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Showing posts with label Gardening. Show all posts

Monday, August 2, 2021

Reviewing How To Take Care Of Your House Plants On Vacation

So we have all these gorgeous houseplants that look beautiful in our homes and purify the air for us. All year long we look after them and water, feed and give them the correct position in our homes for their wellbeing.

Now the time comes when we go away on holiday, maybe it's just a short break or maybe it's for 2 or 3 weeks even longer. Our houseplants still need the same care so how can we go away on our well deserved break and still have healthy houseplants to come home to?

Many of these methods also work for if you know you will have a time you cannot take care of your houseplants for example the birth of a baby, a period of planned hospitalization or surgery. Or if you need to be away for work reasons.

I have left my houseplants for usually about two weeks successfully using these methods but once or twice I have left them for a month and they have all been fine.

Some house plants are undoubtedly much hardier than others when it comes to being left without care for a few weeks. In general my spider plants, mother in laws tongue, all cacti, succulents and swiss cheese plant are just as good as the day I leave them.

Other more delicate plants require more considered care and may not be quite so good at being left a long time. All of mine have survived but just needed a bit more care on my return.

The Growing And Care Of Dracaena As A Houseplant

Check Over Your Houseplants

First, at least a couple of weeks before your vacation do check over your plants for any signs of damage, pests and diseases and rectify anything that is wrong. You will want your plants to be as healthy as they possibly can be before they are left.

Bird Of Paradise Flower

Ask For Help From Friends

Ask a friend or neighbour to come into your house to look after them for you. If they are not used to looking after houseplants, especially the more specialised ones, you may need to leave a checklist of what to do or even take them through it before you leave. If you only have a couple of plants you might want to take them to your friend's house and put them in the correct position for them to take care of but for most of us, there will be too many plants to do that.

Personally, I would always leave instructions for the plants and also label the plants so the person knows which is which. It is helpful to group plants that need the same watering regime together as well so that it is quicker and easier for friends to do that task. My advice is to not assume they know how to look after your houseplants. Leave concise and clear instructions.

A lovely gift to say thank you when you return is always appreciated. You may wish to offer to reciprocate for your friend when they go away.

The Spider Plant As A Houseplant Reviewed

Group House Plants Together

Group houseplants of the same needs together in your home before you leave. For example, those who like shade in a shadier cooler part of your home and those who like dry conditions so that the friend helping you can know these are to be watered as much. That way they can derive benefits from each other and it's easier to help them survive.

Bottlebrush Flower

Methods of Watering Indoor Plants

For those plants that do not mind added moisture make sure each one has a saucer or outer container and give them a really good drink before you go. There will be excess water that pools into the container but if the plant can cope with standing water then it should be Ok. Over the time you are gone they will drink up that excess water.

Do not use this method for any plants that hate being in standing water as it will certainly damage and likely kill them.

For plants that will not cope with being in standing water but who like being well watered place them in a tub or bucket or even a bath a few inches deep of water and leave them there for up to about 20 minutes. Then place them on a draining area for another hour to let any excess water drain away. After that, they can go back to their outer pots.

Swiss Cheese Plant

If you have plants that like being moist, then they can be left in the bath or sink with a small amount of water so that the roots can access water at all times. Only use this for plants that can cope with being in a wet environment.

For others that like humidity, you can place them on a tray of pebbles and water the tray so that all the pebbles are covered. If the plants are well watered just before you leave, this should be enough moisture to enable them to be alright for about two weeks.

Move Houseplants

For most plants, I would suggest moving them out of areas where they get direct sunlight. A partial shady cooler spot is best if you cannot water them regularly, even for sun loving plants.

I would also remove any away from near radiators or heat sources and out of very hot windowsills. If you cannot move them all give them shade by drawing blinds or partially closing curtains.

Reviewing The Care Of Living Stone Flowers or Lithops As Houseplants

Plant Watering Spikes Devices

For plants where you really need to keep them regularly watered you can buy water drips which I have used effectively for specific plants. You put them deep into the compost and use with a wine bottle or a plastic bottle that fits the end of the spike. You may need to support the bottle in the pot.

You can make home made versions with holes in plastic bottles, but I have not had the same success with them. I always seem to get too much or too little water dripping so I just find it easier to stick with these.

I prefer the terracotta ones as they just seem to work better, get less clogged with soil and also are reducing our plastic use. Water is absorbed through the terracotta and into the soil. However, they are much more breakable so need to be used with more care.

Rather than just forcing them into the plant pot it is best to dig out a specific hole for it first. That way you can ease it in without hopefully breaking the terracotta and causing possible damage to roots. You do need to make sure that most of the spike is under the soil as it helps with stability and less risk of breakage. Check the bottle fits neatly and easily into the spike as a trial run. Wine bottles will be heavier than plastic bottles so bear that in mind also. Then carefully place the bottle into the spike. It is better if the soil is moist before you go away as it will last longer.

Do test out this method a few weeks before you go away to make sure it works for you and that your plants receive the water they require. Some plants may need one spike, others may need two to get sufficient water. You may also need to experiment with how much water you put in the bottle for the plant to be happy

Cacti And Succulents

To avoid this issue altogether, or simply feel it will be too much, too often to cope with the watering methods suggested here the solution is to choose plants to suit you and your life.

In general cacti and other succulent plants will cope just fine without being watered while you are away up to about a month, as long as they are healthy and well looked after before you leave them.

These plants do need water but not as much as most other plants and do very well if you are away a lot or for a long time. Do take account of their individual needs and take care with the siting in your home so they do not get scorched by sun or too shaded.

I think they are really interesting and attractive plants to have in our homes. If you travel often for more than a week or go away for very long vacations or work trips, these will be the easiest and most successful plants for you to keep as your houseplants.

Cacti

Capillary Matting Or Rope For Watering

Another suitable method for watering plants is to use capillary matting or a cord. Simply attach the cord or matting to a water source like a tray or bucket filled with fresh clean water and pop the other end into the houseplant.

A tip is to thoroughly wet the cord or material before attaching it to the water and the houseplant. You will find it best to bury the cord firmly into the soil. Also, I find it better if the water source is slightly higher than the plant pot.

Do be aware that the cord can drip water onto the floor or surface between the water source and the plant so either put down a drip tray or put the arrangement somewhere it will not matter so much like on a sink, in the bath or on a waterproof surface. This is a good method of watering but can take up a bit of space.

This will be perfectly adequate while you are on holiday. Again do test out before you need it. Experiment with how much water you need at the source and how much capillary rope or matting you need per plant.

I tend to use a mix of the capillary rope and the plant watering spikes for my plants that need a constant water source.

ORIMERC 30 feet 1/6 inch Self Watering Capillary Wick Cord Vacation Plant Sitter DIY Hydroponic Wicking Self-Watering Planter Pot Automatic Water System Device Potted Violet Auto Seedling Waterer Rope

Taking Indoor Plants Outside?

You can consider taking some hardy houseplants outside in a sheltered spot, though I think this is the riskiest strategy. I have not done this with most of my houseplants, except for the Bottlebrush as it lives on our warm and sheltered porch most of the year so is hardier but does like to be outside in the summer. Our weather is too unpredictable even in the summer ranging from very sunny, hot and dry to rainy downpours, windy and cold snaps, to risk it with my other indoor plants, but it may suit your climate.

Personally, if I was going to do this I would try it out first while I was there for a few days or a week to see how the plants coped. That way if any of them looked unhappy you can bring them in immediately.

I would also be very careful which plants I put outside, only the healthiest and most hardy, who could cope with the potential weather changes.

Reviewing The Growing And Care Of Bottlebrush Plant

When You Return, Check Your House Plants

Once you are back home do check every one of your plants over for any signs of ill health, pests, or disease and treat them as needed. For those that have not had access to water do give them a good drink. Move all the plants back to their optimal conditions in your home.

I have used pretty much all these methods to some degree over the years and most of my house plants have been healthy and survived while I have been away on my holidays. They will thank you for the time and care you took over their well-being and give you pleasure and joy for the rest of the year.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Photo Review of a Random Act of Beauty in Paso Robles

Sunflowers on Paso Robles Corner Parking Strip, © Barbara Radisavljevic

A Random Act of Beauty?

Would you rather see these gorgeous sunflowers next to your house every day or would you rather have the view below?

City Maintained Paso Robles Corner Parking Strip, © Barbara Radisavljevic

That's what I thought. And that's probably what Tiffany, the woman who planted the sunflowers, thought, too. This is part of the parking strip the City of Paso Robles planted. It's across from the house next door to Tiffany. I can see why she preferred sunflowers.

I discovered her literal forest of sunflowers on my way to the grocery store in Paso Robles California one July afternoon. I was participating in a Medium Photo-a-Day Challenge and I hardly ever go out of my neighborhood. When I do go anywhere I can't walk, I try to take a picture of something unique for the challenge. So on my way to the store my plan was to drive around the block the store was on, park behind the store, and walk until I found something worth taking a picture of. I hadn't even turned the corner when I saw this in front of me.

Sunflower Forests on 21st Street, © Barbara Radisavljevic

In the foreground you see the sunflowers in the parking strip in front of Tiffany's house. In the background is the center strip across the southbound lane of the street heading toward Vine Street. I walked the center strip and it appears that besides the flowering trees there, the city had also planted some hummingbird sage (unless someone else did). Most of that strip past the sunflowers looked like this.

Hummingbird Sage in July on 21st Street Median Strip, © Barbara Radisavljevic

There was also a lot of this grassy plant on the median strip. I'm not sure what it is but the city plants it in all these storm drain strips. The white flower is bindweed or wild cucumber. It's a weed. I've no idea what the green plant at the back is. I can understand why Tiffany preferred sunflowers.

median strip filled with ornamental grass

Unidentified Grasses and Bindweed on 21st Street Median Strip, © Barbara Radisavljevic

You Can Also Create This Kind of Beauty

When I see sunflowers in bloom they lift my spirits. They speak of the energy it takes to grow tall and reach for the sky. And they are easy to grow. Would you like to get involved in your own random act of beauty in your neighborhood or property? You could even make it a family project.

First you need seeds. Here are some good choices for an awesome display.

Start Your Day with Sunflower Energy

I confess my normal wake-up default condition is not energetic. It's groggy. I can't even get my eyes to focus when I first get up. Until I've had a couple of cups of tea I'm not very alert. Having your preferred hot beverage while looking a sunflower in the eye should brighten your morning perspective as you fuel up. So I made this for you on Zazzle. You can make it whatever size or style you like best. The largest size mug is eleven ounces. That's enough to wake the brain up!

Sunflowers to Perk You Up as You Enjoy Your Drink Coffee Mug

Are you ready to go plant sunflowers this autumn and help brighten the corner of the world where you live? Too many sunflowers live lonely lives with only a few weeds for companionship.

Lonely Sunflower Surrounded by Weeds on 21st Street Parking Strip, © Barbara Radisavljevic

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Monday, July 19, 2021

Reviewing Care Of Anthurium Or Flamingo Flower House Plants

Stunning Anthurium Or Flamingo Flower Houseplant.

I do love Anthurium. This beautiful house plant has a special place in my heart as the stems and red flowers of this plant were given as a gift as a gorgeous bouquet of stunning flowers to my husband and me as we came to the end of our honeymoon.

We kept these stems and flowers for weeks. So when we were all settled in our home, we decided to buy ourselves an Anthurium plant so that we could keep it always.

I have to admit I was a little concerned about how I would look after this Flamingo Flower plant as it looks so exotic. I was sure it would need so much looking after!

However, while it does need a little care I was wrong that it needed a lot.

I commonly knew this plant as a Flamingo Flower but it also has the common names Laceleaf, Painted Tongue Plant and Tail Flower.

Ours has bright red "flowers" although they are not technically flowering, as I will explain later.

These Flamingo flower plants would grow in a very tropical environment in nature. They have no scent, just their stunning good looks! It is a lush, stunningly beautiful plant that graces any house with a subtle yet distinctly tropical look. Yet I feel most people could care for this plant with relative ease and just a little knowledge and have a gorgeous display in the home.

Gorgeous Lush Leaves Of Anthurium Houseplant

Where To Site An Anthurium Houseplant

Where we position this plant in the house is vitally important and like with many houseplants, if you get that right the rest is really easy.

We need to grow this plant in a bright position. If it is in direct sunlight it will scorch the leaves. If it is in constant dull light or too much shade, it may slow growth and stop producing its gorgeous flowers.

The Flamingo plant benefits from a consistent temperature. We will know if the room you have it in is too hot as it will wilt. We need to remove it from the environment and try somewhere a bit cooler to give it a chance to survive.

The ideal temperature is around 70-90 degrees but in my experience, the average house temperature is perfectly fine. Our house temperature is significantly lower than 90 degrees and our plant does well in our living room where it is generally warm and constant. Ours is positioned where it is not near an open window in case of drafts or cold chills in winter but it does have lots of light.

If your house goes from extreme heat to extreme cold that this plant will suffer badly, but I doubt many of us will do that intentionally in our homes for our own comfort!

In a warm summer, we can take them outside for a while in daylight hours only but must keep them in a lightly shaded spot and bring them in before dusk.

I sometimes do this during June and July for a couple of hours a couple of times a week if we get a warm dry summer!

Heart-Shaped Flower Or Spathe

On Anthurium

Anthurium House Plant Flowers

Now to explain the "flowers" of this plant. They are very beautiful and shaped like a heart which is rather lovely! The bright red heart shaped structures on our plant do look like flowers but they are not.

They are in fact waxy leaves and are called spathes. They can come in a gorgeous range of colours from pink, purple, white or red like ours. So if you have one in your home you can usually find one to suit your decor. However, during this article, we will just call them flowers.

In order to get those gorgeous waxy leaves that look like flowers, we need to feed the plant a feed with high prosperous content. This is only required about once every month and only during Spring and summer when actively growing. There is no need to use fertiliser in Autumn or winter at all.

I find the flowers last quite a long time up to several weeks then they gradually dry up and my red one turns a dark brown. I like to trim them off before they start looking unsightly. However, do not just snip them off below the flower head. You need to feel right down the base and cut off low down with a pair of secateurs like these Wolf By Pass Secateurs or a strong pair of scissors. More flowers will soon appear!

Anthurium Flower

Soil Conditions For Anthurium Houseplant

They grow naturally either in rich soil humus or on the surface of other plants.

For our purposes of growing this as a house plant, it is best and easiest to pot into a soil that is free draining but not as light as pure cactus soil. It is best in soil that has some water retention but is free draining which means the water will quickly pour through drainage holes. A blend of cactus soil with richer compost and grit would be good.

However, as I could not get any cactus soil at the time, mine is potted into an ordinary multi-purpose compost that is sifted and mixed with fine grit and it seems to do just fine.

As with most houseplants if the plant starts to look overcrowded and fills the pot that is the time to re-pot into a larger container. I do try to do this before it starts into new growth in early spring, though with this plant you may only need to do it only every few years.

anthurium or flamingo flower houseplant displayed

Anthurium Flower Houseplant With Other Houseplants

Watering The Flamingo Flower

I only water when the soil is dry. To test this easily simply pop your finger in the soil and if the first part up to your first knuckle joint feels dry, give it a good watering until the water pours out of the drainage holes. Allow it to drain off completely then place it back into its outer pot.

Ideally, you do not want Flamingo flower houseplants in any standing water. They like a humid atmosphere but from my experience no more humid than is comfortable for us.

If you want to make it more humid without changing your comfort levels then a saucer with pebbles covered in water underneath the plant will help. We can also grow it together with other houseplants who like similar conditions or are not fussy about conditions and that will also increase humidity for all of them. I have our Anthurium keeping company with our spider plant and I like the contrasting forms and habit.

We can mist these houseplants lightly as they like humidity but do not overdo it as they will respond badly to being soaked. I only mist once every couple of weeks in warm weather. Bathrooms often have natural humidity but you would also need to make sure the light levels were good for the plant.

Beautiful Flamingo Flower Houseplant

Safety Around the Anthurium Plant And Health Benefits.

It is important to note that these plants are poisonous if eaten or tasted. They can cause swelling of the mouth and organs of the digestive system and severe pain. If you buy one do keep it well out of reach of children and pets.

The sap can also be an irritant and can irritate your eyes quite badly so I am careful as I have very sensitive skin but it's probably best for anyone to wear gloves when handling a lot or especially when taking cuttings. Do not rub or touch your eyes or mouth with gloves or your hands until you have washed them.

We have ours on top of a tall cupboard where you can see it and admire it but there is no danger to any visiting children or pets.

For these reasons, I try to keep handling this plant to a minimum. I have not yet taken any cuttings as that means much more contact with the plant and I have super sensitive skin. So far I have just repotted it probably every 3 years.

If you are ever lucky enough to see this plant in the wild, best to admire it visually and do not touch it.

However, they are also good for our health being excellent plants for helping to purify the air in our homes and offices and can help rid the air of many toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and ammonia. They are also particularly good to help the air quality if you use technology like printers or photocopiers.

Costa Farms Anthurium Plant, Live Indoor Houseplant with Red Flowers in Cute Heart Décor Pot, Birthday, Housewarming, Get Well Soon, Office, Home, or Room Décor, 12-Inches Tall

HOUSEPLANTSHOP | Anthurium Purple - 4” Pot | Live Indoor House Plant | Free Care Guide

HOUSEPLANTSHOP | Anthurium Pink - 4” Pot | Live Indoor House Plant | Free Care Guide

So to summarize, Anthuriums or Flamingo flower plants are beautiful, stunning looking and will grace any home with a touch of the exotic. They are toxic if eaten and we do need to be careful when handling them due to the sap, but they are good for our health too in helping to purify our air. For such a tropical-looking plant the care is surprisingly easy. As with most houseplants, if you get the position, soil and watering correct the plant will be a gorgeous addition to your home for years to come.

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Reviewing The Growing And Care Of Dracaena As A Houseplant

dracaena houseplant with white brick background

Dracena House Plant

I rescued two lovely Dracaena houseplants recently. It was a spur of the moment decision, I had gone into the shop for compost!! Anyone who knows me will understand that I cannot resist a beautiful plant let alone two sitting unloved on a shelf. They were a quarter of the original price so an extremely good bargain, as long as I can keep them alive.

I do like to buy or rescue outdoor plants this way as bargains and bringing back to life the unloved and unwanted, but I have never bought a houseplant in need of rescue. Houseplants can be a little harder to restore to full health once they have been very neglected, but I wanted to give it a go.

So this Dracaena is a stunning-looking plant. Both were sadly completely dried out and shrinking from their pots which is not good. So the first thing I did was to put the pots into a bowl of water and allow the plant to drink what it wanted for an hour. This way I did not overwhelm it with water but it could quench its undoubted thirst.

Next was to give it the very best of treatment. This means the correct position in the house, the food, water and environment it needs. It also means the correct soil, but on this, I am waiting as it is always stressful for a plant to be repotted and they had enough stress so far. So I will repot in a month or so when they are more settled.

Dracaena House Plant In Kitchen

The Name Dracaena

This plant is named Dracaena which means female dragon in ancient greek. Apparently, the red stems that are found in many of these houseplants are like the colour of dragons blood! Sometimes it is also referred to as the Dragon Plant which I like.

Dracaena Are Good For Us!

The Dragon plant is also a great air purifier and therefore very good to have in our homes. It is a lovely thing to have a plant that is beautiful in our homes and this one is stunning especially as it grows tall, but quite another when it benefits us directly.

Our homes are surprisingly full of toxins and pollutants from our furniture, paint, materials for building, clothing and cleaning chemicals we use every day.

If we can help to offset at least some of this pollution with beautiful houseplants we are doing our health good. Dracaena is one of the most effective plants for air purification and so deserves a place in every home.

Generally, for the majority of people this plant is safe to be around. For most people, this plants leaves are not toxic if touched and handled, but clearly as with any houseplant avoid anyone eating them. If anyone has especially sensitive skin or allergies to plants then direct contact with the plant is best avoided.

Dracaena Is Toxic If Eaten By Pets

It must be noted that beautiful as it is, Dracaena is toxic if our pets eat it. It is the chemical in the plant, saponin that causes the issue. This will result in vomiting and diarrhea and if that occurs get your pet to a vet immediately for treatment.

If you have pets it is wise to keep this houseplant out of their reach.

dracaena houseplant in front of a textured glass window

Dracaena House Plant In Bathroom With Filtered Light

Where to Position Dracaena

Dracaena comes from the floor level of tropical rainforests and arid deserts. I know mine came from Costa Rica. Dracaena like humidity so unlike the houseplants I have reviewed previously this one loves being in a bathroom or kitchen.

This is great news as I love houseplants in these rooms. To keep them happy and in good condition, they appreciate regular misting of the leaves and a humid environment so placing them on a dish of pebbles topped up with water is also helpful.

The dragon plant likes to keep warm so heat of about 15 to 20 degrees celsius is good, but it hates direct bright light so after some thought I have positioned one in the bathroom window that is south facing but the window is opaque so it filters the suns rays very well which is just what this plant requires, filtered sunlight.

This plant is currently quite small but it will grow much taller which is not a problem here as the window is quite tall as well. The taller one is in the kitchen again by a window this time east facing but quite sheltered from the sun by the foliage in the garden. So I will see if it likes it there.

Leaves Of Dracaena House Plant

Water And Food Requirements For Dracaena

The soil must always be moist for this houseplant but it does not like to sit in soggy wet conditions. The best soil is free draining so compost mixed with perlite would be a good combination. It allows for generous watering but permits good drainage to let excess water through. Always make sure there is an inch or to at the top of the pot to allow for easy watering.

Once watered allow the plant to drain through before you site back in its outer container. I would recommend having the plant in a plastic or terracotta pot then putting that pot inside a slightly larger decorative pot. That way you can water thoroughly but allow it all to drain off before repositioning.

If the leaves go yellow and droop then it has been overwatered and we must cut down on the watering and ideally repot into fresh compost to give it the best chance of recovery.

My two both need repotting and then placing into proper decorative pots but that will wait until they have settled down.

Feeding is quite important and a task we need to do every fortnight during spring and summer, reducing to once a month in autumn/fall and no feeding is necessary during winter. You can buy Dracaena feed or any usual houseplant fertilizer is fine.

Dracaena Marginata Colorama - Tri-Color Dragon Tree Houseplant from Jm Bamboo

American Plant Exchange Live Dracaena Marginata Colorama Plant, Madagascar Dragon Tree, Plant Pot for Home and Garden Decor, 6" Pot

Madagascar Dragon Tree - Dracaena marginata - 6" Pot - Easy to Grow House Plant

Pruning Dracaena

It is not necessary to do any pruning of this houseplant. The only reason I can see to prune is if it grows too tall for the space. It grows in an upright habit so actually occupies only a small space on any surface.

However, if you need to prune the canes or stems to reduce the height you can simply cut them with secateurs like these Wolf By Pass Garden Secateurs and then in time new growth will shoot from the pruning cut.

I am going to allow these two to grow pretty tall as I think they look especially stunning as a huge plant and I love having them in our home.

Dracaena House Plant

So in summary Dracaena is a stunning plant that takes up little room on a surface, but can grow quite tall. It is beautiful and requires filtered sunlight, warmth and steady watering and feeding.

Do be careful where you place it if you have pets as it is toxic to them. Keep it out of the way of any person who is especially sensitive or allergic to plants.

It is a very easy care plant overall and has air purification qualities to help us be more healthy in our homes. Overall a very deserving plant and one I am glad I rescued.