add color to a home and in the winter that is important.

What I like about the selection of plants they talk about on this video is the selection of plants for high lighting in a room, medium lighting and low lighting.

In NW PA you tend to have more medium to low light in the winter unless you have a sunroom. And many renters and urban home have lower lighting conditions so this you tube and the mist below may help you select medium to low light plants for your home.

Medium light House plants

• Ficus
• Rex Begonias

Low Light House plants

• Philodendrons
• Peperomias

Ferns and pothos are also popular and easy to care for  houseplants for medium low light or low light conditions.

House plants are fun, great for the indoor environment and will keep the indoor gardener somewhat occupied while waiting for better weather.

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Indoor plants help to clean the air in the home, which is even more important with more home being sealed up to prevent heat loss.

This you tube talks about the different sizes and varieties of houseplants and their advantages for the home.

This list of plants covers some of the varieties of indoor plants and their care and needs for lighting in the home

• Eureka Palm
• Spathiphyllum (The Peace Lily)
• Golden Pothos
• Yucca – good for sunny window, needs less water
• Arboracola
• Dieffenbachia
• Austin Fern (hanging plant, good for bathroom)
• Succulents (require little maintenance)

It is said that to purify the home you need a minimum of 1 plant per 100 square feet to clean toxins.

I have a large selection of succulents and ferns in my home. I had never thought about the yucca plant but it is one of my favorite outdoors so we may have to add it indoors too.

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Plants are also known for adding enjoyment, beauty and health benefits to your home. And yes, plants help to improve the air quality in your home.

When carefully chosen and strategically placed, plants will add ambiance and warmth to any room or business.

How to Purchase an indoor Plant

The most important thing to remember when purchasing plants is that the plants you select must be compatible with the environment you provide.

• Lighting must be considered along with temperatures and any draft conditions.
• Time for maintaining a plant must also be thought of. If you have a busy office or travel you will not want a plant that needs to be fussed over to survive.

Choose plants whose foliage is rich green and uniform in color. Any plant that has broken stems, yellow or brown leaves, looks wilted or has sad looking soil should be avoided.

Inspect the plant for pests, such as mealy bugs, spider mites and worms. A sign of insects would be yellow leaves, sad looking soil, any odor or worn leaves.

Check the pot the plant is in. Is the pot clean and the right size for the plant? Does is have proper drainage? You may want to purchase a new pot if you answered no to any of these questions.

You may also want purchase a pot that will match the décor of your home or office. Many planters or pots that has a watering tray included, which is beneficial to the plant and in watering.

Check the label for the mature height of the plant. Make sure that it is not too tall for the location in your home. I have found that grouping a few plants makes a very attracting arrangement and will add depth and flow to a room. If you decide to group several plants in one area you will want to select plants of different heights.

One last consideration in purchasing a plant is to look for healthy new growth. New growth will let you know the plant has not been forced to grow quickly and that the soil and roots should be healthy.

Note: Bargain plants look attractive but check the plant over well to see if it has been neglected, as a pest problem or poor soil. Bringing home a plant that can infect your healthy plants or that may require a lot of attention may not be a bargain.

A plant or group of plants will last for years if properly maintained and the benefits to your home and office will be immeasurable.

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The Gardeners Rake.

You see its snowing out and its way too cold (7 degrees) and I would rather be out playing in garden dirt. So, I’ll have to play with my indoor plants instead.

So tell me what your favorite indoor plant is and ask a question if you have one. Or tell me about your favorite plant.

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Here’s a tip my neighbor gave me about African Violets. They grow best in a window with northern lighting. My neighbor, Irma, always had the most amazing African Violets and it was a plant I struggled to grow.

So I switched my plants to a window in the north and the plants recovered and were beautiful.

Send me a comment, story or a question about indoor plants and lets see where it leads.

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Over the years, one of my favorite plants has become the Aspidistra, which is commonly known as the Cast Iron plant. This plant will beautify any dark room or corner. And in my home this is a plus for the rooms on the north side.

Many gardening experts describe the Aspidistra as one of the toughest and most adaptable house plants. Its long blades of slender dark green or variegated dark green and white leaves shoot straight out from the soil but in clumps and up to 75 cm in height and 15 cm wide.

It is such a low maintenance plant that it only needs very low light, average temperature and humidity and just occasional watering. This is truly the perfect plant for hard to grow homes or for the person who has a brown thumb.

Low-light plants are usually defined as those that can survive in 25 to 75 foot candles – that is, a spot that is 4 to 5 meters from a bright window, just enough light to read by comfortably, but where artificial lighting switched on by day would give a brightening effect.

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You can easily find the Aspidistra in your local garden center nursery. In addition, here are suggestions for five other plants that will suit very low light situations:

Aglonema (Chinese Evergreen) which are among the few plants that prefer only moderate light and adapt well to low light. It has large dark green oval then tapering leathery leaves later developing a caney base.

Drachaena deremensis varieties (also know as Happy or Fortune Plants) which are slender leafed and usually white variegated. The Drachaena family are caney plants crested with decorative rosettes of straplike foliage.

Holly fern which adapts to low light and Boston fern a fishbone type of fern that will remain in low light for many months but need a spell in brighter light to rejuvenate.

Neanthe Bella or Parlor Palm, which is more suited to low light situations than most palms.

Sanseviera (also known as Mother-In-Law’s Tongue) which stands low to very bright light has waxy, erect straplike leaves usually with cream-colored margins and an unusual banding of the grey-green center.

If you are finding it difficult to find a plant that will brighten up that dark corner, why not try one of these hardy favorites of mine?

Indoor plants add to any home and they also have health benefits so talk to your local garden center and adopt a plant today.

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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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