Spring Houseplant Care Tips

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After months spent overwintering or dormant, your houseplants are ready to welcome spring with open arms and begin their active growing period. Houseplants are easy to care for but they still need some TLC.

The warmer weather calls for some extra attention! Gear up for repotting, feeding, sunning and scheduling.

Make a happy home for plants with the following tips. Here’s how you do it!

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Four Tips for Spring Houseplant Care

  1. Rehome and Repot: When repotting plants, we recommend using a new container that’s a little bigger than your plant’s current home. If you choose to use a previously used container, clean it with soap and water first to rid of any diseases or houseplant pests that could be hiding inside. Once your container is ready, fill it about halfway with Espoma’s potting mix or appropriate soil for your plant type. If any of the roots have grown tightly bound in a circular pattern, gently loosen them to stimulate new growth. Then, place the plant in the center of the new pot and fill with soil to within 1-3” of the rim. Water well and allow the soil to settle. Add more potting soil if necessary.
  2. Give Houseplants a Spring feeding: There’s no doubt that your plants are hungry after a long winter nap! Feed bi-weekly with Espoma’s indoor liquid houseplant food. This gives plants the natural proteins and beneficial microbes they need to provide beautiful results.
  3. Bring Plants Outside: Give plants some fresh air once in a while. As it warms up, set your plants outside during the day to soak up some rays. When the temperatures begin to drop in the evening, it’s time to bring them back inside.
  4. Create a schedule: Houseplants thrive with regular care. Add water if the soil is dry to the touch. But be careful not to water too much or too frequently. Overwatering is the number one cause of houseplant death. So if the is not dry to the touch, check it again in a few days. In order to protect your plants from not getting the right about of water, create a schedule of watering times and days to help you remember when your plants need your attention.

Plants need water, light and nutrients to thrive indoors. So, determine what kind of houseplant you have and it’s specific needs. With the proper care, your plant will let you know it’s happy by maintaining healthy leaves.

Ready to learn more? Find out how to Make a Happy Home for Plants!

Create Spring Containers that Wow

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What’s better than walking outside in the morning to fresh air and sunshine? Walking outside to find fresh air, sunshine and a beautiful container filled with spring blooms.

Refresh your porch or patio by adding a spring container. Get started by finding the perfect planter. There are tons of fun colors and patterns to choose from. Or get creative and use an unexpected object.

Check to make sure the container has drainage holes at the bottom and you’re good to go. We recommend using Espoma’s organic potting mix to fill the container and then mixing in Espoma’s Bio-tone Starter Plus with the soil to give it that extra oomph.

Once nighttime temperatures remain above freezing, not dipping below, 30°F, you’re reading to plant.

Read on for our top plant choices to fill your containers with this spring.

Primrose container

Pick Lovely Perennials

English daisies, hellebores, pansies, primroses and bergenia make for good choices for early perennials.  Find out if a plant can’t tolerate the cool temperatures of early spring by referencing the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Splendid indoor floral arrangement at botanical garden in spring

Go for Classic Spring Blooms

It’s OK if you didn’t plant spring-blooming bulbs such as tulips and daffodils in the fall. Just stop by your local garden center to pick up already-blooming bulbs and pop them into your container for an instant pick me up.

 

 

Stock up on Hydrangeas

Certain dwarf varieties of hydrangeas can really pack a punch when paired with a decorative container. Scroll through our Hydrangea Variety Guide to find the right dwarf hydrangea for you. Then, find a spot that matches the amount of light they need.

If you want to grow blue hydrangeas, mix in Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier. For pink hydrangeas, add Espoma’s Organic Garden Lime. Then fill planter with potting soil, and plant the hydrangea at the same height it was previously growing.

Looking for a different spring project? Learn how to make these easy paint can succulent containers.

2017 Philadelphia Flower Show is Ready to Bloom

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Nothing makes a statement quite as grand as 30,000 colorful tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other blooms. And while touring the beautiful green hills of Holland might be out of the question for most, this year’s Philadelphia Flower show brings the spirit of Holland to the United States.

Ten acres of exhibition halls at the Philadelphia Flower Show will transport event goers through this year’s theme “Holland.” Attendees can explore the culture and innovation that has defined Holland’s landscape as they travel through beautiful displays filled with fragrant blooms and creative designs.

Heads at Philadelphia Flower Show

A gorgeous floral canopy of 6,000 flowers will welcome more than a quarter of a million expected attendees into the Flower Show throughout the week. Traditional landscape elements such as bridges and windmills will be highlighted throughout the displays and special events as well.

New for 2017, the Philadelphia Flower Show will include a World Market with a Dutch Shopping Village and a new Garden Spa where guests can relax and recharge.

The Espoma Company is quite fond of planting bulbs and are proud to continue our efforts in supporting gardening education and culture by being a sponsor of the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show for the fifth consecutive year.

The Philadelphia Flower Show is the oldest and largest indoor flower show in the country. It features incredible large-scale floral displays, elaborate gardens and over-the-top floral creations.

This truly magical event celebrates the joy and wonder that gardening can bring to everyone regardless of their skill level — novice to Master Gardener.

Attending this show this year? Visit our exhibit in Show Floor Hall B Front. Can’t make it? Check out our Facebook Page throughout the week for exciting content from the show!

Quick how-to on attending to the Philadelphia Flower Show:

  • What: The world’s oldest and largest indoor flower show.
  • When: Saturday, March 11 – Sunday, March 19.
  • Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th & Arch Sts, Philadelphia, PA 19107
  • How: Buy tickets online or at the door

DIY Paint Can Planter for Succulents

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6 Tips for Stunning Succulent Containers

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The options for succulents are endless. You can spend an entire afternoon at your favorite garden center picking out succulents in all shapes, sizes and colors. And once you have one succulent plant, you can grow even more plants from it!

While planting succulents is a pretty straightforward process, there are a few tricks to ensuring they stay healthy in their new homes.

6 Tips for Creating a Succulent Container

  1. Choose a container. Almost any container can be used for succulent gardening if it has proper drainage. Terra cotta, glazed pottery and wooden boxes are some traditional choices. If you’re feeling crafty, check out our Garden Answer tutorial and create your own.
  2. Don’t let water pool. When placing the plant in the container, the succulent needs to sit above the rim of the pot. If your soil is low and your container has poor drainage, water can pool on top and damage the plant. Don’t let your succulent rot! Make sure to use Espoma’s Cactus Mix when filling your container.
  3. Add Plants. It’s up to you to choose how many plants to put in your container. Succulents that are crowded and planted close together often grow more slowly; and these plants are slow growers to begin with! More space between plants means it’s easier to water and there will be better air flow.
  4. Thriller, filler and spiller. This classic gardening concept can be applied to succulents, too. Add some oomph to your container by choosing a “thriller,” a tall plant that will add a vertical element such as aloe. Next, place a medium succulent such as echevarias. For spillers, look for trailing succulents that will “spill” over the edge such as sedum or string of pearls.
  5. The final touch. For a finished look, top off your container with decorative stones or dried moss.
  6. Feed ‘em. Give your succulents a boost by fertilizing as needed with Espoma’s newCactus! Succulent plant food.

Now that your container is complete, find out what succulents need to keep growing!

March Gardening Checklist

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If spring fever has you itching to get out in the garden, we’ve got a solution. While many regions across the US are just beginning to awake from their winter slumber, there’s still plenty to be done.

It’s time to tackle your spring gardening tasks with confidence. Kick off the new season by dusting off your gardening tools and taking a good look around your yard.

Shake off the winter blues with our March Garden checklist. You’ll be glad you did!

6 Tasks to Do in March

  1. Check and Test. Test soil and amend if necessary before planting. A soil test reports pH levels, which measures acid and alkaline. If your soil has too much of either, plants won’t absorb the nutrients they need. Once you have your results, it’s time to improve your soil.
  2. Clean up. Remove winter debris from lawn and garden beds. Rake leaves and old mulch out of beds and borders. Shred or leave them whole and place in a compost pile. Check for broken branches and remove plants that have been damaged by snow and ice.
  3. Add new mulch. Perk up your garden beds with some new mulch. Not only does it look great, but mulch also provides many benefits! Organic mulch can reduce water use in the garden by 25-50 percent, saving money on water bills and conserving water. Mulch also controls weeds. Plus, your flower beds look polished and complete with a finishing touch of mulch.
  4. Create a Safe Paws Lawn. By choosing organic, you know your family and pets are safe from harmful chemicals. Using organic lawn food – especially in the early spring – can have a huge effect on your lawn’s health and appearance. You’ll create healthier, more uniform grass growth which results in a beautiful lawn year after year. Start petscaping today with our Spring Lawn Booster.
  5. Fix Brown Spots. Take a close look at the grass around walkways, sidewalks, roads and driveways. These areas are most likely where salt had been applied to melt ice. Salt draws moisture from grass roots causing it to turn brown. Also, check areas where your pets frequently go to the bathroom for damage. Then, transform those ugly brown spots into lush, green lawn by amending the soil with gypsum.
  6. Don’t Forget Indoor Plants. Longer days and more sun will wake houseplants up as they get ready for a major growth spurt. When you start to see new growth, it’s time to start feeding and watering regularly. Give houseplants everything they need to grow up in style – a hearty feeding and a stylish home included. You can also bring houseplants outside for some sun during the day and bring them back in at night.

 

Ready for more? Check out our YouTube channel for more gardening inspiration!

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