Danny Lipford » Cacti & Tropical Plants

How To Encourage Cactus To Bloom

Julie Day — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:00:42 +0000

How do I encourage my indoor cactus plant to bloom? It was blooming when I bought it, but it hasn’t bloomed since. -Beth

Desert cacti (the spiny kind) are a challenge to get to bloom indoors, simply because we can’t provide as much light as a sun-drenched desert. In addition to light, two other important factors for blooming are:

Age: Some plants take years to mature. The best way to check this is to buy one that’s already blooming, as you did.
Dormancy: Many desert cacti bloom in response to a cool, dry, dormant period. During the winter, you should reduce watering to only about once a month—just enough to keep the plant from shriveling up—and move your cactus to a cool spot, around 50° F, that has plenty of sunlight.

Also, keep in mind these tips for year-round cactus care:

Indoor cacti do best in a sunroom or south-facing windowsill. They’ll receive the most sunlight, and the air around windows is generally cooler in winter than the interior of a room.
During the growing season (spring and summer), your cactus needs maximum light and heat. Put your plant in direct sunlight, and turn it occasionally for even light exposure.
It will also need more water during the growing season. Allow the top 2” of soil to dry out before watering the plant thoroughly until it runs out the bottom (empty the drainage tray). Imagine a sudden desert rainstorm that soon dries in the sun, so never leave your plant in soggy soil.
Fertilize cacti only in the spring and early summer, using a cactus-specific fertilizer or a highly diluted fertilizer lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium. Overfeeding will not make your cactus bloom!
Repot your cactus using a potting mix designed for cacti and succulents. Don’t water your cactus for a week after repotting.

How to Grow Poinsettias Year-Round

Julie Day — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:49:04 +0000

Once the holidays come to an end, many of us find ourselves with a lovely assortment of poinsettias that we guiltily throw in the trash during the great post-holiday cleanup. This year, why not practice a little year-round cheer and keep your poinsettias as houseplants? They are beautiful, lush plants, and you’ve never received a holiday gift quite as special as coaxing a poinsettia into bloom.

Here’s what you need to know to grow and care for your holiday poinsettia throughout the year.

Poinsettia Facts

Poinsettias are named for Joel Robert Poinsett (1779-1851), a noted statesman and dedicated amateur botanist who first brought poinsettias to the United States from Mexico in 1825 while serving as ambassador.
Poinsettias are tropical plants. In the wild, they grow as perennials reaching almost 10 feet tall.
Contrary to popular myth, poinsettias aren’t poisonous. Like other plants in the Euphorbia family, they have a milky sap that can give you (or your pets) a stomach ache or irritate your skin when exposed to large quantities, but otherwise they’re nontoxic.
Poinsettias come in a wide range of colors, from red to yellow to multicolored.
The bright colors on poinsettias are actually leaf bracts, not flowers. The flowers are small and found in the yellow center of the stalk.

Look for bushy plants with fully opened bracts.

Buying Poinsettias

Choosing Plants: Look for bushy plants with lots of colorful bracts that are fully opened yet not covered with pollen (dropping pollen means it’s near the end of blooming). The ideal plant size is about 2½ times the diameter of the pot.
Keep Warm: Cover your new poinsettia when taking it to and from your car as they are very susceptible to cold.
Allow to Drain: Poinsettias don’t like to sit in water. If your plant has a foil gift wrapping, either remove it or poke holes to allow water to drain.

Growing Poinsettias

Remember that poinsettias are tropical plants that require maximum light, warmth, and humidity to survive. While blooming, your plant will do best under these conditions:

Light: Poinsettias need at least six hours of bright, indirect sunlight a day. Choose the brightest window you can, but don’t allow the plant to touch cold glass.
Temperature: The ideal temperature for poinsettias is between 65°- 75° F. They are susceptible to leaf drop and will become scraggly looking if exposed to cold drafts or extreme temperature changes.
Watering: Thoroughly water the plant when the soil feels dry, then empty the drainage tray so your poinsettia doesn’t sit in water. Mist regularly, or add a pebble tray or humidifier to increase humidity.
Nutrients: Don’t feed your poinsettia while it’s blooming. Food comes later – see below for instructions.

Poinsettia Care Calendar

The challenge of growing poinsettias lies in getting them to bloom again. Follow this care schedule to encourage years of growth and flowering.

Winter: (January – March) Continue watering and enjoying your poinsettia in a sunny window for as long as it’s blooming.

Spring: (March – May) After the blooms fade, the plant enters a resting season until summer. Prune your plant back to 6”-8” tall. Reduce watering and allow the plant to get completely dry between waterings.

Summer: (May – September) Repot if needed in very light potting mix, moving to a slightly larger pot if it appears root-bound. When you see new growth, begin feeding every two weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer. Pinch back the stems as they grow, to encourage branching. You can put your poinsettia outdoors for the summer, but be sure to bring it back inside before temperatures drop into the 50s F.

Fall: (October) Poinsettias bloom in response to shorter days. For about 8-10 weeks prior to the desired bloom time, put your poinsettia in complete darkness for 12-15 hours per day. You can cover it with a thick cardboard box or black plastic bag, or move the plant to a closet, but it needs TOTAL darkness for at least 12 hours per day – even indoor lighting will disrupt the process. During the day, remove the covering and make sure the plant gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. Water and feed as usual.

Holiday Blooms: (November – December) After 8-10 weeks of darkness treatment, you should see flower buds on your poinsettia. Once you do, you can discontinue the darkness treatment and bring it back out to your window after Thanksgiving to enjoy. Continue watering, but stop feeding until spring.

Further Information

Poinsettia Care in the Home (Paul Ecke Ranch)
Poinsettia (Royal Horticultural Society)

How to Grow Hibiscus

Julie Day — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:02:50 +0000

Tropical hibiscus makes a great summer container plant.

The large, colorful blossoms of Hibiscus (Hibiscus sp.) create an eye-catching display during summer, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies and providing the look of a tropical paradise, no matter what the variety. Hibiscus plants are members of the Mallow family, and there are many different species that are used in gardening, agriculture, and manufacturing.

To grow hibiscus in your home garden, it’s important to know the three main types of plants:

Tropical hibiscus
Hardy perennial hibiscus
Hardy shrub hibiscus

Here are some tips for growing and caring for all three.

Tropical Hibiscus

With its sturdy shape and colorful blossoms, tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) is a popular choice for container plants and tropical gardens. It grows as a small shrub or tree, with stiff woody stems and thick, glossy, dark green leaves.

Blossoms are usually 3”- 6” in diameter and come in many different colors and varieties including red, orange, yellow, salmon-pink, multicolored, and even double blossoms.

How to Grow Tropical Hibiscus

Climate: Can be grown year round in zones 9-10 but will not survive frost or heavy freeze. Cooler zones (8 and lower) usually grow it as an annual, or in containers that can be brought indoors during cold weather.
Light: Full sun.
Soil: Rich and well-draining. Container-grown plants are often grown in a soilless potting medium to prevent compaction. Keep moist, but don’t let it stand in water.
Fertilizer: Tropical hibiscus blooms on new growth, so it benefits from regular feeding with a balanced, organic, liquid fertilizer.
Flowers: Blooms spring through fall, but flowering may slow in the heat of midsummer.

To keep your tropical hibiscus over the winter, bring it indoors before night temperatures fall into the 40s F. Keep in a cool, bright spot (55°-70° F). Reduce, but don’t discontinue, watering. Your plant may lose some leaves as it adjusts to the change.

A few weeks before moving outdoors in the spring, give your hibiscus a rather heavy pruning – shortening leggy stems and removing rubbing branches. Remove the top couple of inches of soil and replace with fresh compost. Add some organic fertilizer, and your plant will be well on its way to a spring growth spurt!

Some varieties of tropical hibiscus overwinter better than others. If yours doesn’t bloom well the second year, you may want to consider replacing it.

Hardy Perennial Hibiscus

If you look at your local garden center for winter-hardy hibiscus, chances are you’ll find the enormous dinner-plate-sized blossoms of Hibiscus moscheutos. Commonly called Rose Mallow or Swamp Mallow, this plant is an herbaceous perennial, which means it will die completely back to the ground in the winter then sprout anew in the spring.

Compared to tropical hibiscus, the stems and heart-shaped leaves of hardy hibiscus are much softer, dull green, and tender. Blossoms are usually flat and large and the texture of tissue paper. They are available in colors of red, pink, and white.

How to Grow Hardy Perennial Hibiscus

Climate: Hardy to Zone 4. Does not transplant very well, so choose your location carefully.
Light: Full Sun.
Soil: Well-draining and rich. Loves water and should remain moist in summer. Grows naturally near ditches and swamps. During the winter, however, the roots should not be soggy. Add mulch to hold in moisture and prevent damage from late spring frosts.
Fertilizer: Hardy hibiscus is a heavy feeder. Organic fertilizers with plenty of phosphorus will encourage blooms.
Flowers: Blooms in July and August. Each flower is short-lived, but there are plenty more to come.

In the fall or late winter, cut back the dead stems of hardy hibiscus to near ground level. Compared to other perennials, this plant can be a little late to sprout in the spring, but by midsummer it will be sprawling several feet high. Stake long stems if needed.

In addition to Hibiscus moscheutos, other perennial hibiscus species include the slender petals of Scarlet Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus) and the ruffled pink blossoms of Confederate Rose (Hibiscus mutabilis). If you live near water, try growing the marsh-loving Giant Rose Mallow (Hibiscus grandiflora).

Hardy Hibiscus Shrubs: Althea or Rose of Sharon

Last, but certainly not least, we come to the larger shrubs and trees known more commonly as Althea or Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus). These carefree plants brighten up any landscape and are a must-have for hummingbird and butterfly gardens. The blooms are smaller than its tropical cousin, but it has a sustained, prolific bloom period in mid to late summer.

Hibiscus syriacus is a deciduous shrub or small tree, growing up to 10 feet tall and wide, with dark green foliage and flowers in shades of pink, blue, lavender, and white.

How to Grow Hardy Hibiscus Shrubs

Climate: Grown in zones 5-9. Used as a border or specimen shrub. Loses its leaves in winter. Upright shape, fairly dense, with a coarse texture.
Light: Full sun, with a little afternoon shade in hotter climates.
Soil: Rich and well-draining, although it’s pretty adaptable to a range of growing conditions.
Fertilizer: Average water and nutrient needs. Generally carefree.
Flowers: A rapid grower that can be pruned heavily in the early spring to encourage larger blossoms. May self-seed and sprout around the base.

White Althea

Further Information

The website floridata.com has excellent specific growing instructions for many varieties of hardy hibiscus including:

More information about the many varieties of tropical hibiscus can be found at www.trop-hibiscus.com.

How to Spruce Up a Summer Garden with Tropical Plants

Julie Day — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:35:47 +0000

‘Majesty Palm’ (Ravenea rivularis) in a summer landscape.

As the summer heats up, consider adding some tropical plants to your garden for a splash of luxury. The large, waving foliage and lush growth habits add a cool, inviting touch, and the plants themselves are naturally tolerant of the heat and humidity of summer. Gardeners in sub-tropical or non-tropical regions have to be a little more careful with these plants as temperatures cool, but any garden can enjoy the beauty of a tropical paradise.

Choosing Outdoor Tropical Plants

Give your houseplants an outdoor vacation! Palms, philodendron, peace lilies, ferns, and other houseplants will thrive in a sheltered location outdoors for the summer.
Tender tropical bulbs, such as elephant ear, taro, and amaryllis, are great choices for summer gardens. These plants go dormant for the winter, and the bulbs can be dug up and stored to be replanted year after year. Check out our article How to Store Tender Bulbs Over the Winter to find out how.
Consider the tropical plants that are commonly sold as annuals in cooler climates. Caladiums, mandevilla, and tropical hibiscus can be overwintered or purchased fresh each year.

Designing with Tropical Plants Outdoors

Create containers of tropical plants that can be easily grouped or moved around for parties or during weather changes. In the fall, you can simply bring the pots indoors, or take cuttings from them to root for next year.
Add some hanging houseplants to your porch or covered patio.
For a more tucked-in look, bury the tropical plant pot up to the rim in your planting bed. Add some mulch, and your landscape looks seamless! In the fall, it will be easy to pull up the pots for winter storage indoors.
Over the winter, tropical houseplants will need to be stored at temperatures over 55° F—a sun porch or decorative indoor location is great. Dormant bulbs and roots will need cooler temperatures in the 40s—a garage, shed, or basement can provide this.
Give a tropical touch to any garden with ordinary, hardy garden plants. Choose plants with large leaves, plants with palm or fern-like foliage, and plants with large, colorful blooms. Hardy hibiscus and perennial ferns give a tropical feel without special care.

Beginner’s Guide to Caring for Houseplants

Julie Day — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:44:23 +0000

Houseplants enhance your décor, clean the air, and bring the outdoors inside.

Growing houseplants is a great way to start gardening while enhancing the beauty of your home. Like any other gardening endeavor, indoor gardens can be as simple or elaborate as you would like. Here are some general guidelines to help get you started.

Dracaena comes in many varieties and is easy to grow.

Choose Plants Wisely

The first step is to choose healthy, actively growing plants with no signs of disease or distress. Start with plants that are forgiving, rather than ones with special needs. Some suggestions for easy to grow houseplants are:

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Philodendron (Philodendron sp.)
Dracaena (Dracaena sp.)
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Snake plant (Sanseveria sp.)
Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
Peperomia (Peperomia sp.)
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp.)
Diffenbachia (Dieffenbachia sp.)

Most houseplants like bright, indirect or filtered light.

Light and Location

In general, the best place for houseplants is a bright window that gets direct sun only part of the day. Houseplants like light, but most don’t necessarily like to bake in the sunshine. Check the plant’s label and follow the instructions about light requirements. Some tips:

High or Direct Light: Sunny windows facing south or southwest.
Medium or Indirect Light: East facing windows, and spots in bright rooms away from the windows.
Low Light: North-facing windows and darker rooms.

Plants with darker leaves can usually tolerate less light.

Temperature

Houseplants are usually tropical plants, so it’s important for your indoor environment to mimic these conditions as much as possible. In general, your houseplants will do best when:

Temperatures are between 65° – 75° F during the day.
Night temperatures are no more than 10° cooler. Most tropical plants begin to suffer below 55°.
There are no sudden large temperature changes. Keep plants away from drafts, heat registers, fireplaces, and cold winter window glass.

Peperomia is another easy houseplant with bright, variegated foliage.

Humidity

Houseplants like humidity, particularly in the winter when indoor air is so dry. Humidity around your plants can be increased by:

Grouping plants together.
Placing plants on a pebble tray.
Using a humidifier.
Lightly misting plants with water.

In the winter, you may want to group them together in a warm, humid bathroom or kitchen, then move them back to their regular locations in the spring.

Potting mix is lighter than regular soil.

Pots and Soil

The pot is your plant’s entire world, so it’s important that it is the right size and type, with good soil that drains properly and has plenty of nutrients. Here are some tips for keeping your plants healthy in pots:

Size: Houseplants need the right size pot. Too big, and the mass of moist soil can rot the roots. Too small, and the crowded roots will starve. Most of the time, your purchased houseplant will be okay in its present pot for a year or so. Many houseplants benefit from being repotted every couple of years. Each time you repot, go up just one pot size (an inch or so bigger).
Drainage: Your plants need to drain excess water, so choose a pot with holes in the bottom, and put a layer of gravel in the pot before adding soil. Put the pot on a drainage tray or inside a larger decorative planter or bowl.
Soil: Houseplants need well-draining, nutrient-rich soil. Use a packaged houseplant potting mix – garden soil is too heavy for most plants. Specialized soil is available for specific plants (such as cacti, orchids, and African violets), but in most cases a general indoor potting mix will do.

Water houseplants without splashing the foliage.

Water

Watering can be a touchy aspect of indoor gardening. Some plants like more or less water than others, some are sensitive to wet foliage, and some plants’ water needs change seasonally. As you experiment with new houseplants, you’ll become familiar with each plant’s water requirements and growing cycle. In the beginning, though, here’s what to do:

Once a week, visit your plants with a watering can. Stick your finger about half an inch into the dirt. If the dirt feels dry, then water. If it’s moist, then wait.
Water your plants by carefully adding water until a little runs out the bottom into the drainage tray.
Don’t get water on the foliage.
Don’t let your plant sit in water, particularly if it’s in a decorative planter where it could drown.
In the winter, cut back on watering to perhaps every 10 days to two weeks. Winter tap water can be very cold – use room-temperature water to avoid shock to your plants.
If your plant needs more water, it’ll let you know by looking droopy. Overwatering can make a plant unhappy, too, so be sure to water only when needed.

Choose a balanced fertilizer for most plants.

Fertilizer and Plant Food

During the growing season (spring through early fall, for most plants), houseplants benefit from a little extra food. There are different types of houseplant fertilizer:

Instant powders that are mixed with water.
Premixed liquids that are added when you water your plants.
Slow-release pellets or spikes that are applied every few months.

Start out with a basic balanced, all-purpose plant food in whatever form suits you. As you become more experienced, you may want to use specialized products for specific plants. Follow the instructions on the package carefully as too much fertilizer can kill your plant.

Pothos is a fast grower that can tolerate neglect.

Housekeeping

Your plants will benefit from a bit of housekeeping. As you water, you can also:

Gently wipe dust and pollen off the leaves.
Remove dead, brown, or yellow leaves (a few dead leaves are normal).
Remove spent blooms (also called deadheading).
Pinch back leggy-looking stems to help them branch out.
Rotate plants to help them grow evenly.
Inspect for insects and diseases. If you spot anything growing (or crawling) on your plants, first spray the plant with a little soapy water and gently wipe clean. If that doesn’t work, visit your garden center for a houseplant spray. Take a problem leaf, or a description of the insect, with you to find the right product.

Snake plant has brightly colored foliage.

Further Information

Dealing with Cold Temperatures in a Greenhouse

Julie Day — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:13:01 +0000

“We have a greenhouse made out of old windows. What is the lowest temperature suggested for wintertime? This morning, the thermometer read 39° F – is this too low? Most of the plants inside are tropical.” -Dianne

For most tropical houseplants, the minimum recommended temperature is around 55° F, although it really depends on the plant. Some plants respond to colder temperatures by slowing growth or going dormant, which means they may recover when temperatures warm. They will likely not survive temperatures below freezing.

For overwintering tender or sub-tropical landscape plants, temperature tolerance varies widely depending on the plant. Check the plant’s hardiness zone to determine the minimum recommended temperature for that plant. It would also be helpful to determine if the plant is “root-hardy” at colder temperatures, which means the top of the plant will die back while the roots or bulbs survive. Such plants may be stored in a dormant state and replanted in the spring.

Even if your greenhouse is unheated, it can be a great way to get a head start on spring plantings, or to overwinter plants that otherwise might be suited to a warmer hardiness zone.

Further Information

Best Houseplants to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Julie Day — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:37:46 +0000

Golden Pothos (Epipiremnum aureum)

We all remember learning in science class that plants “breathe” by taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, which is why forests are so important in maintaining the delicate balance of the earth’s atmosphere. But did you know that certain tropical houseplants can also remove and process other, more harmful, chemicals from the air inside your home?

Dracaena deremensis ‘Warneckii’

Toxic Chemicals in Household Air

Homes and office buildings today are often more polluted than the outdoors. Modern buildings are tightly sealed and insulated to make them energy efficient, and they’re also full of synthetic materials that emit harmful gases and chemicals into the air. The result is a sealed bubble of unclean air that can lead to what is known as “Sick Building Syndrome.” Some of the most common indoor pollutants are:

Formaldehyde: Commonly used in a number of items including particle board, pressed wood, foam insulation, cleaning products, and treated paper or fabric. If your home or office contains particle-board furniture, grocery bags, tissues, paper towels, or anything that has been treated to make it stiffer, wrinkle-resist, fire retardant, or water-repellent, then you’re likely to have formaldehyde in the air.
Benzene: A solvent used in manufacturing paints, inks, plastics, rubber, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and detergents.
Trichloroethane: Can be found in adhesives, varnishes, paints, and used in dry-cleaning.

At the very least, chemicals like these can irritate the eyes and skin, lead to allergic reactions, and cause headaches. At worst, they’ve been linked to more serious problems including asthma, cancer, anemia, organ damage, and birth defects. Given the pervasive presence of these chemical in our homes, it can be difficult to create an environment that is free of them.

Ficus tree (Ficus benjamina)

Research by NASA and ALCA

In the late 1980s, a two-year research study was conducted by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) to investigate ways to create healthy, breathable environments in outer space. They found that certain tropical plants, commonly used as houseplants, were quite effective in removing formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethane from the air and replacing it with breathable oxygen.

All plants provide some benefit to air quality, but their research showed that tropical plants (grown as houseplants in cooler climates) are particularly effective at processing gases and chemicals. Because they grow in dense rainforests with very little light, they have evolved to be very efficient at photosynthesis, which includes the absorption of gases from the air. In addition, as plants transpire (emit water from the leaves), air is drawn down around the roots, where root microbes quickly adapt and begin “eating” the harmful chemicals that are absorbed.

The result was a list of recommended plants for reducing toxic chemicals in indoor environments. Most are common houseplants that you should be able to find at your local garden center. Two of the recommended plants (Gerbera Daisy and Pot Mum) are ornamental blooming plants that are frequently brought indoors for seasonal decorations.

Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron scandens ‘Oxycardium’)

Top Plants for Reducing Indoor Air Pollution

Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
Dracaena (Dracaena sp.). Especially Red-Edged Dracaena (Dracaena marginata), Janet Craig (Dracaena deremensis ‘Janet Craig’), Warneckii (Dracaena deremensis ‘Warneckii’), and Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans ‘massangeana’)
English Ivy (Hedera helix)
Ficus, or Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
Golden Pothos (Epipiremnum aureum)
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum sp.)
Philodendron (Philodendron sp), particularly Heartleaf (Philodendron scandens ‘oxycardium’), Selloum (Philodendron selloum), and Elephant Ear Philodendron (Philodendron domesticum)
Pot Mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
Snake Plant, or Mother-In-Law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’)
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

For best results, have at least one six-inch plant for every 100 square feet.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum sp.)

Other Benefits of Indoor Plants

Of course a home or office building cannot exactly mimic the controlled conditions of a research lab, but it is clear that having plenty of healthy houseplants leads to a healthier home. In addition to processing carbon dioxide and harmful chemicals, houseplants improve indoor air quality by:

Helping to maintain humidity levels: Dry indoor air is blamed for a host of respiratory problems, particularly in the winter, and plants emit water vapor during transpiration.
Producing negative ions: Plant leaves produce negative ions, similar to many air purifying machines. Negative ions attach themselves to (and effectively remove) particles such as dust, mold spores, bacteria, and allergens. The presence of negative ions is credited for increasing psychological health, productivity, and overall well-being.

A variegated form of English Ivy (Hedera helix)

The Other Side of the Debate

Some researchers, including the EPA Indoor Air Division, remain unconvinced that houseplants are the answer to cleaning indoor air. The reasons for their doubt include:

Houseplants should not be your only defense against indoor air pollution. Instead, pollution should be eliminated at its source by reducing the amount of synthetic material in your home or office, and by making sure buildings are well ventilated.
The average home or office building is different from a controlled research lab, so it’s difficult to determine if the results translate to the real world, or how many plants are needed to get the same effect. While no one disagrees that plants process chemicals in the air, their exact rates and effectiveness are hard to prove outside the lab setting. Some critics believe it might take hundreds of houseplants to get the same results as the NASA/ALCA study.
Too many plants can raise humidity levels too high, which could lead to mold and bacteria growth throughout the building. Indoor humidity levels should stay between 35%-65% to avoid turning your home into a “greenhouse.”
Moist soil breeds bacteria, mold, and mildew. Don’t overwater your plants, and help control mold by “mulching” your houseplants with a one-inch layer of fine gravel or other porous material.

Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’)

Further Information

Winter Care of Succulents

Julie Day — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:00:19 +0000

“I live in Zone 8a, and I’ve got a lot of succulent plants that do well in hot temperatures. While we don’t get much freezing weather, it does happen sometimes. How should I take care of succulents during the cold winter months?” -Meredith

If you are planting winter-hardy varieties, such as Sedum (Sedum sp.), Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum sp.), Ice Plant (Delosperma sp.), Lewisia (Lewisia sp.), or Yucca (Yucca sp.), you shouldn’t have to worry about any extra winter care. You may see them begin to wither, shrink, or change color as cold weather approaches, but this is part of their normal winter routine. These plants withstand freezing temperatures, with some varieties hardy down to zone 3.

For less hardy varieties, the problem during the winter is the deadly combination of cold temperatures and waterlogged, soggy soil from rains and snow melt. Many varieties will withstand colder temperatures if the soil can be kept dry enough. Some tips for caring for tender succulents during freezing weather include:

Keep the soil as dry as possible. Stop supplemental watering and feeding around late fall.
Be sure there is adequate air circulation, to keep the winter dampness at bay.
Plant succulents in sheltered areas if your winters are rainy – a good spot might be a sunny location underneath the eaves or porch.
Make sure your soil has good drainage – if you notice soggy soil around your succulents during wet weather, you need to improve the conditions to help your plant survive. Add sand, well-draining organic matter, or a product such as Perma-Till to increase water drainage.
Cover tender plants when freezing temperatures are forecasted. You can use fabric covers, bushel baskets, or purchased frost covers. Just make sure the covers do not touch the leaves, and don’t keep them covered any longer than necessary – they need air circulation and sunlight.
Don’t remove snow cover – it’s a good insulator.

Confessions of a Cactus Killer

Julie Day — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:00:07 +0000

In my article, Caring for Holiday Cactus, I mention my first Christmas cactus, which came from my mother, who got it from HER mother, who grew and tended it as far back as anyone can remember. What I don’t mention (for the sake of my reputation, of course), is that I killed it. Yes, that’s right, I killed the heirloom cactus, and I hang my head in shame.

The thing is, this plant had lived in my mother’s laundry room for years, receiving only the light that came through the blinds and only the water that someone remembered while ironing, and it even bloomed on occasion. Then it lived quite contently with me for a while, and then what do I do? I decide to remodel my house and stow all my houseplants in the basement to keep them safe, then I forget about them for, oh, about eight months, through a 100-degree summer and an icy winter.

By the time I remembered my plants and had a livable house to put them in, there were no plants – only a collection of pots filled with lonely, moldy dirt. Well, there was one shriveled Jade plant and one limp pothos that were able to be revived, but the rest were completely composted.

It’s been years now, and whenever family comes to visit, they are so complimentary about the house and the (now) many green plants. But I wasn’t born yesterday – I know what they’re really thinking. They’re thinking, “What this place needs is a nice, heirloom Christmas cactus.” They don’t say anything, of course, but in my own mind I wonder: Will I ever live it down? Does one act of colossal neglect permanently blacken an otherwise green thumb? How many healthy Christmas cactuses do I need to have in order to make up for that one dead one? Is my grandmother looking down on me and shaking her head, or is she up there happily watering her cactus and waiting for me to send more plants her way?

Everybody makes mistakes, and in fact that’s the best way to learn. I learned that whenever I get too distracted, after a year or so things sort of start to slide. It’s good info.

How To Encourage Cactus To Bloom

Caring for Holiday Cactus

Julie Day — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:11:49 +0000

A popular gift to brighten the colder months, the group of plants known as “Holiday Cactus” get their names because of their ability (with a little help) to bloom during holiday seasons. Most popular are Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii), and Easter Cactus (Hatiora gaertneri), with many hybrids and colors available.

These plants are easy to grow and are often passed down through the generations – my first one came from my mother, who got it from her mother. With holiday cactus, the million-dollar question isn’t how to grow it, but how to make it bloom. With a little extra attention during the fall months, you can have your plants blooming for the holidays.

About Holiday Cactus

The name “cactus” is a little misleading, as these plants are not related to the spiny, fleshy cacti we know and love. Instead, they are “epiphytes,” which means that they nestle in the high branches of rainforest trees, taking their nutrition from pockets of decaying plant matter and adapting to the water shortages as rain quickly drains away. Many orchids and bromeliads are also epiphytes. This growth habit makes these plants more adapted to the somewhat drier conditions and filtered sunlight of the tropical tree canopy, which helps them live as houseplants in temperate climates.

The blooms of holiday cactus come in many colors, including white, pink, red, purple, and salmon-orange. Older plants will have long, arching stems that make them well-suited to hanging baskets or plant stands.

Holiday Cactus Grower’s Calendar

Don’t be intimidated by the word “calendar,” since these plants actually thrive on benign neglect. They need very little in the way of nutrients, occasional watering, and can even be stowed away in a cool spare room. Nevertheless, these monthly tips will help your plant thrive and bloom on demand.

January: If you received a holiday cactus as a gift, you get to start out easy. Let your plant rest for about a month after blooming. Keep it in a cool spot with indirect light, and water it sparingly until growth starts.
February: Starting now through April, you can repot your holiday cactus if needed. They like to be root-bound, so try to resist the urge unless you feel the plant is suffering due to poor soil.
March: When new growth begins, you can pinch or prune your plant. These cuttings can be rooted to make more plants!
April – September: This is the plant’s growing season. If you wish, you can feed it every few weeks with an all-purpose plant food with a 1-1-1 ratio. If you move it outdoors, keep it in a cool, shady spot. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry (no more than once a week), but only water enough to moisten the root ball – do not repeatedly soak the plant, and don’t leave water in the drainage tray.

September – October: This is the more critical time for ensuring your holiday cactus will bloom. Beginning in September, put your holiday cactus in a cool room (ideally around 50° F) with indirect bright light for 10-12 hours and total darkness for 12-14 hours. “Total darkness” means just that – no daylight, and no artificial light, either. You can easily achieve this by moving your plants in and out of a dark closet, or by covering them with a thick fabric cover – just take care that the cover doesn’t break the plant. They’ll need these conditions for 6-8 weeks to ensure flower bud formation. Stop fertilizing, and reduce watering to keep the soil just barely moist (once every couple of weeks).
November – December: When your plant is full of flower buds, you can stop the light-dark routine and bring your plant out to be enjoyed. Resume moderate watering. The cooler the location, the longer the blooms will last!

Holiday Cactus Tips

Don’t expose these plants to freezing temperatures! Despite their love of cooler temperatures, they are still tropical plants that won’t withstand freezing conditions.
They like about 50-60% humidity, which can be achieved using a pebble tray.
Never place your holiday cactus near a heat register, exterior door, or drafty window, and keep it out of burning sunlight.
Holiday cactus can easily be propagated by cuttings. Pinch off a section of stem that has 2-3 jointed segments. Let the cuttings dry for a few hours, then push them in a small pot with the same planting mix as the adult plant. Treat the cuttings just like an adult plant, and within a few weeks they’ll be rooted and growing.
Don’t fall into the trap of constantly repotting into a bigger pot. Holiday cactus likes to be root-bound, and repotting every 2-3 years (even back into the same pot) is plenty. If you repot, use a sterile, well-draining potting soil such as those packaged for African violets, orchids, or bromeliads.