Yes, air plants need sun. They make all their food from light, the same as any houseplant, even though they never touch soil. Air plants need bright indirect sunlight for most of the day, and a few hours of gentle morning sun is fine for most of them, but hot afternoon sun through glass will … Read more >>
Yes, an air plant dies after it flowers, but it takes its time. Each air plant blooms only once, and after flowering the mother plant slowly declines over several months to a couple of years while it grows new baby plants called pups. It doesn’t wilt and collapse the week the flower fades. So if … Read more >>
Few things sting like walking out to your garden and finding your kale shredded or your squash vines wilting overnight. The good news is that you can keep bugs out of your vegetable garden naturally, without reaching for harsh chemicals that also kill the helpful insects you want around. My advice is to think in … Read more >>
If you want a houseplant that stays green in a dim room and shrugs off missed waterings, the ZZ plant earns its reputation. Zamioculcas zamiifolia is an aroid from eastern Africa that stores water in thick underground rhizomes, so it handles drought and low light better than most indoor plants. The real ZZ plant benefits … Read more >>
You can grow a new ZZ plant from a stem cutting, a single leaflet, or a division of the underground rhizomes. All three work because Zamioculcas zamiifolia stores water and energy in thick rhizomes and swollen stem bases, so even a small piece can live for months while it forms roots. For most home gardeners, … Read more >>
ZZ plants need bright indirect light, water only when the soil is dry, and fast-draining soil. Here is how to care for one, plus fixes for common problems.
Yes, you can buy a healthy areca palm online, and I’d do it in spring or early fall from a seller that shows the actual plant, lists its height, pot diameter and cane count, and offers a written arrival guarantee. Those details tell you what you’re getting before it ships, and the guarantee protects you … Read more >>
An areca palm can live in a dim room for months, sometimes longer, but it won’t stay full and lush there. An areca palm in low light survives by slowly using up its stored energy, so it grows thin, drops lower fronds, and stays wet at the roots until you give it brighter indirect light … Read more >>
Areca palm leaves turning yellow almost always point to a watering problem, most often soggy soil, followed by light that’s too strong or too weak, a magnesium or potassium shortage, cold drafts, pests, or salty tap water. One old frond yellowing at the base of a cane is normal aging. Several fronds fading at once … Read more >>
A ZZ plant is mildly toxic to cats. It contains needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals that sting a cat’s mouth when chewed, causing drooling, pawing and sometimes vomiting, but it isn’t considered deadly. So if your cat just took a bite, take a breath. Most cats get a painful mouthful and back off fast. You still … Read more >>