Photo: D-Kuru (CC BY-SA 3.0 at, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Tero Keski-Valkama (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Tero Keski-Valkama (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Scale insects and their fuzzy relatives, mealybugs, are among the most stubborn pests on houseplants. They cling motionless to stems and leaves, suck plant sap, and excrete sticky honeydew. If you…
Root rot is the silent killer among plant diseases. Above ground, the plant shows vague symptoms — while below, in the pot, the roots are dying off. Anyone who knows the warning signs and acts quickly can save many plants that seem beyond saving. How to Recognize Root Rot The tricky part: symptoms above the…
Photo: Ddra5202 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: peganum from Small Dole, England (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Jeremyida002 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Propagating houseplants from cuttings is one of the most satisfying skills a plant owner can learn — it’s essentially free plants, and for many popular species it’s genuinely easy once…
Photo: Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Stephanie cheks (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: ChrisInMilton (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Some plants make it especially easy for us: they naturally produce small offsets that are just waiting to be potted up. These natural clones — called “pups,” “offsets,” or “babies”…
Most houseplants come to us as cuttings, divisions, or tissue-culture starts, so growing one from seed is a less common but rewarding path — you get to watch the entire life cycle unfold, and seeds are an inexpensive way to try species that are hard to find as established plants. Seed Depth and Sowing Basics…
Photo: Ddra5202 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: peganum from Small Dole, England (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Jeremyida002 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Division is the simplest form of propagation there is: rather than coaxing a cutting to grow new roots, you’re separating a plant that has already made multiple, independent root-and-shoot units…
Photo: Ddra5202 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: peganum from Small Dole, England (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Jeremyida002 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) If you find yourself propagating more than the occasional cutting, a dedicated propagation station makes the whole process easier to manage and far more successful. Instead of jars scattered across…
Photo: shrinkin’violet from Bristol, UK (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Twotonetoo (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: KoS (Public domain, Wikimedia Commons) Electric pruning shears have moved from professional orchards and vineyards into home garden sheds over the past several years. They promise less hand fatigue and cleaner cuts than manual bypass pruners, but…
Pre-assembled plant care sets are a convenient way to start building a toolkit, especially as a gift or for someone just getting into houseplants. But not all sets are equally useful, and the “best” one really depends on what kind of plants you’re growing. Here’s what a genuinely useful set should include, and how to…
Everyone Makes Them – But You Don’t Have To Watering plants sounds simple: pour on water, done. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. About 80% of all houseplant problems come down to incorrect watering. The good news: most mistakes are easy to avoid once you know what to look for. Here are the seven most common…
