Introduction 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 (Chlorophytum comosum) is one of the most forgiving and rewarding houseplants you can grow. Native to tropical and southern Africa, it earns its reputation as a…
Introduction Photo: Jsch623 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Tony Atkin (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Nigel Jones (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Best Plant Fertilizer: Types, Nutrients, and Buying Guide Every plant needs nutrients to grow. But which nutrients, in what amounts – and which fertilizer is right for your plants? The market…
Dividing Perennials: When and How to Split Hostas, Daylilies, and Grasses Garden perennials behave differently from clump-forming houseplants: they’re rooted in open ground, exposed to the seasons, and often grow much larger before they need attention. Dividing them serves two purposes at once – it rejuvenates clumps that have grown crowded and woody in the…
Introduction Growing houseplants from seed takes more patience than buying an established plant or rooting a cutting, but it is an inexpensive way to raise many plants at once and to try species that are hard to find as mature specimens. Seeds of coleus, herbs like basil, citrus pips, and many succulents germinate reliably indoors…
Introduction 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) Watching Roots Grow Water rooting isn’t just effective – it’s also incredibly fascinating to watch. In a glass on the windowsill, you can watch week by week as a…
Introduction Photo: Aleksey Gnilenkov from Moscow, Russia (CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: division, CSIRO (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons) Tiny but dangerous Spider mites are barely visible to the naked eye — by the time you notice them, the plant is often already damaged. These tiny arachnids feed on leaf cells and can completely…
Introduction Photo: D-Kuru (CC BY-SA 3.0 at, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Tero Keski-Valkama (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Armored pests Scale insects and mealybugs are among the most stubborn pests on houseplants. Their protective shell makes them resistant to many sprays, and they often multiply unnoticed. Here’s how to identify and effectively treat both. Who This…
Introduction Photo: Jsch623 (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Tony Atkin (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Photo: Nigel Jones (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons) Fertilizer Spikes Tested 2026: Convenient Nutrition for Houseplants Fertilizer spikes are probably the simplest way to feed houseplants: push into the soil, water, done — soil moisture does the rest. But…
Introduction 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) When Fungi Attack Your Plant Fungal diseases are sneaky: they often develop unnoticed and only break out once the plant is already badly…
Introduction 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) Taking cuttings is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to multiply your houseplant collection for free. Instead of buying new plants, you can snip a healthy piece…
