Feng shui flora

An ancient Chinese practice, feng shui is all about cultivating spaces so the energy of the person living there can thrive. This means the positioning of furniture and even indoor plants matter when creating a flow of harmony that matches the natural order of the world. And according to feng shui experts, there are certain good luck plants that are believed to naturally attract good energy into the space.

Depending on the plant you choose, you can bring different kinds of luck into your life and into your home, says feng shui consultant and author Carole Hyder. The lucky bamboo plant, for instance, can attract financial luck, while others are known to bring romance, harmony and health. If you are seeking more good luck, celebrating the Chinese New Year, acquiring good luck charms or staying away from unlucky things, consider also adding good luck plants to your home.

An important note about good luck plants

They need to be well cared for. Obviously, a wilted plant won’t bring your space good luck or clean air. In fact, a dying plant may even cultivate bad luck because it drains the space of energy. Every plant needs water and sunlight to thrive, but the amount varies, so continue reading to learn which good luck plants might best fit your lifestyle and location year around.

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Use cucumber peels to get rid of mites

At a glance, a houseplant might appear parched, with browning leaves. The leaves can start to yellow, wilt and drop off. Take a closer look at the planthold it up to the light and turn leaves over and look underneath and along stems. If you observe any wispy webbing and what appear to be tiny moving dots moving around the plant, it has mites.

Cucumbers can help to repel mites due to their cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins are bitter-tasting compounds that deter insects.

You can directly place cucumber peels in the soil of the plant to keep insects away.

Tiny mites also prefer a dry environment. The best way to keep them off your plants is to create a more humid atmosphere for your plants. Misting them regularly can help. Use acucumber water spray to keep mites out of your houseplants!

Make cucumber water for plants

Mites do not like moisture. Keeping your plants hydrated with regular sprays of cucumber water will keep mites from moving in and damaging your plants. The compounds of the cucumber work to naturally repel mites too. This TikTok from @creative_explained has a recipe for cucumber water that’s easy to make and can help keep your plants looking and feeling their best.

@creative_explained Cucumbers can be used for so many things! #cucumbers #lifehacks #plantsoftiktok #planttips #recycle #howto #diy original sound – Armen Adamjan

Save the peels from any variety of cucumber. Place the scraps in a clean glass jar, fill with water and cover with a lid. Let the peels soak for five days. Then strain the water and compost the peels. Fill a clean spray bottle with the cucumber water.

Use the cucumber water to mist your plants to keep mites from taking hold. Use a stronger spray to blast off any mites crawling on the leaves or stems of the plant. Be sure and spray the underside of leaves where mites hide.

This homemade cucumber spray is also rich in potassium and phosphorus, which helps to promote healthy plant growth!

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Growing hydroponically has the added benefit that it can be done in places that were previously off-limits to gardeners and farmers, like small spaces and areas without healthy soil. It also typically uses less water than traditional gardening and farming. Different types of hydroponic gardening systems are available, making it accessible to anyone who would like to grow some of their own foodhello, year-round leafy greens and herbs!

“Hydroponic gardens are a part of the future of agriculture,” says Lance Beecher, PhD, aquaponics, aquaculture and fisheries specialist at Clemson University. “With limited space and resources, mainly water, hydroponics can fill a niche within agriculture where food can be grown in areas not thought of before and provide fresh food to places where people need it the most.”

If you’re curious about the easiest foods to grow at homeor want to createa container garden orvertical garden, rest assured that you can grow your own food regardless of how much space you have. Consider some of these hydroponic garden kits so you can have a fresh and continuous supply of sustainable food.

What is a hydroponic garden?

Because a hydroponic garden uses water instead of soil, plants can grow indoors, year-round, in less space than traditional soil-based gardens. This means if you live in a tiny apartment or don’t have an outdoor area, you can still grow fresh food, such as leafy greens and herbs. Hydroponic grown plants usually grow faster, can yield a bigger harvest than plants grown in soil and use less water. You can purchase a ready-to-go hydroponic garden or build your own.

How does hydroponic gardening work?

Plants need sunlight, water and nutrients to grow. Typically, plants get nutrients from soil, but “the basis of hydroponics is rooted in growing the food in nutrient-enriched water,” says Rick Vanzura, CEO of Freight Farms. A hydroponic system can be programmed to ensure a plant receives adequate water, nutrients, light and even the correct pH level to provide each plant what it needs to survive and thrive.

Depending on the type of hydroponic system, roots are placed either directly in the water with dissolved nutrients or in a growing medium, such as clay pebbles, perlite, peat moss or coconut fiber, where they will receive all the nutrients they need to grow. If you’ve been learning about organic food, you can grow and harvest your own with a hydroponic garden.

What plants can grow hydroponically?

A variety of different foods can be grown in a hydroponic garden. Microgreens are among the easiest plants to grow. “Microgreens are resilient and more cost effective to experiment with, making them the ideal trial-and-error crop,” says Vanzura.

Similar to what you can grow in a backyard hanging garden, “the more popular vegetables grown in hydroponics include leafy greens and lettuces,” says Beecher. However, more complex systems can produce fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and more,” he says.

You have to consider which plants can do well in a small space and don’t weigh too much. “Hydroponic farms typically support produce that thrives in nutrient solution and isn’t too heavy to be grown vertically,” says Vanzura. But if you’re interested in growing root vegetables, such as beets, potatoes or even kohlrabi, you’ll need to plant them in soil. Beecher explains that growing tuber vegetables in a hydroponic setting is nearly impossible, though Vanzura says his hydroponic farm is able to grow radishes and turnips.

What are the benefits of a hydroponic garden?

In addition to being able to grow food without soil and in small spaces, hydroponic gardening can contribute to solving social and environmental issues by being a sustainable source of food.

In regions with food desertsareas where people don’t have access to fresh fruit or vegetablesa hydroponic garden or farm can be part of the solution. Hydroponic gardens “can bring food deserts and local communities fresh produce close to home at a more affordable, environmentally friendly cost, says Vanzura. “They can help to offset rising food and farmland costs and create a better way to grow some of our staple produce.”

Vanzura lists other benefits as well: “Hydroponic plants can grow 40% to 50% faster and produce 30% more than the plants growing in soilnot only growing more produce in a shorter amount of time, but also, in some cases, growing produce that is even more nutrient dense.”

What are the drawbacks of a hydroponic garden?

Like most things, hydroponic gardening does have a few downsides. For one, a hydroponic garden requires continual vigilance to ensure that the plants are receiving adequate nutrients and have sufficient water. Beecher explains that the hydroponic system can be complex and costly. There are also limitations on what grows well, so you can’t grow everything under the sun. For example, if you want to have a successful crop of potatoes or other root vegetables, you’ll need to grow them in a soil-based garden. You probably can’t grow indoor fruit trees, either. Other drawbacks, Beecher explains, include the risk of airborne diseases, as well as greater use of electricity to run the system.

How do you build a hydroponic garden?

You can build several different types of hydroponic gardens. “My choices for beginners would be the deep water culture, which can be performed using a floating raft in a reservoir or in a bucket,” says Beecher. “The designs can be constructed with relative ease and are inexpensive to start with for a hydroponic system.”

If you have more experience or want a creative project, you’ll want to consider a different system. “Individuals who are beginners but are looking for a slightly more advanced option should look to a horizontal ebb-and-flow shelf rack,” Vanzura says. “This type of setup is used for growing microgreens, and it gives you more freedom to experiment with environmental elements compared to compact systems.”

Consider the following systems before purchasing supplies.

Wick system

The wick system is the easiest and simplest system to set up, with a reservoir, a growing tray and wicks. In this system, plants are placed in a growing substrate, such as perlite or a soilless mix, with the reservoir placed below. A string or rope wick connects the water-nutrient solution to the roots of the plant.

Plants that need a lot of water, such as leafy greens or tomatoes, won’t do well with this system, since it may not provide sufficient liquid nutrients fast enough. This system is good for herbs and microgreens.

What you’ll need:

• A reservoir such as a 3-gallon bucket
• A growing tray filled with a medium like perlite
• Wicks

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Fill up the reservoir with the liquid-nutrient solution.
2. Place a couple strings or wicks at the bottom of the growing tray and connect it to the reservoir.
3. Place the seedling or plant over the reservoir. The wick will transport water-nutrient solution directly to the roots when the plant is thirsty or ready.

Deep water culture system

A deep water culture system is one of the more popular and easier hydroponic systems to use. The roots of the plants are submerged in aerated water so they receive sufficient water, nutrients and oxygen. This system requires an air pump and an air stone to keep the water oxygenated.

What you’ll need:

• X-ACTO knife to cut the styrofoam platform
• Air stone
• Air pump
• 3- or 5-gallon bucket or other opaque storage container
• Net pots
• Styrofoam to use as a raft

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Add water and nutrients to an opaque reservoir or container and fill to a depth of 12 inches or more.
2. Place an air stone into the water and connect it to an air pump that is near (but not inside) the reservoir. The pump helps aerate the water so the roots receive enough oxygen.
3. Cut your styrofoam to create a growing raft that can sit and float about 1 inch below the top of the container or reservoir. Cut holes into the styrofoam with enough spacing between them to allow plants room to grow.
4. Next, place your plants in the net pots (also known as mesh planters) and then place the net pots in the holes on the styrofoam raft. The net pots let the plants’ roots grow out of the bottom and the sides, so they have easier and better access to nutrients and oxygen. The roots of the plant need to be submerged in the aerated water of the reservoir. If they don’t receive sufficient oxygen, the roots can drown.

Ebb and flow

This system is more technical and complex but also offers greater versatility. It functions by flooding and draining the reservoir periodically, based on the needs of the plant, its growth cycle and even the air temperature. During the flooding process, oxygenated water moves through the system and provides hydration and nutrients to the plants. When it drains, the water nutrient solution goes back into the reservoir to be used again. A pump is necessary to flood and drain the growing tray.

What you’ll need:

• Electronic timer
• Submersible pump
• Fill and drain tubes

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Place the reservoir directly below the flood tray. Place your seedlings in pots with plenty of drainage holes and ensure the pots are taller than the flooding tray.
2. Use a fill tube and drain tube to connect the reservoir to the flood tray. The other end of the fill tube connects to the submersible pump, which allows you to set a timer and control the flooding. The drain tube relies on gravity to drain the water back into the flood tray.
3. Set up a submersible pump and use the timer to schedule how often to flood and drain the plants.

Should you build or buy a system?

Choosing whether to build or buy a hydroponic garden system comes down to personal preference, patience and time. Consider whether you want to spend time DIYing or prefer the ease of purchasing a ready-made hydroponic garden. If you have an engineer’s mind or want a project, building your own hydroponic system can be fun, rewarding and slightly less expensive than purchasing a ready-made system.

If you want to start growing immediately and want to see if hydroponic gardening is a good fit for you, opt for a premade system. “Countertop hydroponic systems are a good starting point to explore how light and water affects plants grown hydroponically,” says Vanzura. “These systems are built for beginners and usually include add-in nutrients, which is a good way to understand which nutrients are needed for plants to thrive and why, and at what levels.”

Tips for maintaining your hydroponic garden

Beecher recommends having patience and being willing to learn from mistakes before embarking further into hydroponics. Beecher and Vanzura offered a few more of their best tips for hydroponic gardening:

• “One of the most important things you can do to maintain a hydroponic system is to change the water on a consistent basis,” says Vanzura.
• “It’s also important to practice taking sensor readings for electrical conductivity (EC) and pH to ensure your nutrients and pH-down are dosing correctly,” Vanzura says.
• “Always gather as much information as needed before diving in,” says Beecher. “Information from reputable sources is vital for success.”
• “Understanding the relationship between the plant and the nutrients is essential to success,” explains Beecher.
• “Build a small, inexpensive system and get used to the new growing technique,” says Beecher.

Want a few more ideas about getting started? Be sure to read these gardening tips for beginners.

Sources:

• Lance Beecher, PhD, aquaponics, aquaculture and fisheries Specialist at Clemson University
• Rick Vanzura, CEO of Freight Farms
• Greengold Farms: “How to Build a Floating Raft Deep Water Culture (DWC) System”

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“Powdery mildew is actually an umbrella term for a wide range of fungi that cause similar symptoms, such as fuzzy powder on leaves,” says Jessie Liebenguth, a horticulturist with Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University. “Because there are multiple fungi that cause powdery mildew, nearly all plants can be affected.”

But don’t get too concerned about white fuzz on plants or finding white fungus balls in soil. When caught early, these fungi-based diseases are easy to stop. As with other gardening quandarieslike what it means when you see brown tips on leaves or how to revive a dead plantthere are tips and tricks that’ll convince everyone your thumb is a healthy shade of green. Of course, sometimes all it takes is knowing the conditions your indoor plants need, choosing low-light houseplants, or opting for hard-to-kill houseplants.

What is powdery mildew?

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that can go unnoticed until the environment is just right. “The spores that cause powdery mildew can be present even if the plant isn’t showing signs,” explains Lindsay Pangborn, a gardening expert with Bloomscape. “When conditions are right, they’ll start to show.” Spores can be carried by the wind, water, and even insects.

So, what’s the optimal environment for growing white mold on plants? “Shade, poor air circulation, high humidity, and moderate temperatures are favorable conditions for powdery mildew to develop,” explains Liebenguth.

In an ideal environment, white powder on plants will flourish quickly. “Powdery mildew tends to thrive in areas of poor air movement that have high humidity during the evening hours and are dry a bit during the day, in a moderate temperature range, usually between 60 and 85 degrees,” says Schmitz.

While all plants can develop powdery mildew, some are more susceptible than others. And there are plant cultivars bred to resist powdery mildew. Though you can certainly buy plants online, it’s worth purchasing from a local garden center or nursery so you can inquire about a plant’s risk. The list below will give you a good idea of the plants most likely to acquire the fungal disease.

Vegetables most likely to develop powdery mildew

• Beans
• Cucumbers
• Peas
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Winter squash
• Summer squash, such as zucchini

Flowers most likely to develop powdery mildew

• Bee balm
• Black-eyed Susans
• Chrysanthemums
• Dahlias
• Roses
• Peonies
• Tickseed
• Zinnias

What are signs of powdery mildew on your plants?

Powdery mildew is obvious when it begins appearing on the leavesit’ll look like white dust or white powder. “Powdery mildew is usually seen on the broadest sections of the plants, starting out as small, white, circular spots or discoloration on the plant’s leaves,” explains Pangborn.

As it spreads, you’ll notice changes in the plant. “In its more developed stages, it will completely cover the leaf in a white or gray cast, and the leaf itself will begin to turn brown,” says Pangborn.

Once you see powdery mildew on plants, take steps to halt the fungal growth. If you don’t, the disease can take over and alter the leaves’ ability to take in sunlight. “It harms the plants by shading the leaf surfaces and preventing them from being able to photosynthesize,” says Schmitz. “These leaves can start to become a drain on the plant’s resources rather than contributing to the plant’s overall health.”

Can powdery mildew spread to other plants?

Powdery mildew can spread to the same type or variety of a plant. So if you have several zucchini plants growing in the garden and one has powdery mildew, it’s highly probable that the other zucchini plants will be affected in a short time.

But if you have other plantsflowers or vegetables like peas, for instancegrowing in the vicinity, the fungi won’t spread to them. “Since powdery mildew cannot spread between different plants, it likely won’t take over your entire garden unless you have a monoculture,” says Liebenguth.

How do you get rid of powdery mildew?

There are different ways to minimize and eliminate powdery mildew on plants. The sooner you spot the white powder and take action, the easier it will be to get it under control. “The earlier the infection is treated, the better the chances of recovery,” says Pangborn.

Finding white fuzz on plants is similar to uncovering mold on houseplant soilknowing what to do makes tackling these garden issues a lot easier. As soon as you see powdery mildew on your plants, take the actions below.

Prune the plant

“Pruning off dead leaves and stems, removing them immediately so the spores don’t further spread, is the best first step,” says Pangborn. This will improve airflow, though you may want to take additional steps to boost air circulation.

And keep this tip from Pangborn in mind as you prune: Disinfect your gardening tools to avoid spreading the spores to other plants.

Wash with a dish soap solution

Schmitz offers this genius gardening tip: Once you provide more airflow to the plants, wash the surface of the leaves with a mixture of water and mild dish soap to get rid of the pathogen as best you can.

Use a natural solution

You’d think chemical-based methods would eliminate powdery mildew on plants, but they’re more of a preventative than a treatment. “Most fungicides are preventative rather than curative, so by the time powdery mildew symptoms appear, it will be ineffective to apply a fungicide,” says Liebenguth.

Thankfully, there are nontoxic options for tackling powdery mildew on plants. “Natural remedies for powdery mildew include a baking soda or potassium bicarbonate solution, a neem or horticultural oil application, or removing infected parts of plants from the garden,” says Liebenguth.

Remove infected leaves and plant parts

When removing parts of a plant that has powdery mildew, it’s essential that you don’t toss them in the compost bin, as this can further spread the fungi. “Composting will not kill the pathogens,” says Liebenguth. As Pangborn explains, the spores can survive the composting process, leading to issues when the compost is used in the garden.

So, what’s the best way to remove infected leaves? “Burning infected leaves and stems, if possible, or bagging and discarding them,” says Pangborn. And while you’re getting rid of plant parts properly, make sure to sanitize any tools that have come in contact with powdery mildew.

How can you prevent powdery mildew?

There’s no foolproof way to completely prevent powdery mildew on plants. A good starting point? Consider the needs of each plant, including how much space each varietal needs to grow. Then be sure you’re not creating a welcoming environment for fungi while gardening. “Try not to get the leaves wet when watering plants, and encourage airflow by not placing plants too close together,” says Pangborn.

If your garden is filled with the plants most likely to develop powdery mildew, you may want to take extra steps. “The homeowner may consider applying fungicides preventatively if they have susceptible plants in their yard,” Liebenguth says. “Active ingredients include chlorothalonil or sulfur.”

When powdery mildew does appear, it’s important to properly eliminate the affected plants. “If infected leaves and stems are removed and properly disposed of, there’s a good chance those powdery mildew spores won’t make a comeback the following year,” says Pangborn. “However, spores can blow in from anywhere, so unfortunately there’s no surefire way to avoid it from year to year.”

If all that sounds like too much work and you’re fed up with the powdery mildew on your plants, you can always go with low-maintenance artificial plants that look just like the real thing.

Sources:

• Sam Schmitz, horticulturist with Ball Horticultural Company
• Jessie Liebenguth, horticulturist with Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University
• Lindsay Pangborn, gardening expert with Bloomscape

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Let’s put it this way: It’s usually not something you should ignore. “Purple leaves on a tomato plant, while visually intriguing, can actually be a sign of distress,” says professional horticulturalist Amber Noyes.

Thankfully, this early warning sign can help you take steps to prevent your tomato crop from being obliterated. If you follow these expert-approved gardening tips, you’ll know exactly how to save your tomato plants.

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Why are there purple dots on my tomato plant?

A nutrient deficiency is the most common culprit, but it isn’t the only reason your tomato plant’s leaves or stem may start sporting spots or turning purple. That said, it’s essential to diagnose your plant’s specific problem if you want your plant to start producing those gorgeous tomatoes you’ve been banking on.

Phosphorous deficiency

A phosphorus deficiency is the leading cause of purple leaves on tomatoes, according to Noyes. This nutrient is essential for photosynthesis, the process by which a plant uses sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to create food for itself (as well as give off oxygen). How can you tell if this is your plant’s issue? It’s most common in new seedlings and transplants, and you’ll typically see the purple pop up on the stems and the undersides of foliage. You also might also see slow growth, necrosis of plant tissue and curling leaves. But it’s possible to revive a seemingly dead plant with this problem.

How to fix it: Use a high-phosphorus fertilizer on the soil. “The amount you’ll need will largely depend on the results of a soil test, but typically, a balance of 102010 or 153015 (NPK) is suitable for most tomato plants,” Noyes says. “The figures represent the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, respectively.”

To get the most accurate information on the nutrient levels in your yard, including phosphorus, purchase a soil-testing kit and send a sample to a lab for analysis. Instant-result testing kits are also available, but they aren’t as accurate.

Amateur gardeners can simply use a phosphorus-rich fertilizer according to the package instructions, typically every one to two weeks, until they notice an improvement in the plant’s health. “Once the purple dots disappear,” says Noyes, “continue to fertilize as directed by the product, but at a lower frequency, to maintain optimal plant health.”

Potassium deficiency

Potassium deficiencies also impact photosynthesis. They typically turn tomato-leaf edges brown and the veins yellow, though in some cases, purple spotting can also occur. This spotting is usually limited to the underside of the foliage.

How to fix it: As with phosphorus deficiencies, if a test shows your soil lacks sufficient potassium, you can apply a fertilizer high in this nutrient weekly until the purple coloring fades. Potassium levels are indicated by the “K” on the NPK numbers displayed on the label of all home-garden fertilizers. If you opt for a tomato-plant-specific formula, the potassium level will likely already be higher than it is for a normal fertilizer, so this is the way to go. Giving banana water to your tomato plant may also help, and it’s an easy and affordable option.

Magnesium deficiency

Less commonly, purple leaves on tomato plants can result from a magnesium shortage. “Magnesium deficiency often manifests as interveinal chlorosis, with the leaves turning yellow while the veins stay green,” Noyes says. “If the deficiency is severe, the yellowed areas can take on a purplish hue due to the accumulation of anthocyanin pigments.” Because you see the yellow discoloration first, if you’re proactive, your leaves shouldn’t reach the purple stage.

How to fix it: A natural way to increase the magnesium levels in your soil is to add Epsom salts. Dilute 1 tablespoon per gallon of water, and use this to water the plant soil every couple of weeks. However, do this only if a soil test clearly indicates a magnesium deficiency. Too much magnesium can hurt your plants by inhibiting calcium uptake. And to avoid leaf scorch, never spray the solution directly onto the leaves.

Cold soil

Sometimes your soil can have ample amounts of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, but you still see purple leaves on your tomato plants and other symptoms consistent with a nutrition deficiency. In these instances, cold soil might be causing your problems. According to Noyes, cold soil inhibits the uptake of phosphorus and other nutrients.

Tomatoes are heat lovers, and a soil temperature of 65 to 75 degrees is ideal. When the soil drops to below 50, you’ll likely see stunted growth, and alongside discoloration, the foliage can wilt and experience surface pitting or lesions. Flowers begin to drop, and if your plant produces any tomatoes, they are unlikely to be the most flavorful.

How to fix it: “One way to combat this is through soil solarization, a method where you cover your soil with clear plastic and allow the sun to heat it over several weeks,” Noyes says. Alternatively, “adding compost or organic matter can also naturally raise the soil temperature.” Or you can try adding plastic or fabric mulch to trap heat in the soil, a method that kills weeds too. Regularly test temperatures using a soil thermometer; you can remove coverings once the ground is warm enough.

Too much sun

Tomatoes are fruits that love the sun, and they appreciate at least six hours of bright light daily. However, long days of intense sunlight during scorching weather can result in tomato sun-scald. The tomatoes crack and turn white or blotchy yellow, and the foliage tips can brown and curl. Sometimes the leaves turn red or purple. Purple leaves are especially common in delicate young seedlings.

How to fix it: Use a shade cloth to gently cover the plants if temperatures rise above 85 degrees. Or move the plants to an area where they still receive ample sun but not so much in the intense heat of the afternoon.

Genetics

Sometimes, purple leaves on tomatoes aren’t anything to worry about. “Genetics can play a role in the coloration of tomato plants, with some varieties naturally producing a more purple hue on their leaves, such as the Indigo Rose or Black Krim,” Noyes says. In that case, there’s nothing to fix because there’s nothing wrong!

Tomato spotted wilt virus

Tomato spotted wilt virus is an increasing problem in the United States. The disease starts with dark brown or purple spots or veins on the foliage. Later, these spread to the stems and form necrotic cankers, which eat away at your plant until it dies.

This disease is transmitted by pestsspecifically, at least nine different thrip species. These tiny winged insects, also known as thunderflies, don’t just transmit this virus; their feeding habits also directly damage fruit, foliage and shoots, giving plants an untidy appearance.

How to fix it: Unfortunately, this disease is incurable. It’s best to remove infected plants immediately to prevent spread.

How long will it take for these treatments to work?

The purple leaves on your tomato plants may or may not green up with appropriate nutrients, warm soil and the right amounts of sun over a few weeks. The timing depends on the extent of the damage, the plant’s overall health and the general growing conditions. Also, keep in mind that while new leaves should be a healthy green, seedlings subjected to cold soils or poor nutrient levels for prolonged periods of time could remain stunted and produce inferior fruit.

Of course, if you aren’t seeing any changes after a few weeks of treatment or the situation is getting worse, your plant could be beyond saving. Sometimes, it’s better to cut your losses and start germinating a fresh, healthy batch of tomato plants, making sure to offer the right conditions from the beginning.

How to prevent tomato leaves from turning purple

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that’s very true when it comes to purple leaves on tomatoes. To avoid unsightly spots and unhealthy crops, Noyes recommends being proactive with the following gardening tips:

• Regularly test your soil to ensure the nutrient levels are right.
• Pick a site where the soil won’t be too cold and the sun levels are appropriate.
• Monitor plants for disease-spreading thrips, and if you spot them, use insecticidal soap to remove them promptly. How can you identify them? Thrips are yellow, brown or black elongated winged insects around one-eighth of an inch long. Telltale signs that you have the start of an infestation include dried brownish-black poop spots on the underside of foliage and scarring on the leaves. If you tap the plant’s leaves while holding a piece of white paper under it, thrips may fall onto it.

What else should you keep in mind about growing tomatoes?

Of course, knowing how to prevent and treat purple leaves on tomatoes isn’t the only thing you need in your gardening repertoire. Here are a few other tips for nurturing happy and healthy tomato plants.

• Know your planting calendar, and grow tomatoes outdoors only after the danger of late-spring frosts has passed in your region. Alternatively, grow them in a protected greenhouse.
• Plant in loamy, well-drained soil.
• Pick a site that offers six to eight hours of sunlight.
• After testing the soil to establish the right formula, offer regular fertilizer to these heavy feeders.
• Select cultivars (human-developed plant-species varietals) best suited to your climate.
• Thin out seedlings when they are around two to three weeks old so the remaining plants have ample airflow and room to spread. Ideally, there should be 12 feet of space between individual mature plants.
• Water plants deeply and regularly to provide consistent moisture, easing up once fruit appears.
• Plant deeply, and stake tall plants for extra support.
• Don’t plant in beds that have had other nightshade family members, such as potatoes or peppers, in them over the last couple of years. Plant rotation using different crop families helps produce better harvests by disrupting pest and disease life cycles and improving soil nutrients and fertility.

About the expert

• Amber Noyes is a horticulturist and the editor of Gardening Chores. She has a master’s degree in horticulture from the University of California and a BS in Biology from the University of San Francisco.

Sources:

• University of Maryland Extension: “Key to common problems of tomatoes”
• Clemson Cooperative Extension: “Tomato diseases & disorders”

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Whether youve got an expert green thumb or are just trying to revive an indoor garden like me, Arber plant foods organic and sustainable formula is a must for plant parents. Plus, one 16-ounce bottle of Arber concentrate is the equivalent of 64 ready-to-use plastic spray bottles.

What is Arber plant food?

If youre new to the world of gardening or just want to prioritize greenery without relying on plant-care apps, Arber plant food is a way to boost vegetation without becoming a certified horticulturalist. The organic components make it a more sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers, such as Miracle-Gro, that use harsh chemicals.

Arber plant food is infused with proteins and natural supplements to make plants strong and healthy, regardless of whether they’re decorative, air-purifying or anything in between. The nutrients release slowly, as opposed to synthetic formulas quick-acting recipe. Arber is gentle, clean and effective with a formula that benefits soil, leaf and floral production and root health.

The plant food concentrate takes a liquid form and comes from recycled supermarket food waste to increase soil fertility. An enzyme digests the waste to create complex forms of carbs, amino acids and proteins, organic acids and fats. Rosemary oil is then infused into the formula for a boost of aromatherapy and antioxidants.

It comes in a 16-ounce bottle, which lasts a few weeks depending on how many plants you’re watering. Pet owners need not worry as the formula is safe for pets, too (just beware of these poisonous plants for dogs). However, one reviewer said the scent was attractive to their dog, so keep an eye on pets during a watering routine.

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How to use Arber plant food

Technically, you could make organic plant food right at home using everyday ingredients, like homemade compost, eggshells or coffee grounds. Arber plant food can be used on all indoor and outdoor plants, but for the best results, use it on indoor houseplants during a regular watering cycle.

In a container, mix 1 ounce of the Arber plant food with 32 ounces of water. If youre tending to a bigger garden, mix 4 ounces of concentrate with 1 gallon of water. Add some of the mix directly to the soil every two weeks. There arent any temperature limitations to using Arber plant food. Still, the brand suggests spraying the concentrate in the early morning or early evening to avoid hot temperatures.

The liquid plant food is safe for use on fruits and vegetables, flowers, houseplants, shrubs, succulents and herbs. Nutrients retain instead of being flushed with water through the soil, and plants have the chance to grow bigger and stronger.

Arber also sells a variety of other plant biologicals that promote healthy growth of the plant microbiome and soil ecosystem. Choose from a bio fungicide, bio insecticide, bio protectant and a variety of different sets to meet your plants needs. The brand also offers a free plant wellness guide if youre unsure how to use each product.

The best reviews

Gardening is therapeutic and holds so many mental, emotional and physical benefits. Read these glowing reviews on why Arber plant food is essential to any garden.

As an avid gardener with a dense city garden, verified buyer, Maria S., thinks Arber plant food is a miracle product. “Every single plant I used it for became healthy, thriving, strong, generously blooming and giving more and better fruits or berries,” she writes. “It works ideal for all container plants, the ones in growing bags and in different types of soil. I gave away lots of other garden remedies I used to have for my big garden and orchard; instead Arber helps so efficiently and in such a healthy and fast way! I am endlessly grateful to you guys.”

“All my indoor plants look perkier, and a few that I didnt have much hope for since they hadnt adjusted well during our moving process are actually sprouting new leaves,” raves Bridget G.

Where to buy Arber plant food

Buy the liquid plant food from retailers like The Sill, Lively Root and Grove Co. You can also order it directly from Arbers online store, along with its other plant care kits, and Walmart. Your plants (and earth) will thank you!

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The post Revive Your Garden for Spring with This Sustainable and Organic Plant Food appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Fortunately, there is. Thanks to a new, little-known iPhone trick on Apple’s iOS 15, you can easily identify plants, pets, landmarks and other objects you don’t recognize through a photo or iPhone screenshot. Below, we’ll explain how to use the iPhone plant identifier, along with other frequently asked questions, like how accurate the feature is and what else it can identify. For more iPhone hacks that will blow your mind, check out this hidden AirPods feature.

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Can the iPhone identify plants?

Apple’s iOS 15 update includes a feature called Visual Look Up, which allows users to look up the content of the images on select iPhones and iPads. It’s similar to an iPhone image search, but you can do it straight from your phone rather than navigating to Google through a browser app.

That said, this iPhone plant identifier feature works only with select apps and devices. You can use it to identify images in the Photos, Messages, Mail or Notes apps, though you’ll need to use an iPhone running iOS 15 or later.

You can also use the feature on certain iPads running iPadOS 15.1 or later:

• 12.9-inch iPad Pro (third generation) or later
• 11-inch iPad Pro (all models)
• iPad Air (third generation) or later
• iPad (eighth generation) or later
• iPad Mini (5th generation) or later

Its availability depends on location too: You’ll find it in English in the United States, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Singapore and Indonesia; in French in France; in German in Germany; in Italian in Italy; and in Spanish in Spain, Mexico and the United States.

How can I identify a plant with my phone?

Whether you want to make sure that mystery plant in your backyard isn’t toxic to cats or dangerous for dogs or simply like to know the names of flowers you find fragrant, you’ll appreciate the new Visual Look Up feature. It’s a simple, easy and fast way to look up plants. Follow these step-by-step instructions to use this handy iPhone plant identifier in the Photos app, Notes app, a text message or email.

1. Tap the photo you want to look up.
2. If the Visual Look Up feature is available for that photo, the bottom of your screen will feature a circle with the letter i at its center and stars on its side.
3. Swipe up on the photo or tap the blue i icon.
4. Tap “Look Up” in the section below the photo, or tap the icon that appears on the photo.
5. A list of results via Siri Knowledge and Web Images will appear.

How do I turn on Visual Look Up on my iPhone?

Good news: Visual Look Up is automatically turned on for iPhones with iOS 15 or later, so you don’t have to follow any iPhone shortcuts to begin using it. To make sure you can use it, update your phone to the latest iOS. Here’s how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap “General.” (You can tap “About” to find out your iOS version.)
3. Tap “Software Update” to update to the latest iOS.

Once your iPhone is updated, simply snap a photo or screenshot and navigate to your Photos app to begin your search.

How accurate is the iPhone plant identifier?

The one downside to the iPhone’s new Visual Look Up feature? Its results are not always accurate. You can count on the feature to identify objects correctly most of the time, but like any new piece of technology, it might make one or two mistakes.

To minimize the potential for inaccuracy, Visual Look Up will offer multiple results and allow you to scope out which one is correct. For example, it might show you information about both artificial and real evergreen trees when you perform a search with a photo of a Christmas tree. From there, it’s up to you to explore the results and find the closest match.

What else can Visual Look Up identify?

From types of succulents to indoor plants like the fiddle leaf fig, Visual Look Up can help you identify a wide range of vegetation. But that’s not all it can do. Aside from figuring out the species of that mysterious plant in your backyard, Visual Look Up can also find information about other items in your photos: animals, art, landmarks, pet breeds and more.

It works the same way as identifying a plant, so simply follow the steps outlined above to start a new search. But keep in mind that, as with plants, the Visual Look Up feature is not 100% foolproof when it comes to identifying objects in photos. Rather than taking everything it shows you at face value, make sure to review the results to find the image that best resembles yours.

While you’re poking around the Photos app, know this: The iPhone plant identifier is not the only nifty feature the app offers. You can actually edit photos on an iPhone like a professionalno third-party apps required.

Sources:

• Apple: “Use Visual Look Up to identify objects in your photos on iPhone”
• Apple: “Look up what’s in a photo with your iPhone or iPad”
• Apple: “Use Visual Look Up to identify objects in your photos on iPad”

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Best overall

Culinary Herb Seed Starter Kit

The Burpee herb garden kit is affordable and easy to use. It has some of the most popular herbs for cooking all of your favorite dishes, including dill, parsley, cilantro, sweet basil and chives. We love that this kit uses biodegradable pots for reducing your carbon footprint.

In addition to seed packets for five herbs, you’ll get five coir pellets made from coconut husks, which are less messy than the traditional soil used in repotting plants. Plus, there are five markers to help keep track of your herbs.

Pros

• Made from sustainable materials
• Coir pellets are mess-free
• Affordable

Cons

• Biodegradable pots will need to be replaced

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Terrell Ceramic Pot Planter

If you haven’t noticed, ceramic designs are trending in home decor. Thankfully, there are plenty of indoor plant pots ranging from small plant pots to tall plant pots that come in fantastic ceramic formations. Available in classic white or glam gold, this stately indoor planter sits atop a leggy metal base for a contemporary look. Ceramic plant pots also make the perfect home for drought-tolerant plants.

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The post 8 Best Indoor Plant Pots and Planters to House Your Growing Greenery appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Recently, aspiring green thumbs have been asking about one particular symptom: Water droplets on the leaves of their indoor plants. Don’t worryyour plant isn’t crying! With a little help decoding this behavior and one simple adjustment, your leafy buddy will be back to normal in no time.

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Why does a plant create water droplets?

There are three main reasons you may spot water droplets on your plants. Learn about each of them to identify which may be causing your plant’s droplets.

Transpiration

This fancy term is used to describe a plant’s natural water exchange process. A plant sucks up water from its roots, and when it has received as much as it needs, it releases the excess water through its leaves. Think of it as a plant’s version of sweating.

Dew

Dew may cause water droplets on houseplant leaves in much the same way as it causes droplets on your lawn. When there is a temperature difference between the plant and its surrounding air, atmospheric moisture will condense on the warmer surface, the plant’s leaves.

Guttation

Guttation is a process by which plants release water, nutrients and minerals in the form of xylem sap. This sap is often mistaken for plain water and is most common in certain varieties of plants, such as succulents and fruit and vegetable plants.

Are water droplets a problem?

Not necessarily. Dew droplets are fine, as are small quantities of transpiration droplets and natural guttation in affected plants. However, if you see more than a drop or two falling off the end of your plant’s leaves, this is likely a sign of overwatering, meaning your plant watering strategy needs to be addressed.

What are other symptoms of overwatering?

To confirm that overwatering is the underlying issue, check for these other side effects:

• Wet and/or moldy soil
• Wilting and/or dropping leaves
• Mushy or unstable stems
• Yellow leaves and/or brown spots

If any of these symptoms resonate with you (and your plant), it’s time to reevaluate your watering schedule.

How do I fix a waterlogged plant?

In most cases, the solution is to stop watering until the soil is completely dry throughout, usually a few weeks. To ensure the soil is appropriately dry, dig a finger in deep, or use a wooden chopstick or moisture meter. Be sure to check multiple places in the pot for a holistic picture.

However, if your plant exhibits all signs outlined above, it’s best to repot it, trimming off any rotten roots, which will appear black and mushy.

How do I properly water my plant going forward?

The key to giving your plant theright amount of water is to consistently check the soil. If it is completely dry throughout, as explained above, water the plant until it drains freely from the bottom of the pot. The pot should feel heavy and the soil should look moist, but there shouldn’t be any standing water at the surface. If the soil is not yet dry throughout, wait a few days and then check again.

Am I doing this right?

Good plant parenting is all about getting to know your individual plants and listening to their natural rhythms. Always trust the plant itself over your calendar notifications for watering, and you’ll do just fine. And if after all this you’ve decided you don’t have a green thumb after all, don’t underestimate the aesthetic appeal of a good artificial plant.

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Fiddle leaf figs are one of the most aesthetically pleasing and popular indoor plants, according to gardening researcher Madison Moulton from All About Gardening. Their large fleshy leaves make fiddle leaf figs an attractive option for your homeand as tall indoor plants, they’re fun for decorating. Fiddle leaf figs are fairly low-maintenance houseplants if you’re willing to follow a few simple growing tips, so they can thrive indoors.

First things first: Are fiddle leaf figs trees or plants? Technically, they’re both, depending on the variety and how you prune and train them to grow. Fiddle leaf figs are members of the Ficus genus, with the species name Ficus lyrata. Though you likely won’t see any flowers when they’re grown indoors, they’re classified as flowering plants from the Moraceae family. You’ll likely recognize their close relation to other indoor trees like the rubber tree (Ficus elastica) and the traditional fig tree as well. Fiddle leaf figs can grow well beyond 40 feet in outdoor conditions and grow best in tropical and subtropical climates. But don’t worry, in your home, they won’t grow to more than about 10 feet (for the standard variety), depending on the size of the pot you put yours in and how often you transplant it. The dwarf varieties vary between 2 and 5 feet.

Be aware that fiddle leaf figs produce a milky sap that contains tiny but sharp calcium oxalate crystals. They’re toxic to pets and humans when ingested, but in general, you don’t need to wear gloves when moving your fiddle leaf fig from one part of the house to another. If you have sensitive skin, though, make sure to wear gloves when pruning, repotting or propagating your fiddle leaf fig, since the sap can cause irritation.

Check out these low-light houseplants that are also great for decorating your home. You might even want to consider a plant subscription box for adding more green all year long.

Where to put a fiddle leaf fig?

Fiddle leaf figs need warmth and high humidity to thrive. By keeping them indoors, they will be protected from extreme temperatures, but they grow best outdoors in their native tropical growing conditions. To achieve their maximum indoor growth, they need a full day of indirect bright sunlight, Moulton says. A south-facing window works best, where your fiddle leaf fig will get a full day of sunlight. Fiddle leaf figs can handle a few hours of direct morning sunlight, as long as they are introduced to these conditions slowly. For direct morning sunlight (if you’re pulling up the blinds or putting it on a front porch or patio), it’s best to opt for an east-facing window or area. Care tip: You want to avoid scorching the leaves, so if you notice the leaves have a light brown cast to them, decrease their exposure to direct sunlight.

Fiddle leaf fig care

Soil

Fiddle leaf figs need medium to fast-draining soil and will do well planted with a well-draining, airy potting mix that’s designed for houseplants. These mixtures contain amendments like perlite to improve drainage; it allows air to flow more freely around the roots. Fiddle leaf figs need soil with a pH between six and seven. Because you want to avoid the soil getting too acidic, which happens over time as soil breaks down, you may want to monitor it with a pH meter. Find out what white fungus balls mean in your soil.

Water

Watering times differ depending on the size of the plant and its pot, along with environmental conditions. Moulton advises testing the soil with your finger every couple of days instead of watering on a schedule. You should water your fiddle leaf fig when the top half of the soil in the pot has dried out completely (in a small pot, aim for testing the top inch of soil). Don’t be afraid of under-watering your fiddle leaf fig. By following this tip, you’ll avoid potential problems with overwatering, which could result in fiddle leaf fig brown spots or premature leaf drop. Moulton points out that while these plants love humid conditions, you should avoid misting them with a spray bottle, as it could cause potential problems with growth.

Fertilizer

Fiddle leaf figs benefit from a regular fertilizing schedule during the spring and summer months. Moulton advises a fertilizer that’s slightly higher in nitrogen to promote strong leaf and stem growth and one that contains phosphorus and potassium. Follow the instructions on the packaging to avoid overfertilizing. For the best fiddle leaf fig care, you will need to transplant your fiddle leaf fig over time to give it room to grow (make sure to adjust the amounts of fertilizer based on your new pot). Transplanting once a year is ideal.

Types of fiddle leaf figs

The standard fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is the most common option and the easiest one to find, explains Moulton. But if you’re looking for something more compact, check out the smaller Bambino variety, which reaches only 2 to 4 feet tall. There are also variegated varieties available, such as the Variegata with green- and cream-colored leaves, though they are trickier to find and are often more expensive.

Common pests

Fiddle leaf figs are prone to a few common indoor pest problems. The main houseplant pests you’ll encounter are mealybugs, spider mites and scale. According to Moulton, these pests attach themselves to the plant and feed on the leaves and stems, causing growth problems. When this happens, you’ll notice discolored marks. The best solution is to isolate your fiddle leaf fig and remove the pests with natural sprays or horticultural oil, depending on the level of infestation. Pest tip: You will likely need to repeat this process a few times for the best results.

How to propagate fiddle leaf figs

Propagating a fiddle leaf fig works best during the spring and summer months. As woody plants or indoor trees (depending on which variety you buy and how you prune it), fiddle leaf figs are best propagated from branch cuttings. Because new soft green growth is the most likely to root, Moulton advises using a rooting hormone, which is generally available where plants are sold. First, remove the leaves on the bottom half and cut the top leaves in half horizontally. “This stops them from growing and directs the plant’s energy toward the root development,” Moulton explains. “Although many try to propagate from individual leaves, these cuttings will never develop into full plants,” she adds. While a small amount of stem tissue on the end of a leaf may develop roots to survive on its own in water or soil, this method won’t work for growing a brand-new plant. Check out more tips on how to propagate plants and a few for reviving a dead or dying plant.

Sources:

• Madison Moulton, gardening researcher and writer at All About Gardening

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Why is light important for plants?

Even shade-loving species need some light to grow lush and leafy. Without it, plants can’t produce the essential chemical energy they need to generate nutrients for healthy growth, flowering and seed production.

This plant-specific process, known as photosynthesis, occurs when the energy from sunlight converts carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates. Inadequate light for indoor plants leads to a depletion in these energy reserves, and eventually, your plant will be beyond saving.

Types of indoor plant lighting

If you’re new to houseplant collecting, you might wonder, “What is bright, indirect light?” You’ll see it and other recommendations on plant-care tags, but those are usually too tiny to provide more information. It’s up to you to make sure you understand all the somewhat vague indoor plant lighting termsit’s not enough to just pop your plant on a windowsill soaked in the afternoon sun.

Your window size, the direction it faces and any external obstructions (like shade-giving trees or buildings) all influence how much light a room receives. You need to factor in the intensity, duration and quality of the light. Given our adaptable eyes’ poor ability to judge light intensity (especially indoors), getting technical and using a light meter gives you a better idea of where your plant will thrive.

There are several ways to measure light intensity for plants, but foot-candles (fc) is the most common. One foot-candle equals the amount of light a 1-square-foot area receives from a light source equivalent to a candle that’s around a foot away.

By getting a better handle on the different houseplant lighting terms, you’re more likely to pick a plant that’s the right fit for your room.

Bright light

If your plant needs bright light, put it directly in front of or within a few feet of a south- or southwest-facing window with no shady obstructions. In technical terms, these plants are often classified as needing over 1,000 fc and, ideally, at least six hours of direct exposure to the sun.

But even these sun-worshiping species need some darkness for decent development. If you’re using high-intensity grow lights, don’t keep your plant under them for more than 16 hours. And don’t forget that these sun-baked spaces dry out the plant’s potting medium faster, so regularly check the soil with your fingers to assess if it needs watering.

Flowering plants, such as hibiscus and poinsettia, and desert-native cacti and succulents are typical sun-loving species.

Bright, indirect sunlight

Not all plants appreciate the full attention of the sun. So, what is indirect sunlight? It’s a type of light that filters through somethingsay, a gauzy shadebefore hitting your plant.

Plants that need bright, indirect light are best positioned in east-facing windows, where the sun’s rays will be less intense, or near west-facing windows, kept out of direct sunlight. Locations with bright, indirect light get around 250 to 1,000 fc, although optimal growth tends to occur in a position that receives above 500 fc.

Some species can handle a spot near a south-facing window, but you’ll need to soften the sunlight with a shade of lightweight curtains or ensure there’s dappled tree foliage. Light-sensitive plants that require positions on the lower end of the fc scale would do better in front or within a few feet of an unshaded north-facing window or shaded east- or west-facing windows.

Common houseplants that fit into this category include spider plants, monsteras, prayer plants, alocasia and fiddle leaf figs.

Low light

Low-light plants thrive in shaded north-facing windows. They don’t need a lot of natural light to survive and can typically receive between 50 and 250 fc.

Don’t expect low-light plants to be fast growers, and be careful not to overwater. You’re selecting these for their foliage rather than flowers. In the wild, they grow under the branches of larger plants.

Popular examples include cast iron plants, ZZ plants and philodendronsall species that make good shady, small-windowed bathroom plants.

Signs your plant is getting too much sun

Spotting the early signs your plant is in an overly sunny position means you can move it before it’s too late. “Some common signs a plant is getting too much sun are leaf scorching or discoloration,” says Lisa Muoz, interior plant designer and founder of Leaf and June.

Vionna Wai, a plant stylist based in New York City and founder of Feline Jungle, says to watch out for fading foliage. “Parts of the plant that receive too much sun will be much lighter than the rest and will start to turn brown from sun damage to the plant cells.” Excessive sun breaks down chlorophyll in foliage, which causes the discoloration.

So if your beloved pothos plant is looking a little faded, move it out of the direct sunlight to a spot where it can get bright but indirect light.

What to do if your plant is getting too much sun

Move your plant to a spot with a little less light, or add a sheer curtain for the filtering effect. But don’t go overboard by banishing it to the darkest spot in your room.

Dry soil aggravates the symptoms of excess sunlight, so boost moisture levels. Just avoid giving your plant a soggy bottomthat leads to root rot.

Heads up: You might be able to move your plant back to a sunnier spot when air temperatures drop. Unfortunately, any scorched leaves will be beyond saving. Remove them so all your plants’ energy focuses on flourishing foliage.

Signs your plant is not getting enough sun

“If your plant isn’t getting enough light, some signs may be spindly or leggy growth, leaning toward the light source or discoloration,” says Muoz. To produce the green pigment known as chlorophyll, plants need sufficient light. They can turn pale green or even yellow or white without it. Variegated plants can also go from having striking patterns to a solid green color.

You might also see leaf dropping, a disappointing lack of blooms or new leaves that aren’t growing as large or as vigorously as old ones.

What to do if your plant is not getting enough sun

Is your jade plant looking a little worse for wear? Sun-worshipping species that show the signs above may be begging to soak up the rays. If you don’t have a brighter window to pop your plant in, you’ll either need to admit defeat and opt for a different species, or consider investing in grow lights.

Wai considers these lights a super-useful tool for spaces with low lighting conditions, like those with north-facing windows, small windows or a lack of windows. “I use grow lights in the winter when there is a shorter time of daylight, and I have mine on an off/on timer to mimic the natural light cycle,” she says.

Tips for plant lighting

Keep these indoor plant lighting tips in mind when decorating with plants.

• Pick the right plants. Understand what each species needs to thrive. You may adore light-loving succulents, but they might not be the plants for you if you can’t offer them a sunny spot.
• Rotate your plants. Turning a potted plant every so often encourages even growth. “It allows foliage that may not have been getting as much sun to reap the benefits of some brighter light,” says Muoz.
• Be vigilant. Wai suggests using a plant journal to track your plants’ progress. It makes it easier to spot signs or patterns that suggest lighting (or other care) could be lacking.
• Invest in a light meter. If your plants are constantly discoloring, dropping leaves or dying, pick up a simple, inexpensive digital light meter or use a light meter app on your phone to get a more accurate idea of the types of plants that could survive in your home.

Once you’ve mastered indoor plant lighting, it’s time to stock up on your favorite greenery, from air-purifying plants and medicinal herbs to indoor hanging plants and flowering plants that’ll liven up your decor.

Sources:

• Lisa Muoz, interior plant designer and founder of Leaf and June
• Vionna Wai, plant stylist based in New York City
• University of Arkansas: “Light and Moisture Requirements for Selected Indoor Plants”
• University of California: “Light and Water Guidelines for Selected Foliage and Flowering Plants”

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The post 6 Indoor Plant Lighting Tips to Help Your Plants Thrive appeared first on Reader's Digest.

If you’re thinking about starting an indoor herb garden, read on for expert tips on how to bring about a bountiful harvest.

What you’ll need

Before you start the planting process, make sure you have all the supplies you’ll need to make your garden grow. The handful of supplies below will get the job done, but you can also buy an indoor herb garden kit, which simplifies the process.

• Herb seeds
• Containers with suitable drainage
• Well-draining potting mix
• Fertilizer
• Grow lamps (optional)

Where to put an herb garden

The first order of business is determining where to put your indoor herb garden. And that means you need to consider indoor plant lighting.

“The hardest thing about growing herbs indoors is having adequate light,” says professional herbalist and gardener Denise DeSpirito.

Plopping them on any old windowsill won’t cut it, especially if you want to continue to have a fresh supply of herbs during the winter. If your herbs aren’t getting enough sunlight, even if they don’t die, it can result in spindly growth and reduce the intensity of the flavor and aromas.

Most herbs need at least six hours of direct sunlight a day from a western- or southern-facing window. If you can’t provide this, grow lamps are the way to go. And don’t forget to rotate the plant regularly to promote even growth.

Temperature and humidity levels are other key considerations. “Group herbs to increase the humidity around plants. Our homes can be pretty dry in the winter,” says Donna Aufdenberg, a field specialist in horticulture at the University of Missouri Extension. But don’t clump them too close together! They still need adequate air circulation.

Locations beside drafty windows and heating or cooling vents are a no-no for indoor herb gardens. Most herbs appreciate daytime temperatures of at least 65 degrees.

If you have pets, choose a location that’s well out of reach of your four-legged friends, unless you plant only herbs that are nontoxic to pets. (For instance, basil is safe for pets, but chives are toxic to cats and dogs.) A vertical garden is a great option if you want to make the most out of your space.

Best types of pots for an herb garden

You’ve got your herbs set up in that sweet sunny spot, but they just aren’t thriving. What gives? You may not have them in the right pot. Soggy soil can lead to root rot if you don’t have adequate drainage holes in the container or if the plant sits in a saucer of water.

The material of your pot matters too. Mediterranean herbs, like rosemary and thyme, appreciate porous pots, like terra cotta. But for plants that like a bit more moisture, pick plastic or clay that won’t wick it away too quickly.

Pick deep pots for herbs with long taproots (like dill), and watch for the roots growing out of the drainage holes; that’s a sign it’s time for you to repot your plant. This is best done in the early spring, before peak growth begins.

Best types of soil for an herb garden

You want to avoid wet soils when growing an indoor herb garden. A well-drained soilless medium that mixes peat, vermiculite and perlite is often a good choice. If you’re looking for a more sustainable option, substitute the peat for coconut coir. A teaspoon of ground limestone helps avoid overly acidic soil, which most herbs aren’t fans of.

Some herbs can handle consistently moist soils, but most prefer that the soil dries out a bit before watering. Just watch out for wilting; that’s a sign your plant-watering schedule is off.

Best types of herbs to plant

“Not all herbs will grow well indoors,” Aufdenberg says. The best herbs for your indoor garden depend on the conditions you can offer them and whether you are moving them outside in the spring. But there are some dependably popular varieties worth considering.

• Basil. If you can offer at least six hours of direct sunlight, you can’t go wrong with this aromatic annual, an air-purifying plant that can help detoxify your home. DeSpirito recommends tulsi, an Indian basil. “The taste and smell of this one is truly magic and blends nicely with lemon verbena and makes a tea that helps the body adapt to stress.”
• Chives. “This is an easy starter plant for folks new to growing things,” DeSpirito says. It can even handle a partially shaded position.
• Mint. Aufdenberg and DeSpirito both recommend this medicinal plant, which conveniently grows in indirect light and evenly moist soil. “Fresh mint tea is delicious, so having a mint plant to pick some from is a treat,” DeSpirito says.
• Parsley. Another of Aufdenberg’s favorites, this needs a bright spot to thrive and even moisture. Humidity-loving parsley grows well alongside basil.

While rosemary is a common choice for indoor herb gardens, it won’t do well if you let the soil dry out completely. And it really thrives outside, which is why Aufdenberg doesn’t recommend it unless you move it outdoors when the warmer weather arrives. “I love rosemary and lavender, but they just can’t handle prolonged periods of time in the house. They start to really suffer after a couple of weeks,” she says. “I typically keep them under lights in my unheated garage, and they do well.”

When and how to harvest herbs

It’ll take some experience to get a feel for the optimal harvest point. If you harvest too early, the herbs won’t contain the peak amount of essential oils, and you won’t be able to take advantage of the best aromas and fragrances.

“Every plant is different in telling you when it’s ready to harvest. You need to consider the specific plant and its growth patterns to know when it’s time,” DeSpirito says. “Plants in the basil family [like tulsi] are great to learn from. You just pinch the stem above a set of two leaves, harvesting the top inch to two inches of the plant before it flowers.”

DeSpirito suggests harvesting before flowering, as this encourages the herb to branch and continue growing.

Some other harvesting tips to keep in mind:

• Don’t cut perennial herbs down more than half their height.
• Leave at least a few inches on the stem of annual herbs.
• Store fresh herbs in containers that promote air circulation. Sealed plastic bags lead to faster deterioration.
• Wash and pat down herbs immediately after harvesting.
• You can dry small-leaved herbs, like thyme, on the stem. But pick off the leaves of larger plants, like basil, before laying them out for drying.
• Don’t keep dried herbs for more than two to three years, as they start to lose their depth of flavor.

Tips for indoor herb gardens

• Go easy with watering. “Do not keep them overly wet or it will cause root rot. Watering once a week is typical for most home gardeners of indoor herbs, but due to differences in homes’ environmental conditions, that could vary somewhat,” Aufdenberg says.
• Fertilize in moderation. “Because we are watering regularly, we can wash out the nutrients from the soil over time, so it is important to replace them with a diluted fertilizer [whatever the recommendation is on the box or bag of fertilizer, cut it in half],” Aufdenberg says. Just don’t go overboard, as this can negatively affect flavors and fragrances.
• Be prepared to offer supplemental lighting. “A simple small fluorescent fixture, no more than 6 inches away, can make a difference in how the plants perform,” Aufdenberg says. “Let the lights shine for 14 to 16 hours a day.”
• Go slow when moving herbs outdoors. If you move your herbs to your yard in the summer, gradually acclimate them to the higher light over a couple of weeks. Start in a partial-shade position outdoors to avoid sun scorch, and watch out for insect infestations.

Sources:

• Denise DeSpirito, professional herbalist and gardener
• Donna Aufdenberg, field specialist in horticulture at the University of Missouri Extension

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The foot-tall (or longer) spiky leaves of aloe vera add an almost otherworldly beauty to your home. But the biggest draw of these medicinal plants is that they act as an easily accessible first-aid kit. “The gel in the leaves works great for healing burns, and every household should have one because of that,” says Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, aka “The Houseplant Guru,” a blogger, lecturer and the author of Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants. Fortunately, aloe plant care is simple. The low-maintenance indoor plants only require plenty of sunlight and a prudent plant watering schedule.

Where to put an aloe plant

Aloe vera plants thrive in typical household temperaturesbetween 55 and 85 degreesand standard home humidity.

“They need bright light, such as you would get in a south-or west-facing window, but are a little more forgiving of partial sun than most succulents. In fact, they can become sunburned if exposed to intense afternoon sun,” says Alex Wertley, a greenhouse sales associate at Primex Garden Center in Glenside, Pennsylvania. If the aloe’s leaves change color to light yellow or red, or if they develop black spots, then the plant is getting too much light. Move it to a less sunny location, and it should rebound.

Make sure you position this medicinal plant out of reach of cats and dogs. Aloe leaves contain two substances: a gooey gel in the center, and a white sap around the edges. The aloe gel is not toxic to pets, but the latex sap is. It can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy if your pets eat quite a bit of it.

Aloe plant care

Soil

How to grow aloe vera? Start by potting it in a well-draining mix, like a cactus or succulent blend. “The soil should be really chunky,” says Wertley.

Water

“The number one mistake people make with aloes is overwatering,” says Wertley. During the growing season, spring and summer, water when the top inch of the soil is dry, roughly every 14 days. In fall and winter, the best aloe vera plant care is to water only once a month. Signs of overwatering: leaves turn brown or mushy or develop black spots. Root rot can easily set in.

“If you suspect you’ve been overwatering, stop watering immediately, and the plant may recover,” Wertley says. Underwatering, on the other hand, is much easier to fix. “If the leaves start to shrivelthey start looking like prunesgive the plant a good, thorough drink of water. You should see water coming out the bottom of the pot. The plant perks up in a day or two,” says Wertley.

Fertilizer

Aloe plant care does not call for a lot of fertilizer. “Fertilize once in spring and once in the summer. Use a formula for succulents and cacti or any balanced (20-20-20, 10-10-10 or 5-5-5) basic houseplant fertilizer,” Wertley explains.

Types of aloe plants

There are more than 500 kinds of plants in the aloe family, but only a handful, in addition to aloe vera, remain small enough to use as indoor houseplants. These are some of the smaller types of aloe plants.

• Aloe vera is the classic 1- to 3-foot plant with spiky leaves that sometimes look like octopus arms.
• Hedgehog is a different species from aloe vera that stays compact and is only 12 inches at maturity.
• Tiger tooth, another species, has spikes on the ends of the leaves that look like teeth.
• Christmas Carol, a hybrid of a variety of species, has rosettes that grow 8 to 12 inches high and feature dark-green leaves with crimson raised spots.
• Lace aloe, also a different species, has low (6- to 9-inch) rosettes and, unlike other aloes, grows quickly. Compared with larger varieties, it’s a great small indoor plant.

Common pests

Typically, indoor aloe plant care does not call for pest control. But one possibility, much more common in outdoor plants, is an infestation with aloe mites, very tiny, spider-related bugs that suck sap. If you can spot them, you can kill them with a cotton swab doused in alcohol. But you may not realize you have an infestation until they have caused cancer-like growths on stems, leaves and flowering stalks that grow around the pests and protect them. To maintain the health of your plants, remove these growths with a sharp knife. Also be on the lookout for pests like fungus gnats and spider mites.

How to propagate aloe plants

Propagating aloe is easy. “The plants do the propagation for you,” says Wertley. Aloe plants tend to produce baby plants right there in a pot. “Keep these ‘pups’ attached to the mother plant until they are one-third to one-half the size of the mother,” Wertley says. Remove the entire plant from the pot and snip off the pup or pups as close to the mother plant as possible.

You are more likely to succeed with a pup that has roots, though even ones without them will probably also develop new roots. Let the cutting harden off for a day by placing it on newspaper in shade, which will let it develop a disease-fighting callus. Then plant the pup in a new pot.

Check out more tips on how to propagate houseplants before you begin.

FAQs about aloe plants

How to cut an aloe vera plant

The gel in aloe vera leaves soothes sunburned skin and may help prevent peeling, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In addition, “Application of aloe gel appears to shorten the duration of wound healing for first- and second-degree burns,” notes the Mayo Clinic. To use the gel, chop off a piece of a leaf, cut it in half and wipe the sticky substance on your skin. Pay attention to where you cut the plant, because the leaf will not re-grow and you want to maintain a full-looking plant.

Why is my aloe plant turning brown?

You are probably overwatering it, but for the best aloe plant care, also check for infestations like powdery mildew or white fungus balls.

Why aren’t I seeing flowers?

Aloe plants can produce yellow, orange and red blooms, but you are unlikely to see any if your plant is indoors. Part of the reason is that plants normally wait until they are four years old to bloom. But the lack of temperature change indoors, along with lower light compared with outdoors, inhibits the production of flowers. “If you do get flowers, that means you are doing 100 percent of what you need to do,” says Wertley. If you’re looking for some color, you might have better luck with these indoor flowering plants.

Sources:

• Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, aka “The Houseplant Guru,” blogger, lecturer and author of Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants
• Alex Wertley, greenhouse sales associate at Primex Garden Center in Glenside, Pennsylvania
• Animal Wellness Magazine: “Is aloe vera safe for dogs and cats?”
• Debra Lee Baldwin: “How to Manage Aloe Mite”
• Mayo Clinic: “Aloe”
• Cleveland Clinic: “Aloe Vera for Sunburns: Does It Help?”
• ProFlowers: “Aloe Vera Plant Care Guide: Growing Info + Tips”

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The perfect plants for your living room

Nature lovers believe living room plants are just as important as furniture and accessories … but they just might be even better! After all, plants are not only decorativethey can also offer some serious health benefits. Research suggestsindoor plantscould help improve your mood, concentration and even ability to heal, as well asclean the air. But before you start buying plants online, there are a few things you need to consider.

To go beyond a simple potted plant, think about your home’s style, says Erin Harding, co-author ofHow to Plant a Room and Grow a Happy Home. Do you lean toward a boho-chic look or more of a farmhouse style? Or maybe you’re a linear-loving modernist. When it comes to how to arrange plants, Harding recommends layering plants from floor to ceiling. And along with the plants themselves, your hanging pots, tabletop containers, baskets and stands should reflect your home and your personality.

And thats not all: You also need to be realistic about your level of expertise, as well as your living room conditionsespecially light and humidity levels. Evenlow-light indoor plantsandlow-maintenance indoor plantsneed some sun exposure. If windows are in short supply, agrow lightcan help as backup. And in homes with four-legged friends and children, look into a plants toxicity.

We knowit’s a lot to think about. But weve made it easy for you with this comprehensive list of the best living room plants, complete with the pros and cons of each. Find the ones that are right for you, and your home will truly become your oasis.

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Bathroom plants that’ll turn your space into a spa

Soaking in the tub while surrounded by stress-relieving, air-purifying indoor plants is good for the soul. But if your bathroom has only a small window that doesn’t let in much light, you might assume it will be a challenge to find low-maintenance indoor plants to cultivate that tropical oasis. Thankfully, many low-light indoor plants are perfect for high-humidity bathrooms. And while “low light” doesn’t mean your plants can survive with no light, don’t despair if you have a room without windows. Simply place your bathroom plants under grow lamps to see them thrive.

Whether you plan to buy plants online or visit a specialty brick-and-mortar store, check out these 15 suggested species to learn how to decorate with plants and turn your bathroom into a leafy jungle.

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Provided you have a healthy rather than near-dead plant, you can propagate a wide variety of finicky and low-maintenance plantstall plants, small plants, low-light indoor plants and more. There are several methods of indoor plant propagation, with the most popularand, arguably, most straightforwardbeing propagating from a cutting.

Read on to find out how to propagate plants from simple stem cuttings in soil or water. Then try it out on your favorite living room plants.

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What is propagation?

Before you learn how to propagate, make sure you’re familiar with the concept. Let’s start with the basics: What does propagate mean?

Plant propagation is the process of creating a new plant, and it can happen in two ways: sexually or asexually. Sexual propagation occurs through the natural growth of viable seeds, while asexual propagation allows for the creation of new plants using cuttings from vegetative parts, like the roots, leaves and stems.

Christopher Satch, a horticulturist and professor with the New York Botanical Garden, says that knowing your plant helps a lot when working out which propagation method will work best. “For example, cacti are best propagated by seed, as they produce thousands of seeds from one flower,” he says. “Aroids, like pothos and monstera, rarely bloom, so they are best propagated by cuttings. And of course, most oncidium orchids and other rhizomatous species are best propagated by dividing the plant.”

The process of propagation by leaf cutting is similar to that used for stem cuttings and works for species without stems, like popular snake plants. One big benefit of propagating from cuttings rather than via seeds is that you’re guaranteed to get an identical plant to the mother specieshandy when you have a striking variegated plant. Plus, plants from cuttings often mature and flower faster than seed-grown varieties.

Whichever method you opt for, you need a healthy plant and the right conditions to succeed.

Propagating in soil

Learning how to propagate from stem cuttings in soil isn’t too tricky. You’ll need to follow the steps below, though, and ensure your environment offers the appropriate conditions.

What you’ll need

• Container with drainage holes
• Loose, well-drained rooting medium
• Sharp knife, scissors or pruning shears
• Clear plastic bag
• Two to four straws or thin wooden stakes
• Rooting hormone (optional)
• Pencil
• Gloves (optional)

How to propagate in soil

Excessive water loss is a big killer of cuttings. Water the plant well the day before and take the cutting in the morning, before the day’s heat absorbs too much moisture. The exceptions to this rule are drought-tolerant succulents and cacti.

1. Cleanly cut off a healthy 4- to 6-inch stem from new growth. Make sure the base of the stem contains a healthy node (the bump from which buds and leaves sprout). Always use sterile scissors, shears or a knife, and wash your hands thoroughly or wear gloves to avoid spreading pathogens to the cutting.
2. Remove up to two-thirds of the leaves at the stem’s base. There should be only one to three leaves left on the upper part of the cutting. This helps direct energy and moisture to root growth.
3. Get rid of any flowers, buds or fruit. These draw energy away unnecessarily.
4. Dip the cut base into rooting hormone. You don’t have to do this, but it can help ensure your cutting takes root.
5. Fill a container with a damp (not saturated) rooting medium. You want something that absorbs appropriate amounts of air and water. An equal mix of vermiculite and perlite works well, but any well-drained, soil-less potting mix will do the trick.
6. Use a pencil to make a hole, and insert the cutting. Cover an inch or two of its base with the rooting medium to firmly hold it in place. Make sure you fully cover the bottom node in the rooting medium and verify that no leaves are touching the soil surface.
7. Cover the container with a clear plastic bag to seal in humidity. Make sure the bag doesn’t touch the leaves or stem by inserting straws or wooden stakes. Alternatively, sit the cutting next to a humidifier.
8. Position the pot in a spot with bright but indirect light, the indoor plant lighting that will give your cutting the best chance to succeed. Avoid temperature extremes. An environment that keeps the potting medium warm but not hot helps with root formation. Ideal temperatures are around 60 to 75 degrees.
9. Keep the rooting medium damp but not waterlogged, and pour out any water that gathers at the bag base.
10. The cutting should take root after two to four weeks, depending on the species and growing conditions. Gradually expose the rooted cutting to more fresh air by opening the bag a little each day.
11. Once the roots are fully established (you’ll feel slight resistance when gently tugging at the cutting) and the bag is completely off, you can transplant the cutting to a species-appropriate potting soil and place it in the spot you plan for it to call home.

Propagating in water

When possible, water propagation is master gardener Beth Buckley’s go-to method. “I like it because it’s easy and doesn’t require any special knowledge or toolscut your [plants], plop them in a jar or cup of water, set them somewhere they will get some light and wait for roots,” she says.

What you’ll need

• Sharp, clean knife, scissors or pruning shears
• Gloves (optional)
• Rooting hormone (optional)
• Narrow-topped clear glass jar (too wide and the entire stem will submerge in water)

How to propagate in water

1. Wash your hands thoroughly or put on gardening gloves. Using sterile scissors, shears or a knife, cleanly cut off a healthy 4- to 6-inch stem from new growth, making sure the base contains a healthy node.
2. Remove up to two-thirds of the leaves at the stem’s base, leaving only a few leaves on the upper part of the cutting.
3. Get rid of any flowers, buds or fruit.
4. Dip the cut base into rooting hormone, if desired.
5. Fill the jar with waterbut not so high that any leaves get wet. Tap water is fine, but make sure it’s room temperature; too cold, and it could send the cutting into shock.
6. Place the cutting where it will receive bright but indirect light.
7. Change the water every week.
8. If black slime develops on the base of the roots, cut it off. Once the slime has progressed to the stem, root rot has set in and you will probably have to take a new cutting.
9. Wait for the roots to grow to around 2 or 3 inches long, then transfer the cutting to a small container with drainage holes and porous potting soil.
10. Put a clear plastic bag over the new plant. “One potential issue with water propagation, though, is that when you first transplant the rooted cuttings to soil, they are especially sensitive to drying out,” Buckley says. The bag will help maintain a higher humidity level.
11. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged the first week or two after transplanting. After that, standard plant-watering guidelines apply.

Propagation mistakes to avoid

When learning how to propagate, newbie gardeners may have a few hiccups. That’s only natural. But you can give yourself a leg up by avoiding these plant propagation no-nos:

• Overdoing it with rooting hormone. Satch explains that rooting hormone isn’t necessary for houseplants, but for some species, it may help. “Less is more, as too much rooting hormone will overdose the propagation and kill the cutting,” he says.
• Taking cuttings at the wrong time of year. “Generally speaking, it’s much easier and faster to propagate plants in the spring and summer, when temperatures are warmer, days are longer and the humidity is higher. However, if you use grow lights indoors, it’s possible to propagate all year round,” says Buckley. “A heat mat or even an electric blanket set on low under your plants can be really helpful to boost root growth too. Darkness and wet, cold substrate will kill your plants in a hurry.”
• Taking too long to put the cutting into water or rooting medium. You can store a cutting in the refrigerator for up to a week if it’s wrapped in a damp paper towel and placed in a plastic bag. But left out in the elements, it will dry out quickly.
• Using unsanitary tools. Dirty shears or hands can spread pathogens that kill off delicate cuttings.
• Potting in garden soil. This doesn’t always provide the drainage the cutting needs to root, and it can harbor nasty pathogens.
• Providing too much sun exposure. This damages delicate cuttings. Light is essential for root formation, but make sure it’s bright but indirect.

Now that you’re a master of propagating plants, fill your space with gorgeous greenery (we love ZZ plants and fiddle leaf figs) and multipurpose plants, like medicinal herbs and air-purifying plants.

Sources:

• Christopher Satch, horticulturist and professor with the New York Botanical Garden
• Beth Buckley, master gardener

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Looking to add a little green to your home? Monstera plants are a great option, since they’re eye-catching and low-maintenance indoor plants. You’ll recognize them by their large, fleshy heart-shaped leaves and their standout feature, the split in their leaves. You’ve also probably heard of them by their popular namesthe Swiss cheese plant, split-leaf philodendron or the fruit salad plant. Lois Whyde, a horticulturist with the University of California Riverside Botanic Gardens, points out that monstera’s huge leaves make them unique and interesting as indoor plants. There are dozens of species of monstera plants, but only a handful of them are available at your local plant nursery.

This “flowering plant” species is native to the tropical forests of southern Mexico, going as far south as Panama. Monstera plants have been introduced to other tropical areas as well, so you could see them while hiking or sightseeing in Hawaii. While they grow best in their natural outdoor habitat, where some can get up to 30 to 70 feet tall, they also do well indoorsthough they won’t get as big living in your home! In general, these aren’t small indoor plants, but growing them indoors will make them fit into your space, says Whyde. Commonly pruned to around 3 to 5 feet tall, these plants can grow to 10 to 15 feet indoors, with proper monstera plant care.

In their natural habitat, they will produce creamy white flowers that look like a protective cape, growing up to 12 inches long. Inside the flower is a cone-like spike made of small blooms that will eventually turn into berries. You can cross your fingers, but monsteras rarely flower or produce fruit when cared for as indoor houseplants.

Too busy to get to your local plant nursery but want to get started with a monstera? Check out these easy options to buy plants online. In the meantime, here’s how to care for monstera.

Where to put a monstera plant?

These plants are easy to care for, but you need to put them in the right spot with the proper indoor plant lighting in your office or home for them to thrive. According to Whyde, monstera plants need to be in a location that gets bright indirect light. Putting your monstera plant near a window that gets full but indirect sun for most of the day works best. A covered patio works tooespecially since these plants are natural climbersas long as it doesn’t get too cold. “They naturally grow up trees, where they are covered by the tree canopy,” Whyde adds.

As tropical plants, they prefer higher humidity and temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees. Just be aware that these plants can be mildly toxic to humans, so wear gloves when pruning if you have sensitive skin. Monstera plants are also one of the plants poisonous to dogs and cats. In pets, they generally cause a skin irritation but sometimes worse, like swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips. More severe cases include vomiting and difficulty swallowing, so keep your furry friends away from this one. The best monstera plant care (and pet care!) is to keep the plant somewhere with adequate light where pets can’t reach and won’t be tempted to nibble.

Monstera plant care

Soil needs

The best soil for monstera plants is loose, rich soil with good drainage. Peat moss is a good option for monstera plants, since it allows for quick-flowing drainage while holding in some of the moisture. You need to make sure your pot has adequate drainage holes at the bottom so the soil doesn’t get too soggy. Your goal should be to keep the soil moderately moist, but don’t let your plant sit in a tray of soaking water. Soil that is too wet can lead to fungus gnats or white fungus balls on your plant.

Watering needs

The basic rule of thumb for monstera watering is to water this plant when it feels dry. You can feel the soil with your finger to estimate when the top half feels dry. If the leaves are drooping and curling, you’ve waited too long. An easy guide is once every week during spring and summer months, possibly every other week depending on your home’s growing conditions. Plant watering tip: How often to water monstera can vary by season, as the houseplant requires less water during fall and winter months. Water until you see liquid exiting through the drainage holes, then make sure to let it drain completely before putting it back on its tray.

Fertilizer needs

The main issue for monstera plants is finding a fertilizer that’s high in nitrogen, according to Whyde. Phosphorus and potassium are additional macronutrients that contribute to healthy leaves, stems and roots. In general, a slow-release granule works well, since it will keep your plant nourished over a longer period of time. You’ll be glad you took the time to focus on good monstera plant care, which will boost your plant’s growth, color and foliage.

A few popular varieties

These are some of the most popular types of monstera:

Common pests

Spider mites are the most common houseplant pest for monstera plants. You’ll notice little white spots initially, then the leaves will turn yellow and eventually brown, due to the plant’s loss of chlorophyll. If the white spots aren’t obvious, you can look for their nearby web to confirm your suspicion. A quick option for getting rid of spider mites is spraying them with insecticidal soaps or oils formulated to kill pests. Neem oil is our favorite natural option, which is safe for humans and pets.

Aphids can be a problem on newer growth, but generally they aren’t able to penetrate more mature leaves. You may find scale on the stems or leaves, which are tiny beige or brown insects. You’ll likely be able to see some of the pests, according to Whyde, who says the plant will start declining. Ladybugs are a great natural option for getting rid of unwanted pests, or you can purchase a variety of sprays from your local plant nursery. As with all plants, it’s good monstera plant care to be careful bringing in plants from outside that may introduce bugs to your other indoor plants.

How to propagate a monstera plant?

Learning how to propagate monstera is pretty straightforward and simple. You have a few basic options, according to Whyde, who shares, “The easiest way is air layering.” The plants naturally root where they touch the soil. Once they’re rooted, you can cut that portion off with its roots using clippers. If that’s not your preference, you can go in a different direction: “You can also take stem cuttings; then lay the piece, which must include a node, onto the soil,” she adds. The node is the small lump where a leaf was previously growing.

Signs it’s time to repot a monstera plant

You’ll start to see some obvious signs when it’s time to repot your plant. This partly depends on how big you want it to get as an indoor houseplant. It might sound obvious, but if your plant starts to look too large for its pot, then it’s time to repot it. Another clear sign for when to repot monstera is the presence of lots of aerial roots. You might not think repotting is necessary, but houseplants in pots don’t get very much soil, so giving them a fresh pot with new soil is necessary for additional nutrients that break down over time.

Just make sure to clean and prune your monstera plant back before you transplant itand don’t be afraid of giving this one a good trim, since it’s pretty indestructible (trust us). The lower, older leaves will naturally turn yellow and die, so this is a good time to pull those off for a fresh start. Cutting back monstera leaves that are turning yellow and giving the plant a good trim allow for new growth and are a natural part of monstera plant care. It can even revive a dead or dying plant! To continue to add to your garden, check out these air-purifying plants and medicinal herbs you can grow.

Source:

• Lois Whyde, horticulturist and plant nursery technician with the University of California Riverside Botanic Gardens

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The best succulents for the home

If prickly, desert-bound cacti come to mind when you think of succulents, think again! There are more than 10,000 types of succulents around the world, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A famously easy-to-care-for plant category, succulents can thrive in arid conditions by storing water in their dense leaves, branches or trunks, so they’re ideal low-maintenance indoor plants. And while they do include those foreboding cacti of the American West, there’s a lot more to succulents than their spiny family members.

Many are low-light indoor plants and especially hard to kill, perfect for plant lovers who may be long on interest but short on time to care for their greenery. Succulents do well in a variety of conditions, generally need infrequent watering or repotting and can manage through long periods of benign neglect. They’re also surprisingly cute, complex, fascinating and ideal as indoor plants.

Here’s a look at 15 types of succulents, with tips on how to care for them and where to buy plants online. If you’ve chosen a spiky friend of the cactus variety, just be careful when opening the box!

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Decorating with plants

Maybe you scour home decor magazines and pin your way through Pinterest, looking for just the right combination of furnishings, color schemes and accent pieces for your everyday living spaces. But are you overlooking a major design elementone that doesn’t involve committing to an expensive couch or a wall color you’ll soon tire of? Look no further than the humble houseplant. Decorating with plants is a fun, creative and usually inexpensive way to enlivenliterally and figurativelyyour domestic spaces.

“Plants are the best way I know of to add life to a space,” says Justin Lievano, lead florist at UrbanStems. “Introducing plants to any decorating scheme immediately makes a space feel fresher and less sterile.” Plus, as Lievano points out, studies have shown that keeping and tending to plants is good for our mental healthand many plants act as indoor air purifierstoo. By making us feel better all around, having plants, Lievano says, “enhances our ability to enjoy a well-curated space.”

When it comes to decorating with indoor plants, Lievano says there aren’t any hard-and-fast rules. “Your relationship with plants should be about what you love and what plants will thrive in your space,” he says. So as you shop for plants, either in garden centers or from online plant retailers, think about your setting, as well as the greenness of your thumb. You may want to start with some low-maintenance indoor plants, or shop for plants that do better in low light.

To provide some design inspo, let’s look at some ideas on how to arrange plants and make decorating with plants an integral part of your overall interior design strategy.

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That vertical plant magic begins with a relatively simple guideline: Be mindful of light and water. A living wall will need both, and you’ll also need something to protect your actual wall. Most living walls include easy-to-find low-maintenance plants and low-light indoor plants, since they are tried-and-true household staples. Once the system is installed, maintenance can be relatively routine with regular watering, pruning and occasionally addressing a dead plant.

Beyond bringing good looks and joy, a living wall can also muffle sound and improve your health and sense of well-being. So why not grow for it? Here’s what you need to know before you decide to create one in your own home.

What is a living wall?

Simply put, a living wall, or green wall, arranges and grows plants vertically. The practice has ancient roots indoors and outdoors, but in modern times, indoor living walls have grown more captivating. Some gardens are tiny, others massive. Most are framed to help maintain the form and include a backing of protective material, and that waterproof membrane is critical to prevent mold and structural damage. The plants are suspended in pockets of specially designed growing material or containers, depending on the desired look. The options are always expanding, and more elaborate systems include integrated watering.

What are the benefits of a living wall?

In addition to the joy of indoor gardening, living walls can make a healthier home. During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Adding air-purifying plants in a room can clean the air and help us breathe better even without a wall, but the scale of a living wall takes it to a whole new level.

Some studies suggest a living wall also helps with stress reduction. Brooks-Church believes a living wall is psychologically beneficial. “People say they feel more calm and at peace when they have a living wall,” he says. With six plants per square foot, a 10-by-10-foot wall hosts 600 plants, which produces quite of bit of air-filtering and mental healing!

What should you consider before installing or growing one?

Before investing in a living plant wall, consider your budget. A DIY approach can save dollars, especially if you’re handy. A professionally installed, more self-sufficient model may run into thousands of dollars. Either way, understanding the mechanics will protect your home and preserve your plants.

Also think about the type of system that will work for you. Do you prefer to grow plants in soil or water? How much time and energy can you commit to maintaining it? Hand-watering is sloppy and time-consuming. Installing more permanent irrigation from a refillable well or more permanent water connection works efficiently, but it also jacks up the budget.

Requirements for a living wall

Before you install a vertical garden, consider your space, says Paris Lalicata, plant education and community engagement associate at The Sill. Where are the windows located? How close will they be to your indoor garden? Will the garden be large enough to require permanent watering? How hot and humid is the room through all four seasons? Here’s a closer look at two of those essential components.

Sunlight

Successful plant nurturing goes back to the old adage “location, location, location.” Since natural light is the gold standard, try to create a green wall near a window. Even low-light-loving plants need some sunshine, so supplement with grow lights if necessary. Indoor grow lighting is designed for specific plant needs and will vary. Look for a full-spectrum light system suspended from above to help provide what a room is missing naturally.

Wall types

Wall material won’t matter nearly as much as the system that delivers water and the amount of light in a room. In fact, any type of wall can support a vertical garden as long as the structure is securely attached. Larger gardens will have more weight, but for home installs, Brooks-Church says it is similar to balancing a piece of art. The key for hanging, regardless of garden size and substrate, is locating the studs in the wall and choosing the correct anchor for the type of wall.

Best plants for an indoor wall

What grows together, goes together. All your living wall indoor plants should share the same growing requirements. Since most indoor living walls are not in direct sun, think low-light plants. Brooks-Church uses mostly 3- or 4-inch containers of tropicals to start, keeping most in their original growing medium. His favorites include anthurium, peace lilies and ferns, including the Boston fern, which may need a trim as it grows. Orchids provide a flowering option.

For plenty of cascade, Lalicata loves pothos, heart leaf philodendron and peperomia. But check to see which plants are poisonous to dogs or toxic to cats before you buy. And to ensure a vertical garden is safe for the family, she says, “keep the bottom part pet-friendly and nontoxic.” Calathea, staghorn ferns and bird’s nest ferns are all fur-baby approved.

How to care for the plants on an indoor wall

Just like plants in any other setup, living wall plants need water. A permanent connection and flexible piping can distribute water throughout the structure, and some systems use a tank that needs to be filled regularly instead. Watering by hand can be a little sloppier, and it takes extra time. Either way, a waterproof catch basin or gutter should be used to protect the floors. Fertilizer should also be added to the water a couple of times a year.

And then it’s the power of observation. Stunted plants may need more light. Wilting plants could possibly use more water. Confirm the water tank or connection is active before leaving for vacation.

How to maintain a living wall

With proper plant choices, regular watering and enough light, a living wall should thrive. Check to make sure water is reaching all the plants. And keep in mind that the location and amount of light are equally important to their health. To supplement nature, install grow lights from the ceiling.

Replace plants that expire, and trim others if they outgrow their space. Cuttings from creeping beauties like pothos can be propagated to make new additions. Simply add them to water in order to root.

As for hazards, beware of plant hitchhikers! Fungus gnats may proliferate in soil-based plants. Scale, mealybugs and spider mites are possible as well. To combat these pesky pests, Sill’s Lalicata prefers insecticidal soaps and biological controls, including beneficial insects, over toxins.

What to know before you grow a living wall

• A true green wall is difficult to move, so consider how long you will live in your home before committing.
• Start small. Prefab options or a series of hanging containers can work as long as water doesn’t impact the wall.
• If a living wall seems overwhelming, use a stack of shelves filled with a wide variety of plants. You’ll get the lookbut with less investment and worry. Plus, they can move when you do.
• Vertical garden ideas include edible plants too. With enough light, herbs makes a unique statement and a tasty piece of art.
• For renters and the commitment averse, preserved moss walls and faux living walls can substitute. Add real potted plants to the mix.

Sources:

• Gennaro Brooks-Church, founder of Eco Brooklyn Living Walls
• Paris Lalicata, plant education and community engagement associate at The Sill
• Urban Blooms: “The Benefits of Living Walls in Healthcare”
• SolTech: “How to Choose Lighting for Your Indoor Plant Wall”
• Dwell: “Living Green Walls 101: Their Benefits and How Theyre Made”

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Signs a plant needs to be repotted

You should repot a plant when its roots have become overcrowded. If roots run out of space to expand, they may end up circling the inside of a pot, creating a tight mass that makes it difficult for water and fertilizers to penetrate. One sure sign of overcrowding is that roots have grown out of the top of a container or out of the drainage hole at the bottom.

Other tip-offs: When you water, the liquid pools on top of the pot. Or a plant wilts even when watered regularlythis can mean a dense root mass is preventing H2O from reaching individual root ends. Similarly, if leaves look unhealthy, this could be an indication that overcrowded roots are interfering with a plant’s ability to take in nutrients, says Byron Martin, co-owner of Logee’s Greenhouses, a mail-order and in-store plant nursery in Danielson, CT. Overcrowding makes proper watering difficult and can lead to root rot, insect infestations like fungus gnatsand a dead plant.

Another time to repot is when the plant has grown so much that it overwhelms its container, Martin says. These plants look out of proportion to their pots and are at risk of toppling over. They may also have overcrowded roots.

Materials needed to repot a plant

Knowing how to repot a plant is an important skill for plant owners. “Most plants need to be repotted about every couple of years,” says Ginsberg. And some fast-growers should be transferred to new pots even more often, including popular low-light indoor plants such as spider plants, pothos and dumb canes.

Here’s the equipment you’ll need:

Potting soil

The potting mixes you buy in stores are suitable for most houseplants. These soilless blends generally contain peat moss (a dark brown, stringy substance that holds water and releases it slowly into a pot), perlite (small white balls that add air space to the container), vermiculite (shiny slivers that help retain moisture) and sometimes lime (a white powder that lowers the acidity of the mix). “As long as the mix provides aerationair spacesthe plant should be okay,” Martin says. The biggest no-no is potting plants in outdoor garden soil. “Garden soil becomes compact and prevents good drainage,” explains Ginsberg.

A new, slightly wider pot

Plants remain healthy when they are moved into a pot that’s only slightly wider than their current home, so choose a new pot that’s one to two inches wider than the original. “The most frequent mistake people make when repotting is putting a plant into a much bigger new pot,” Ginsberg says. With a too-large pot, you end up with lots of soil where there are no roots to absorb water. This soggy soil can easily lead to root rot.

The best pots to put your plants into are terra cotta. While they are expensive, heavy and easily broken, clay pots gradually release moisture in the soil mix, cutting down the chances of your potting mix becoming water-logged. “Terra cotta pots help keep root rot at bay,” says Martin. Cheaper plastic pots or fancier glazed pots are fine if you’re careful about watering, because they retain moisture longer than terra cotta. But always avoid pots without holes, because water can collect at the bottom of these containers.

Gloves

Gloves are a necessity if you’re transplanting a plant with spines or thorns (such as a cactus). They’re also a good choice to keep your hands clean as you learn how to repot a plant. If you’re wearing them to work with multiple plants though, be sure you aren’t accidentally spreading pests like aphids from plant to plant as you go.

Tools

Tools such as small trowels and scissors or clippers to snip off roots and damaged leaves will make it easier to handle the delicate parts of your plant as you repot.

How to repot a plant

Sterilize new pot and tools

If your container has been used before, wash it with a mix of one part bleach to 10 parts water to ensure that you don’t spread diseases, recommends Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, aka “The Houseplant Guru,” a blogger, lecturer and the author of Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants. Clean your tools with the same type of solution.

Remove plant from container

Spread out a working surface that can be cleaned or tossed, such as a tarp, newspaper or large plastic bag. Or simply move everything outside. Water the plant a little bitslightly moist soil makes it easier to remove. Put the pot on its side, tap it and wiggle the plant out, if it doesn’t simply fall out. Make sure your movements are gentle so you don’t break off any roots. “People get nervous about removing a plant from its pot, but it’s not really hard,” Ginsberg says.

Untangle the plant roots

Trim off any dead or diseased-looking roots. Loosen up or massage the roots, especially those in the bottom of the pot. “If there are roots growing in a circle, break them up and pull them out so they will grow downward once repotted,” suggests Ginsberg. With your fingers, remove the old soil mix from the root ball so it doesn’t create a bump that can collect water.

Repot the plant

Put an inch or so of potting soil on the bottom of the new pot. Feel free to reuse the old container mix, as long as your plant looks healthynot showing signs of powdery mildew or brown tips on leavesand the soil is not compacted. Hold the plant with your hand so that it’s about one inch below the top of the pot. This ensures that H2O won’t overflow when you water the plant. Fill empty spaces in the pot with the mix. Finally, tamp down the potting soil to settle it and remove big air pockets.

Water the plant thoroughly

“Give the plant a good drink of water after repotting it. This settles the soil,” Martin says. But wait a month or so before you fertilize the plant, cautions Ginsberg. It will stress the plant too much.

Tips for repotting a houseplant

Here’s more advice on how to repot a plant.

• Try to get the timing right. “Repotting is best when roots are in active growth, which generally means spring to fall,” Martin notes.
• Don’t immediately repot a plant you obtained from a garden center or plant subscription box. Moving the plant from its original environment already caused stress, so repotting the plant will add to the trauma, says Ginsberg. You can leave the plant in its nursery container for six to 10 months, to let it adjust to a new environment. If you want a more attractive look, slip the nursery container inside a nicer-looking pot that’s slightly bigger.
• If, against expert advice, you want to use a container with no drainage holes, start by putting down a layer of activated charcoal. This will absorb water and, in theory, prevent your plant from sitting in soggy soil, according to Pistils Nursery in Portland, OR. “People who don’t use drainage holes are brave people,” Steinkopf says. For a less risky alternative, keep your plant in a pot with holes, then slip it into a more attractive pot without them. When you need to water, take the smaller pot out, soak it, let it drain, then return to the container with no holes.
• If you like your current plant-pot combo, you can maintain an overgrown plant in its current pot by pruning the roots, Martin says. You can take the plant out of its pot and cut back up to two-thirds of its roots. Since plants vary in how sensitive their roots are, do some research before you start hacking. Just like repotting, successful root pruning can help your plants thrive so they’re a part of your life for a long, long time.

Sources:

• Katelyn Ginsberg, co-owner of Primex Garden Center in Glenside, PA
• Byron Martin, co-owner of Logee’s Greenhouses, a mail-order and in-store plant nursery in Danielson, CT
• Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, blogger, lecturer and author of Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants
• Washington Post: “How to Repot Plants Without Killing Them“
• Pistils Nursery: “How to Plant in a Pot Without Drainage Holes“
• Express: “‘Splash of colour’ 8 of the fastest-growing houseplants for an instant indoor garden“

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If you’re new to plant parenthood, resist the urge to buy based on looks. A gorgeous but finicky plant can fool you into thinking you’re not made for plant care. And while you could opt for artificial plants, we have a better idea: Consider the pothos, also known as devil’s ivy. Pothos plant care is super simplein fact, these indoor plants are considered some of the easiest houseplants to own. And yes, they’re also beautiful in just about any space.

“Whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced plant parent, pothos ivy is resilient and tolerant of a wide variety of indoor growing conditions,” says Leslie F. Halleck, a certified professional horticulturist, author of Plant Parenting and University of California, Los Angeles, extension horticulture instructor.

These beauties have chartreuse heart-shaped leaves and grow long vines, making them stand out on shelves or in hanging baskets. “The pothos is a low-maintenance and durable plant that comes in a myriad of brilliantly colored leaves and many different forms for all sorts of personalities and homes,” says Lindsay Pangborn, a gardening expert with Bloomscape.

You don’t even have to visit a nursery to bring home a pothos plantyou can buy plants online from the comfort of your sofa. And while you’re at it, you may want to pick up a few more low-maintenance indoor plants (like tall plants that add depth and texture to your space). Just make sure the place you have in mind for this houseplant receives plenty of natural light. Otherwise, you’ll want to consider low-light indoor plants so you don’t have to be concerned about how to bring a dead plant back to life.

Where to put a pothos plant

Pothos plants are easy to grow as long as they have sufficient bright, indirect sunlight. Without enough sun, however, growth will be slow. “This type of light can be found next to a south- or west-facing window with a sheer curtain to filter out any harsh rays that could burn the foliage,” says Pangborn. “You could also place your plant a few feet back from the window so it doesn’t get scorched.”

Although pothos plants are tropical, they are adapted to live in indoor environments with different temperature levels. “Pothos ivy is quite content in temperatures ranging from 70 to 90 degrees,” says Halleck. “They can tolerate a bit cooler [temperatures], but don’t expose plants to temperatures below 40 degrees to avoid cold damage.”

As for humidity levels, your plant will handle low humidity just fine. Aim for a relative humidity range of between 50% and 70%, says Halleck.

While sunlight, temperature and humidity are important to consider before deciding where to put your new plant, they’re not your only concerns. Pothos plants are toxic to cats and dogs if ingested, so you’ll need to keep yours out of reach of your fur babies.

One final consideration? Where the plant will look its best. Pothos plants grow long vines, making them great indoor hanging plants. Consider placing them on a shelf or in a hanging basket to fully enjoy the foliage. Bonus: This placement may make it harder for pets to nibble on them.

Pothos plant care

Pothos plant care is so easy, you may find yourself doubting your plant could be healthy with so little fuss. So how do you know yours is A-OK? “If the plant’s leaves are glossy, vivid-colored and perky, the plant is happy,” Pangborn says.

If you spot pothos leaves curling, though, the plant may be underwatered or in need of more humidity, she says.

When you see pothos leaves turning yellow, you may be giving your plant too much water, so check if the soil is soggy. Of course, there are other reasons your plant’s leaves may be yellow. “Yellowing leaves may also be a sign of low humidity, which can be solved with an occasional misting,” says Pangborn. “It can also occur if its environment receives very low light or if it is experiencing an insect infestation, allowing bugs and pests to suck the moisture out of the plant.”

Aside from sunlight and humidity, there are a few additional aspects of pothos plant care that newbie gardeners should be aware of. Paying attention to the soil, water and fertilizer will go a long way toward ensuring your pothos lives a long life.

Soil

The pothos is an adaptable plant and can grow in many types of soil. “Use a loose, well-aerated potting mix for indoor plants,” recommends Halleck. “As a semiepiphytic plant, pothos ivy does not need a large terrestrial root system, or a lot of growing media, to thrive.”

Semiepiphytic plantsthose that partially derive nutrients and moisture from the airdo best in smaller containers rather than large pots. This helps reduce the chance of root rot and overwatering, explains Halleck. If your pothos came in a large pot, don’t worry; you can repot the plant.

Water

“Pothos ivy [is] quite tolerant of frequent light waterings or infrequent deep waterings,” says Halleck. “As a semiepiphytic vine, they are adept at pulling moisture out of the air and don’t need a lot of constant water at the root zone.”

If you’re wondering how often to water pothos plants, there are a few factors to consider, including the size of the plant, how warm your home is and how much light the pothos plant receives, explains Halleck. The soil is a good indicator of when to water. “A pothos plant should be watered when 50% to 75% of the soil volume is dry,” says Pangborn.

The leaves provide another clue: When they droop or curl, it’s time to water. “They may also curl inward and feel limp to the touch,” says Pangborn. “Water them thoroughly, and it will be back to normal within a couple of hours with no issues.”

Fertilizer

Your pothos will benefit from fertilizer feeding every now and again. According to Halleck, the growing conditions will influence how often your plant needs to be fertilized.

“Pothos aren’t picky, so choose any foliage houseplant or general fertilizer with a 1-1-1 or 3-1-2 NPK ratio bimonthly,” says Halleck. With that advice in mind, you could purchase a fertilizer with a 6-6-6 or 20-20-20 NPK guaranteed analysis or a fertilizer with a 15-5-10 guaranteed analysis. Or try your hand at making your own compost for a natural fertilizer.

Types of pothos plants

• Golden pothos: This plant “is a classic for good reason, thanks to its bright, cheerful green-and-yellow variegated leaves,” says Pangborn. Halleck, too, is a fan of this reliable variety.
• Silver pothos: This plant, part of a different genus but resembling a pothos, has silver-and-green variegated leaves. “Their coloration easily meshes with many different decor styles, adding a pretty accent without pulling too much attention,” says Pangborn.
• Marble queen pothos: This variety has white, yellow and green leaves that will add visual interest to any space. Decorating with plants has never been so easy.

Common pests

When pothos are healthy and receive sufficient nutrients, they aren’t frequently affected by houseplant pests. “Stressed plants in either dry, warm conditions or wet, cool conditions can suffer from pests such as spider mites, scale and mealybugs, and soil-born diseases such as root rot,” says Halleck.

Notice pothos leaves curling? It’s not just a sign your plant may need more water or greater humidity. It can indicate that spider mites or other pests are bothering the plant. “Spider mites are a common sight on pothos plants, since they are sap-sucking insects looking to drain the plant’s moisture,” says Pangborn.

If you notice any pests lurking on your pothos plant, take action ASAP, she says. Insects can take over the plant quickly. Next, learn about the optimal care for jade plants.

How to propagate pothos plants

As soon as you have one pothos, you’re going to want more of these vining plants. And you’ll no doubt want to spread the love by gifting them to friends and family. Propagating pothos plantsor creating more from a cutting of your plantis easy. One of the simplest methods is to propagate pothos in water.

Here’s how to propagate pothos:

1. Find a stem with a minimum of three leaves. Cut it at an angle half an inch below the last leaf using a sterile knife.
2. Remove only the lowest leaf from the stem.
3. Place the cutting in a cup or jar of water, making sure the leaves aren’t in the water. Within a few weeks, roots should form.
4. Once the roots are several inches long, transplant or place the cutting into a pot.
5. Treat this plant just as you would other pothos plants.

Don’t fret if you see fungus balls in the soil. But if you notice powdery mildew on your plants or brown tips on the leaves, take action right away. Once you’ve worked out just how to care for your pothos plant, consider adding some air-purifying plants or medicinal herbs to your indoor garden.

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Sources:

• Leslie F. Halleck, certified professional horticulturist, author of Gardening Under Lights, Plant Parenting and Tiny Plants, and UCLA extension horticulture instructor
• Lindsay Pangborn, gardening expert with Bloomscape

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Even low-maintenance indoor plants like snake plants can develop root rot. Most often, the condition is fatal. But when caught early, root rot might be treatable, according to Byron Martin, co-owner of Logee’s Greenhouses, a mail-order and on-site retail plant nursery in Danielson, CT. Preventive measures are much more effective, and they require mastering the art of plant watering.

What is root rot?

Root rot is caused by several fungal and related disease-causing organisms (but not fungus balls) that enter a plant’s roots. “These pathogens gain a foothold when roots are in water-soaked conditions,” Martin says. Potting soil can become too wet if you:

• Water a plant too often
• Let water sit in a saucer under the plant pot
• Use a pot without drainage holes so water collects in the bottom
• Put a plant in too big a pot (water will drain too slowly)
• Pot the plant with outdoor garden soil that will become thick and prevent water from draining out of the container

Winter is a risky time for plant roots. “Houseplants grow less in the winter,” says Dave Clement, a plant pathologist with the University of Maryland Extension. But people tend to not reduce their watering during the cold months, so the potting mix may stay wet. The plants may also be exposed to temperatures below their comfort zones. “Cold and wet is an invitation to root rot,” Martin says. If you have fungus gnats, then you have conditions conducive to root rot.

Regardless of the time of year, some indoor plants are especially susceptible to root rot, including dwarf citrus trees, poinsettias and gardenias, according to Martin.

Signs of root rot

What does root rot look like? The first symptom is stunted growththe houseplant appears not to thrive. As the disease progresses, the plant wilts from the bottom leaves up. Finally, leaves turn yellow and drop off.

Because the symptoms of underwatering and root rot are similar, it’s important to get the correct diagnosis before you do anything to help your ailing plant. “Take the plant out of its pot and look at the roots. Roots should be white and firm, not mushy. Roots with rot are black and may smell bad,” says Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, aka “The Houseplant Guru,” a blogger, lecturer and author of Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants. The roots of underwatered plants will look healthier.

Root rot treatment

If your stressed plant appears to have some intact roots, follow these steps from Steinkopf on how to fix root rot:

1. Take the plant out of the pot.
2. Wash all soil off the root ball.
3. Sanitize the pot with one part bleach to 10 parts water. Also sanitize any tools, such as trowels, that you plan to use.
4. Put the plant in the sanitized pot with new potting soil. Here’s how to repot a plant.
5. Water the plant to settle it into the pot.
6. Do NOT fertilize the plant until it appears to have recovered.

How to prevent root rot

Preventing root rot is much, much easier than trying to cure it with root rot treatment. The key to fending off the disease is to keep your houseplants properly hydrated. Instead of following a regular plant watering schedule, check that each plant needs water by sticking your finger in the pot. “For most plants, if the top two inches are dry, the plant could use a drink,” Steinkopf says.

Use a soil mix intended for containers. It includes particles to maintain air spaces that allow roots to breathe. In addition, “Terra cotta pots will help keep root rot at bay,” Martin says. Because they are porous, moisture escapes through their walls, which cuts down the odds of developing soggy soil.

Make sure you do not overfertilize your plants, cautions Clement. The additional nitrogen in fertilizers suppresses a plant’s ability to fight off diseases. Also, fertilizers add salt to the potting soil, and this can damage root tips, making it easy for pathogens to infect the plant.

Clement suggests that each spring you knock your plants out of their containers and inspect their roots. This gives you a chance to catch root rot early. “And if you remove dead roots, you can stimulate new growth,” he says.

Sources:

• Byron Martin, co-owner of Logee’s Greenhouses
• Dave Clement, plant pathologist with the University of Maryland Extension
• Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, blogger, lecturer and author of Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants
• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: “Root Rots of Houseplants”
• Purdue Extension: “Pythium root rot of herbaceous plants”

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The post What Is Root Rot, and How to Care for It appeared first on Reader's Digest.

We get it: Not everyone has the magic touch when it comes to houseplants. If you struggle to keep yours alive but still want greenery in your space, look no further than the jade plant. Also known as the money plant, this succulent symbolizes luck and prosperity. Jade plant care is simpleeven if your thumbs aren’t particularly green. For new plant parents, this no-fuss houseplant is a wonderful place to start. But these succulents aren’t just hardy; with light-green, oval-shaped leaves and wooden stems, they’re also pretty additions to any decor.

“Jade plants are easy to care for, can thrive in most conditions and are known to improve indoor air quality and improve well-being, among other benefits that plants in general typically have,” says Alfred Palomares, vice president of merchandising and resident plant dad at 1-800-Flowers.

Curious about other indoor plants and types of succulents to add to your collection? First, consider how hands-on you want to be. If you’re more of a hands-off plant parent, check out these low-maintenance indoor plants. Make sure there is ample light where you plan to place them, or choose one of these low-light indoor plants. Because if you don’t provide a houseplant with the proper conditions, you may need to learn how to revive a dead plant. Don’t feel like venturing to the nursery? No problem. You can buy plants online directly from the comfort of your sofa.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about how to care for a jade plant.

Where to put a jade plant

Jade plant care is easy, as long as you give this houseplant the conditions it craves. In fact, well-maintained and well cared for jade plants can last for decades. Start by catering to its lighting needs: Place this succulent in a sunny area of the homejade plants need a lot of sunlight to thrive.

“Jade plants need direct sunlight or very bright indirect light, so keep it in a sunny spot in your home, like a south-facing window,” says Lindsay Pangborn, a gardening expert at Bloomscape. Insufficient light will affect your jade plant’s growth. “Placement in medium or low light will cause growth to slow, older leaves to fall off and new growth to become ‘stretched’ and leggy,” she says.

Give it the sunlight it needs, and you’ll have no problem with jade plant care. These easygoing plants do well in most indoor environments. “Just like cacti, jade plants will thrive best in climates that are dry and are 55 degrees or higher at any given time,” explains Palomares.

Because they’re so unfussy, jade plants make decorating simple. “They are a bit more adaptable to temperature and humidity shifts than some other common houseplants, giving more flexibility in where they can be placed around the house,” Pangborn says.

Finally, when deciding where to put your jade plant, consider your furry friends. The jade plant is toxic for dogs and cats, so either keep yours out of reach of your four-legged housemates, or pick a different plant.

Jade plant care

So, how exactly do you care for these succulents? Once you’ve taken sunlight into account, focus on the soil, water and fertilizer.

Soil

When determining how to care for a jade plant, know that the type of soil is key. “A soil that is intended for cacti or succulents is perfect for a jade plant, due to its drainage,” says Palomares. The best jade plant soil drains well. That’s important because it helps prevent roots from sitting in water, which can lead to root rot.

Water

Jade plants require full sunlight, and this affects the amount of water they need. According to Palomares, the soil will dry out more quickly the longer the plant stays in the sun.

According to Pangborn, a good rule of thumb when it comes to plant watering is to let the soil dry out before giving it another drink. Your jade plant may give you signs when it’s thirsty. “You’ll notice the leaves may get a bit wrinkled when it’s ready for a drink,” she says.

Wondering how often to water a jade plant? Well, that depends on the time of year and how much sun it receives. “Jade plants should be watered roughly every week, and this may increase in the warmer spring and summer months and decrease during fall and winter,” says Megan McDugald, manager of horticulture at Gaylord Opryland Center. Palomares says that in winter, you may need to water only once a month.

Fertilizer

Another component of jade plant care is fertilizer. Succulents can use a boost, especially during the growing season. According to McDugald, most jade plants will already be fertilized when you purchase them.

“After four months, apply a 14-14-14 granular fertilizer to the base of the plant to keep it fresh and thriving,” she says. Of course, if you know how to compost, you can make your own natural fertilizer for your plants.

Types of jade plants

Ready to bring home your new jade plant? Before you shop, know that there’s more than one type. Here are a few that’ll breathe life into your home.

• Gollum Jade: “The Gollum Jade is a variety with unique foliage that is tubular in shape, with leaves that almost look like protruding fingers,” says McDugald.

• Senecio Jacobsenii Trailing Jade: This jade is perfect to place in a hanging basket. Consider these indoor hanging plantstoo.

• Sunset Jade Plant:This one gets its name for the reddish-magenta hue that appears on the outer edge of the leaves in summer.

Common pests

Common houseplant pests can plague even the hardiest of plants. “Jade plants, just like any succulent or houseplant, can be prone to pests such as mealybugs, aphids and mites,” explains Palomares. “Whether the plant was living outside and wasn’t dusted before being moved indoors, or its health is on a downturn, emitting hormones that attract bugs, pests are common but can be managed.”

One of the easiest ways to minimize pests is to dust the leaves often, which also keeps the plant healthy. “Dust this plant’s round leaves regularly, which allows for more efficient sunlight absorption and photosynthesis, which is key for healthy plants,” says Pangborn. “This will also help you spot any early-stage insect infestations.”

How to propagate jade plants

If you want more jade plants in your home but don’t want to spend a whole lot of money, learn how to propagate a jade plant. Armed with that knowledge, you can get a bunch of jade plant babies from the single plant you purchased. “Jade plants are very easy to propagate for those who want to share their plants with others or multiply their own growing collection,” says McDugald.

Jade plant propagation is easy and straightforward. The simplest way to do it is to use cuttings.

“Cut a stem that is about three inches long from a matured plant,” says Palomares. “The cutting should then sit for dayspossibly a weekin a warm, dry location so that the end of the cutting can scab over. Once the cutting has scabbed over, dip it in a rooting hormone and plant the cut end of the stem in a container with a mix of half soil and half vermiculite.”

Keep the potting mixture damp (but not soggy!) while the roots grow. Once it has roots, you can care for the jade plant as you typically would, says Palomares.

Want to add more houseplants to your space? Consider these tall plants, air-purifying plants and medicinal herbs. Or if you can’t decide, sign up for plant subscription boxes that’ll help you turn your lifeless home into a living jungle.

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Sources:

• Alfred Palomares, vice president of merchandising and resident plant dad at 1-800-Flowers.com
• Lindsay Pangborn, gardening expert at Bloomscape
• Megan McDugald, manager of horticulture at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

Beautiful Small Indoor Plants

Why I Care for My Mom's Plants

Plants Are the New Pets

The post How to Care for a Jade Plant appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Looking for a hanging plant to cheer up your home? If you’re in the market for low-maintenance indoor plants, this one’s your girl. Spider plants aren’t super needy about watering, and since they are low-light indoor plants, they don’t require a lot of sun. In other words, you don’t have to have a green thumb to master spider plant care. (Trust me on this: I’ve had my spider plant, Charlotte, for more than 25 years.)

Spider plants’ long, narrow leaves can be solid in color or have green-and-white stripes, and they drape beautifully over the edges of a hanging planteralthough they will thrive as sitting plants too. And the very best part? They make their own babies! Well, there is a more technical way to explain that: “They create live plantlet clones through runners that they send out,” says horticulturist Christopher Satch, a plant consultant and professor with the New York Botanical Garden.

So if you are looking to buy plants online or shopping for indoor plants at a local store, here’s what you need to know about spider plant care.

Where to put a spider plant

Since they drapeand can grow quite fullthese evergreen perennials are an obvious choice for hanging plants. But they aren’t hard-core sun worshippers, so you don’t need a spot that has rays of sunshine streaming in all day. “They need at least three hours of direct sun in a window,” says Satch. And if you give them a light drink every week or so, they’re not picky about humidity levels.

If you don’t have a place to hang your spider plants, they’ll work as windowsill plants, provided they won’t get direct sunlight all day long. A windowsill location will also provide room for the runners to trail down. Heads up: They may try to creep into other pots and plant their babies.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), they aren’t toxic to dogs or cats, so pet owners don’t have to be extra cautious about where the plants live.

Spider plant care

Soil

These plants can grow in a variety of soil types. “They’re considered invasive weeds in Australia, so you can literally grow them in anything,” says Satch, noting that regular potting mix does the trick. Spider plants prefer a neutral soil pH, but they will grow in slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil too.

Water

Give your spider plant a light pour when the soil dries out, which Satch says can take anywhere from four to 10 days, depending on the conditions inside your home and the season. Overwatering can cause root rot, which may eventually kill the plant.

Fertilizer

These plants like a moderate amount of feeding. Satch says to fertilize your spider plant once a month with a liquid product like Dyna-Gro. Too much fertilizer can cause brown leaf tips, but too little fertilizer will result in weak growth.

Types of spider plants

There’s not a huge difference in how they look or grow, although leaves may be variegated or not, but there are several varieties of spider plants:

Chlorophytum comosum 'Bonnie'" />

Chlorophytum comosum 'Variegatum'" />

Chlorophytum comosum 'Hawaiian'" />

Common pests

Satch says to be on the lookout for spider mites, thrips and mealybugs. All of these critters, which can be very destructive, can be controlled best with insecticidal soaps.

What it means if the leaves of your spider plant have brown tips

If you notice your plant has brown tips on its leaves, it’s probably because its soil is old or sour, or you may have a foliar infection. (Foliar infection is a technical term for a plant disease that impacts the leaves.)

“These plants do not care about humidity, so that’s not what’s causing the brown tips,” says Satch. “If the damage was from humidity, every leaf on the plant would be affected in exactly the same way, and the tips would be black or white.”

Refresh the soil if it’s been a while since you’ve swapped it out. Foliar diseases can be tricky to treat.

How to propagate spider plants

If you want to grow new plants from your original one, spider plants do most of the work for you. The parent plant sends out a shoot that grows small, white flowers that eventually turn into young plantlets that you can transplant. “Push one of their runners into soil, and they will propagate themselves,” says Satch.

The “baby” plant should root in two or three weeks if kept in moist soil, and then it can be safely cut from the parent. Continue to grow them in the smaller pots and transplant them to larger pots as they get bigger. Next, learn about how to provide the right care for snake plants.

GetReaders DigestsRead Up newsletterfor humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.

Source:

• Christopher Satch, horticulturist and professor with the New York Botanical Garden
• ASPCA: “Poisonous Plants”

Medicinal Herbs You Can Grow

NASA-Approved Air-Cleaning Plants

Why I Care for My Mom's Plants

The post How to Care for Spider Plants appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Poisonous plants and your pup

Plants are having a real moment right now, and for good reason. They add beauty to your home, help you feel more in tune with nature and even boast health benefits. Unfortunately, some of the most popular and best indoor plants are poisonous plants for dogs, who don’t know which ones are safe to munch on or play with and which absolutely aren’t. This is important to know, especially if you’re buying plants online.

With veterinary help, we’re calling out the most common indoor and outdoor poisonous plants for dogs so you can avoid or get rid of them, replacing them with some pup-friendly options. Have a cat too? You’ll also want to know the plants that are toxic to cats.

If you suspect that your pup has munched on any of these poisonous plants for dogs, consult your vet immediately, or call the Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435 for guidance.

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The post 19 Plants That Are Poisonous to Dogs appeared first on Reader's Digest.

Tall houseplants to liven up your space

Small succulents are delightful additions to your decor, but if you really want to breathe life into your home, grow a collection of tall indoor plants. “Tall houseplants can instantly bring a space to life by adding definition and texture to any home decor style,” says Lindsay Pangborn, a gardening expert at Bloomscape.

Justin Hancock, a horticulturist at Costa Farms, sees indoor plants with height as key decorative components. “Tall plants help create a sense of presence in your space, and from a design perspective, they help you layer, so you have lush, living foliage visible from a number of vantage points, not just on a desk or tabletop.”

Working with limited space? No worries. You can still make the most of tall indoor plants. “One plant is all that is needed for a striking focal [point] in a room,” says Lisa Steinkopf, founder of the Houseplant Guru and author of Houseplants and four other gardening books. Put a tall plant in a room with high ceilings, she says, and it “accentuates the height and draws your eye upward.”

You don’t have to hit up your local nursery for thisyou can buy plants online from the comfort of your home. But before you purchase any tall indoor plants, consider whether your space receives enough natural light. If not, you’ll want to bring home these low-light indoor plants instead. And if you’re more of a hands-off plant parent, opting for low-maintenance indoor plants is your best bet. That way, you don’t have to worry about reviving a dead plant.

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The post 15 Tall Indoor Plants to Add to Your Home appeared first on Reader's Digest.

My mother, who never had much of a green thumb and didn’t know better, filled our sunroom with low-light plants like ferns, which consistently burned. She experimented over the years, filling the house with low-maintenance and air-purifying plants like spider plants and indoor hanging plants, which hung from the baker’s rack and highchair in the kitchen. She never took any proper gardening classes, but through trial and error (and by reading a handful of articles in the “women’s” magazines that were so iconic in the 1990s) she eventually got better.

She never specifically said she wanted to become a better gardener as a way to keep my dad’s memory alive, but I know she thought a lot about what he would have been growing in the sunroom had he not died so suddenly. The only reason we had a sunroom, after all, was so that he could garden, and I know it pleased her that at least part of the room always had plants growing in it.

When my mother began developing the first few symptoms of Parkinson’s about a decade ago, she continued to garden. She took pride in trimming trees and planting bulbs outside and pruning the leaves off plants indoors. Considering that Parkinson’s was slowly robbing her of the ability to do so many of the activities she loved most, like singing and playing the piano (she and my father were both musicians and met in music school), I know she felt tremendously proud and grateful to still be able to handle some more basic gardening tasks.

My turn to develop a green thumb

Then, last year, when Mom was hospitalized after a series of falls that landed her in rehab for a month, there was nobody home to care for her plants, and they all began to die. My sister, her family and I decided to move in to help care for Mom once she got out of rehab. My sister and I slowly began trying to nurse her plants back to life.

As we are thoroughly consumed with caring for our mother while raising kids and working full-time jobs, even the low-maintenance plants don’t always get enough attention. I often get frustrated by having to run all over the houseand the back patio, and the porchto water the plants, clip the leaves, repot them or add more soil when the roots begin to show. I find myself cursing at my mother’s enormous fernsnow at home in a more appropriate shady spotwhich are constantly shedding and leaving behind a huge pile of crispy, brown, dead leaves for me to clean up on top of the 15 other messes I already have to attend to.

Sometimes, I hate her plants. Other times, I remember why I care for them. Sure, my mother loves her plants, but she is rarely in the sunroom to enjoy them; I care for her plants because I view them as a future source of comfort. Caring for my mother’s plants feels like nurturing what will soon serve as her memory. I’m acutely aware of how significantly her health has declined over the past two years, and I know that she may not be with us much longer. By nourishing her plants, I hope to create a living memory of her that will stay with me long after she passes. Perhaps then I’ll finally stop cursing the ferns.

The post Caring for My Mother’s Plants Is Helping Prepare Me for a Life Without Her appeared first on Reader's Digest.

I have nothing against people who adore their dogsif pet ownership makes them happy, I’m happy for them. But as an extremely independent person, I find dogs too needy. (And cats = litter box.) When so many people adopted puppies during the scary lockdown days of the early pandemic, I turned my apartment into a greenhouse. At one point, I counted 53 plants keeping me company in my living room alone (that’s a photo of them below). My home became the tranquil oasis I desperately needed at the time, and even the thought of my air-purifying plants silently working on my behalf brought me a sense of peace. And never once did I need to double-mask to take a dog on a walk in the cold rain! And while a dozen or so of my Covid companions were eventually planted outside in my stoop garden, the rest of those plants are still hanging out inside with me.

I realize that plants can’t sit all warm and fuzzy in my lap and stare at me adoringly. But plants absolutely have personality and need attention too. They just don’t show it by barking, howling or jumping on me. I’ve got a reliable peace lily, which I’ve named Herald, who flops over dramatically when he needs a drink, signaling to me that the rest of the crowd are probably thirsty too. He springs back up just as dramatically right after I water him, and he makes me feel so proud that I’m keeping living creatures alive. It’s a quieter form of caregiving and companionship than pets, but it brings me purpose and joy.

Phil and Charlotte have completely different personalities than Herald. They are uncommonly chill. They know and have kept all my adult-life secrets, and like any good roommates, they maintain a low profile. Overwatering, underwatering, fertilizer or no, a fancy new potthey don’t care about any of it. They just thrive. I may not be able to take them to the dog park to mingle with my neighbors, but I have joined a community gardening group where all the members enthusiastically talk about their beloved potted friends too. So even if it seems unlikely, plants can expand your social circle just as much as a dog can.

There’s been more than one friend who has suggested I may be a Crazy Plant Lady, and if that’s true, I’m embracing it. I just discovered that Charlotte has a new grandbaby! I suspect that her longtime boyfriend Phil is just as happy about the new arrival as I am. Plants aren’t only the new pets, they’ve become my extended family.

Source:

• Craftjack: “Study Reveals Houseplants Are the New Pets“

Hard-to-Kill Houseplants

How to Revive a Dead or Dying Plant

Plants That Thrive in Near Darkness

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