Laura from Garden Answer shares her tips for caring for Fiddle Leaf Figs. This “it” plant is loved by designers and decorators for it’s large, violin-shaped leaves. Give fiddle leaf figs everything they need to continue growing healthy and strong year-round.
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The Espoma Company brought Laura from Garden Answer to visit Primex Garden Center near Philadelphia for a container challenge. Watch as Laura picks out plants for easy succulent and fairy gardening containers. Follow along with her how-to instructions as she brings together two lovely containers for indoor gardening. Plus, you’ll learn how to care for and fertilize these indoor gardens.
Want more inspiration? Watch the miniature gnome garden come together in no time at all!
Laura from Garden Answer designs a tiny gnome garden that is sure to delight and inspire. While fairy gardens get all the glory, gnomes also enjoy living in mini villages filled with plants and whimsy.
Want to see more from Garden Answer’s trip to Philadelphia? Check out this video from The Philadelphia Flower Show.
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!
Four Tips for Spring Houseplant Care
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!
Succulents make the perfect houseplants. They come in a variety of sizes and styles ranging from leafy to spiky and even fuzzy. They’re pretty low-maintenance, and only need sunlight, water and nutrients from time to time. Somehow, things can still go wrong.
The number one sign your succulent isn’t growing as well as it should? It’s looking stretched. While you might think your succulents are growing, they’re actually stretching out for more light.
Succulents stretch when they aren’t getting enough sunlight, which actually causes the plant to grow faster. First, the plant will bend toward the sunlight it is receiving, and then you’ll notice it continuing to grow taller, leaving more space between the leaves.
If your succulents are stretched, they won’t go back to the way they were before. You can continue to grow them as is, just move them to a spot where they’ll get more indirect light. You can also start propagating to grow new succulents. Unless plants are placed where they will get enough light, the new cuttings will eventually stretch out, too.
4 Tips to Make Sure Succulents are getting the right light
Next time you notice your succulents leaning or stretching, go ahead and start some new ones and try again with better lighting.
Now that you know how to give succulents the best light, learn how to have success with succulents.
It’s a myth that orchids are difficult to grow. In fact, they are highly adaptable and fairly low- maintenance plants. The hardest part might be choosing an orchid. There many types of orchids to choose from, and while some are more temperamental, plenty will thrive in in your home.
With that being said, they are susceptible to problems like any other houseplant. Take a look at these common orchid questions and find out what you can do to fix them.
Why is my orchid’s foliage changing colors?
Orchids are especially sensitive to environmental changes. The problem in this case is likely due to the lighting conditions. If orchids receive too much light, the tissues to yellow. If they don’t receive enough light, they develop dark spots. It can help to gradually expose your orchid to more light over time and to keep it by a window that is shaded by a sheer curtain.
Help! My orchid’s buds are drying up without any sign of pests or disease!
This is a common problem with orchids and again, a good indication of an environmental problem. Bud Blast is a condition where buds dry up and die. This is typically caused by an environment that is not humid or bright enough, but could also be a result of incorrect watering. Orchids should be watered about once per week, allowing the soil to dry out in between. Dropping your home’s temperature by about 10 degrees at night can help initiate flower buds.
My orchid has a sticky substance on its surface, is it harmful?
If you see small white ovals along with the sticky substance, then it is harmful. The sticky substance is left behind by scale pests, which can be treated with an organic insecticide soap. If white ovals aren’t visible, it is harmless and simply due to a drop in temperature.
The leaves of my orchid are turning to mush and the roots look like they are rotting. What am I doing wrong?
Due to the high humidity levels that orchids need to survive, they are at a higher risk for fungal and bacterial diseases. This can lead to conditions like root rot and spots on flowers and leaves. Remove severely damaged leaves using sterile tools and treat plants with a copper based spray.
The orchid’s roots are growing above the soil; does it need to be repotted?
These are called “air roots” and are normal for orchids. Air roots can actually be helpful. Orchids generally need to be re-potted once a year. It’s time to re-pot when you see: yellow foliage, lack of growth or dead or damage roots, or the plant starts growing over the edge of the pot. The best time to re-pot is just after flowering, or when new growth appears. Use Espoma’s Organic Orchid Mix for best results.
Many orchid issues are not as serious as they seem. What may appear as a problem can sometimes be helpful in determining what set of conditions your orchid prefers to grow in.
Ready to know more? Learn what orchids need.
Why have just one succulent when you can have many? Luckily, it’s easy to grow an entire garden of these hardy plants when you propagate them from leaf cuttings.
All you need are a few simple materials and a single succulent. Get started now!
Propagate Succulents in 7 Steps
And just like that you’ll have plenty of succulents. Grow enough to decorate your home and garden and give a few away as gifts.
The growing doesn’t stop here! Learn how to care for succulents here.
Laura from Garden Answer demonstrates how to care for moth orchids, also known as Phalaenopsis orchids. Repot, fertilize and give orchids exactly what they need to help them thrive.
For this project, you will need:
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The winter season can seem to drag on forever with its harsh weather, short days, and dreary landscapes. Which means now is the perfect time to bring the memory of the warm spring weather indoors with houseplants.
January 10 is Houseplant Appreciation Day, and there’s no better way to celebrate than to acknowledge all the things they do for you. They’re decorative, boost well-being, and purify indoor air.
Here are 5 simple tips to celebrate the day:
Many houseplants do double duty by looking good and cleaning the air, absorbing up to 87 percent of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that hide in ordinary household products such as paints, carpets, and ink. Studies from the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) have found that levels of indoor air pollution can be two to five times higher — and in some cases 10 times more polluted than outdoor air.
You can never have too many houseplants, right? According to the EPA, most people spend 90 percent of their time indoors; a houseplant is the perfect way to be reminded of the beauty the world has to offer outside. Houseplants bring a breath of fresh air to a room when placed in colorful pots and made into a focal point. Succulents, orchids and African violets all make good additions.
Plants need water, light, and nutrients to thrive indoors. Step one; determine what kind of houseplant you have. This can be as simple as checking the plant tag. Your plant will let you know it’s happy by maintaining healthy leaves.
Houseplants do best with regular care, trust us. Now is the time to create a watering schedule if you don’t already have one. Add water if the soil is dry about an inch below the surface. Overwatering is the number one cause of houseplant death. So if the plant does not seem too dry, check it again in a few days.
Fertilizing is easy with Espoma’s liquid plant foods. Give plants the natural proteins and beneficial microbes they need to provide beautiful results.
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Show gratitude for your favorite plants by giving them proper care. Learn how here:
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It’s easy to see why succulents are one of the trendiest plant groups right now. Their unique shapes, colors, textures and sizes add drama and interest to the décor of any room. They also look great on their own or paired with other succulents. Not to mention, they’re so easy to grow and can handle drought.
You have to start somewhere, though. With the right growing conditions and care, your succulents can survive year-round. Follow these beginner tips to get started.
7 Beginner Tips for Growing Succulents
Want to know more? Learn how to care for succulents in winter.
