Growing houseplants from seed yourself sounds like a test of patience, but it’s incredibly satisfying! From the tiniest seed to a mature plant, you get to witness the entire life cycle. In this article, you’ll learn everything about sowing and raising houseplants from seed. Which Houseplants Can Be Grown from Seed? Almost any plant that…
The Simplest Propagation Method Division is the simplest, fastest, and safest method of plant propagation. It works on any plant that grows in clumps or forms rhizomes. One large plant becomes two or more in minutes — no waiting around for roots to form. Which Plants Can Be Divided? Ferns: Nephrolepis (Boston fern), Adiantum (maidenhair…
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) The Spider Plant: An Unkillable Classic The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is one of the most popular and forgiving hanging plants you can grow. Its grassy, green-and-white striped leaves and…
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) Is your plant producing babies all on its own? That’s not unusual at all! Many houseplants naturally form offshoots and plantlets — small daughter plants just waiting to be potted…
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 plants from cuttings is one of the most satisfying and economical ways to expand a plant collection, share favorites with friends, or replace an aging plant with a fresh,…
Photo: Norbert Nagel, Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Bioletti, Frederic T. (Frederic Theodore), 1865-1939 (No restrictions, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Norbert Nagel, Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Besides pests like aphids and spider mites, there’s a second major threat to houseplants: fungal diseases. Powdery mildew, root rot, and leaf spot disease…
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) White, cottony tufts in the leaf axils, or small, motionless brown shields on the stems — these are the telltale signs of mealybugs and scale insects. These stubborn pests are among…
Photo: Aleksey Gnilenkov from Moscow, Russia (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: division, CSIRO (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Aleksey Gnilenkov from Moscow, Russia (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Tiny webs in the leaf axils, fine white speckles on the leaves, and a plant that’s visibly weakening — these are the classic signs of…
Photo: Jules Verne Times Two (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Plant pests and diseases (CC0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Natalka Ukraine (CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) They’re tiny, they multiply explosively, and they can ruin your plants within just a few weeks: aphids. Whether on houseplants, the balcony, or in the garden, aphids are among…
Photo: This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Waarneming.nl, a source of nature observations in t (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Waarneming.nl, a source of nature observations in t (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers…
