How to care for houseplants - Articles - Zimbio

Indoor Plants in the Living Room Make Great Color

Thu, 18 Jul 2008 01:12:00 GMT

posted by your-holistic-life
By Keith Markensen
Color is what makes a house a home, and your family will enjoy taking care of indoor plants as well. If you want to find additional benefits for houseplants, think about the quality of air that house plants are going to add, and the colors, the feel of living things all around you - it is all an outstanding feeling.

You are most likely wondering just how hard it is to care for houseplants. Well, caring for houseplants is actually quite easy. You need dirt, the plant, light and water. Very few plants require any special light, but you might want to read up on the plant you are purchasing if you feel you don't know much about that one type. Many green plants will need some amount of indirect light, which means as long as you have a window in that room the sunlight will come in and the plant will enjoy it.

If you have never had any types of plants before, you will find that many plants are going to grow slowly. You could have a small potted indoor plant, and it could be a year before you need a bigger pot. You can then use the smaller pot for another house plant that you have. In the living room, you could have hanging plants, plants on the end tables, or on the coffee table. Sometimes if you have large window sills you could even put small pots on the window sill of your living room for a great overall effect.

There are some types of house plants that are going to also produce flowers. If you find that you have a plant, that you want to keep until it flowers, you may be waiting a few seasons. Some indoor plants, such as a Christmas cactus are only going to bloom once a year, and then sometimes it won't bloom again for two years. It is a wonderful time in the living room where the plants are colorful and many textures of the leaves are available as well.

Perhaps you want something a little different in your indoor garden such as exotic plants. You could choose from plants that are sun loving, desert loving or that are even aquatic. The choices you have are vast and you don't have to have an indoor garden that is all green hanging type of plants as many people think about, but you can have flowers indoors, or plants that smell like candy.

What you need to watch for are plants that are going to attract insects. Insects are attracted to some plants but rarely. Geraniums indoors are going to attract small white flies. Spider mites are attracted to plants that are overly wet but there are also sprays for all types of little pests that you can use if you would happen to have a little creature in your plants. Don't worry though the little pests are few and far between for the normal semi warm climates such as the indoors of your home.

Watering is not going to take much of your time at all. Indoor gardens really only need attention once a week or every two weeks depending on the variety of plants that you have chosen. The yucca cane plant is low in the water needs area for example. What you can look for is a calendar in your kitchen or on your computer and make little notes to yourself if you really think you are going to forget for weeks at a time. Otherwise, when you put your finger in the dirt and you find that it is a little dry add a little water and your indoor garden is going to be thriving!

Indoor Plants in the Living Room Make Great Color

Thu, 11 Jul 2008 19:30:00 GMT

posted by your-holistic-life
By Keith Markensen
Color is what makes a house a home, and your family will enjoy taking care of indoor plants as well. If you want to find additional benefits for houseplants, think about the quality of air that house plants are going to add, and the colors, the feel of living things all around you - it is all an outstanding feeling.

You are most likely wondering just how hard it is to care for houseplants. Well, caring for houseplants is actually quite easy. You need dirt, the plant, light and water. Very few plants require any special light, but you might want to read up on the plant you are purchasing if you feel you don't know much about that one type. Many green plants will need some amount of indirect light, which means as long as you have a window in that room the sunlight will come in and the plant will enjoy it.

If you have never had any types of plants before, you will find that many plants are going to grow slowly. You could have a small potted indoor plant, and it could be a year before you need a bigger pot. You can then use the smaller pot for another house plant that you have. In the living room, you could have hanging plants, plants on the end tables, or on the coffee table. Sometimes if you have large window sills you could even put small pots on the window sill of your living room for a great overall effect.

There are some types of house plants that are going to also produce flowers. If you find that you have a plant, that you want to keep until it flowers, you may be waiting a few seasons. Some indoor plants, such as a Christmas cactus are only going to bloom once a year, and then sometimes it won't bloom again for two years. It is a wonderful time in the living room where the plants are colorful and many textures of the leaves are available as well.

Perhaps you want something a little different in your indoor garden such as exotic plants. You could choose from plants that are sun loving, desert loving or that are even aquatic. The choices you have are vast and you don't have to have an indoor garden that is all green hanging type of plants as many people think about, but you can have flowers indoors, or plants that smell like candy.

What you need to watch for are plants that are going to attract insects. Insects are attracted to some plants but rarely. Geraniums indoors are going to attract small white flies. Spider mites are attracted to plants that are overly wet but there are also sprays for all types of little pests that you can use if you would happen to have a little creature in your plants. Don't worry though the little pests are few and far between for the normal semi warm climates such as the indoors of your home.

Watering is not going to take much of your time at all. Indoor gardens really only need attention once a week or every two weeks depending on the variety of plants that you have chosen. The yucca plant is low in the water needs area for example. What you can look for is a calendar in your kitchen or on your computer and make little notes to yourself if you really think you are going to forget for weeks at a time. Otherwise, when you put your finger in the dirt and you find that it is a little dry add a little water and your indoor garden is going to be thriving!

Houseplants that clean the air

Thu, 15 Feb 2008 19:00:15 GMT

posted by jdamiano

Click the photo to launch the slide show.

I recently wrote about new trends in houseplants. As much as I love plants, I don't have many inside my home. It's just too much responsibility. I'm more concerned with feeding my kids, feeding my husband, feeding my dog. I just can't add any more to my plate. So, as you might guess, the few houseplants I do have are rather mangy looking. Outdoor plants are another story altogether. And when the season gets underway, well, let's just say my family goes hungry.

An interesting topic of concern to many these days, what with the whole 'Green' movement, is that houseplants actually can clean the air in your home. Research conducted by NASA scientist B.C. Wolverton has shown plants are the most efficient and cost-effective method of "indoor air pollution abatement." In other words, growing houseplants in your home will result in cleaner air in your home. And commercial properties have incorporated the idea in hopes of avoiding the so-called 'sick building syndrome.' Ever notice that hotels, office buildings and restaurants always seem to have a lot of plants scattered about?

Here are some common household toxins and the plants associated with removing them from the air you breathe.

BENZENE	FORMALDEHYDE	TRICHLORO- ETHLENE
Sources Detergents, inks and dyes, plastics, rubber products, petroleum products, synthetic fibers, tobacco smoke	Sources Carpeting, cleaners, foam insulation, furniture, paper products, plywood and particle board	Sources Adhesives, dry cleaning, inks and dyes, lacquers and paints, paper products, varnishes
Plants Spathiphyllum (Peace lily), Dracaena spp., Gerbera (Gerber daisy), Hedera spp. (English ivy), Chrysanthemum, Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen)	Plants Ficus spp. (Weeping fig), Philodendron spp., Chlorophytum (Spider plant), Sansevieria (Snake plant), Chamaedorea (Bamboo palm), Hedera spp. (English ivy), Epipemnum (Golden pothos)	Plants Dracaena spp., Gerbera (Gerber daisy), Spathiphyllum (Peace lily), Chrysanthemum

Source: FNGLA

Low-light, bright-light: Houseplants for every light situation

Tue, 30 Jan 2008 16:28:44 GMT

posted by jdamiano

From left, Cyclamen, Dracaena 'Limelight', Spathiphyllum (Peace lily)

Before buying an indoor plant, it's important to determine whether it's right for your home, and the most important requirement to consider is the amount of light that will be available.

Light requirements generally are noted on the plant tag as Bright, Medium and Low.

Think about where your windows are. Do you have the right light levels available for the plant? To find out, start by noting which direction the main part of your house faces. A Southern exposure offers the brightest light. Eastern and Western exposures will provide medium light, while Northern exposures likely will produce lots of shadows and, therefore, low-light situations.

Where are your windows? For every foot away from a window you distance a plant, the available light drops drastically. It's also important to consider whether there are a lot of trees outside that cut down on available light indoors.

Bright light plants should be situated within 4 feet of a south-facing window. There shouldn't be any obstructions between the plant and its light source. Medium light plants require bright, indirect light and ideally should be situated from 4 to 10 feet from a window that faces south, east or west. Low light plants should be kept out of direct sunlight, ideally more than 10 feet from windows, or right in front of a north-facing window with curtains or with trees outside.

Here are some plant recommendations for every light situation (common names are in parentheses):

Low Light

Anglaonema (Chinese evergreen, pictured)

Chamaedorea (Bamboo palm)

Dracaena (Corn plant)

Epipremnum (Pothos)

Fittonia (Nerve plant)

Philodendron

Spathiphyllum (Peace lily)

Medium Light

Calathea (Peacock plant)

Caryota (Fishtail paim)

Chlorophytum (Spider plant)

Cycas revoluta (Sago palm)

Cyperus (Umbrella plant)

Dracaena (Corn plant)

Ficus (Rubber plant)

Hedera helix (English ivy)

Hoya carnosa (Wax plant)

Monstera deliciosa
(Split-leaf philodendron)

Nephrolepsis exaltata (Boston fern)

Sansevieria (Snake plant, pictured)

Bright Light

Agave (Century plant)

Azalea

Begonia

Bromeliads

Caryota (Fishtail paim)

Chrysanthemum

Citrus

Cordyline terminalis (Ti plant)

Crassula argentea (Jade plant)

Cyclamen

Hedera helix (English ivy, pictured)

Lily

Persea americana (Avocado)

Poinsettia

Tradescantia (Wandering Jew)

Yucca elephantipes (Yucca)

Another thing to consider when contemplating where to place a new plant is whether the area is drafty. If windows aren't well insulated, or if there's an air-conditioning unit installed nearby, plant foliage will suffer. Leaves might blacken or drop. And some plants, like gardenias, will drop their buds in drafty locations.

Get your hands on a good reference book. Check out "Tempting Tropicals: 175 Irresistible Indoor Plants," by Ellen Zachos (2005/Timber Press, $29.95).

Jade Plants: Great indoor plants with a Bonsai Flair

Sat, 8 Jun 2008 02:43:27 GMT

posted by deemarie

Jade plants are easy-to-grow succulents. They grow well in containers and like the warm, dry conditions found in most homes. The only problem I personally have found with a jade plant is finding the right amount of water to give it.

These plants can live for a very long time and in the right conditions grow into small trees or shrubs that can reach up to 5 feet tall indoors. My grandmother had a jade plant for over twenty years. This plant was always one of my favorite plants as a child when I visited her house. I like the tree like look.

The plant has fleshy leaves are round or oval, dark green, blue-gray or edged in red depending on the species and cultivars. The thick trunk like stems and branches of jade plants are usually brown. Jade plants look very much like miniature trees and often have an appealing bonsai quality

(more…)

Best Related Post

Grow Low light Indoor Houseplants by Denise on March 21st, 2008

House Plants - When is it time to re-pot an house plant? by Denise on February 16th, 2008

Roses - How to grow Miniature Roses. by Denise on February 15th, 2008