For most homes, my pick is the parlor palm or the kentia palm, because both handle the dimmer light of a typical American living room better than almost any other true palm. If you have a bright window and steady humidity, the areca palm is the classic feathery choice, and the lady palm is a … Read more >>
To get rid of aphids for good, isolate the plant, rinse or wipe off the colonies, then spray insecticidal soap on every stem and leaf underside every 5 to 7 days for 2 to 3 weeks. That schedule works because aphids breed fast indoors, so you have to keep treating until no new young are … Read more >>
Pick a pot with at least one drainage hole, about 1 to 2 inches wider than the plant’s current pot, made from a material that fits how fast your plant likes to dry out. For most houseplants, that means terracotta pots for dry-loving plants and plastic pots with saucers or glazed ceramic planters for plants … Read more >>
To get rid of spider mites on indoor plants, isolate the plant, rinse both sides of every leaf, then spray insecticidal soap or horticultural oil on the leaf undersides every 5 to 7 days for 2 to 3 weeks. That repeat schedule is the part most people skip, and it’s why mites seem to come … Read more >>
Houseplants live in a small pot of soil that rain never refreshes. Every nutrient they get comes from you. Liquid fertilizer for indoor plants is the easiest way to give them a measured dose, and the easiest to stop when the season changes. In this guide, I’ll walk you through choosing a formula, reading the … Read more >>
Lemongrass grows slowly for its first few weeks, then takes off once summer heat arrives. From a nursery plant set out after your last frost, you can expect your first harvestable stalks in about 3 to 4 months, while store-bought stalks take about 4 to 5 months and seeds take 5 to 6 months or … Read more >>
Yes, you can use coffee grounds for indoor plants, but only in small amounts and only after you compost them. My advice is to compost spent grounds first and then mix a thin amount (about 10 percent of the mix or less) into potting soil, because raw grounds piled on top of a pot mat … Read more >>
For most houseplants, my pick is a balanced liquid concentrate labeled for houseplants, mixed at half strength every 2 to 4 weeks in spring and summer. It suits beginners and collectors alike because you control the dose each time, and you can stop the moment growth slows in fall. That one bottle covers pothos, monstera, … Read more >>
Self-watering pots work best for houseplants that like evenly moist soil, such as peace lilies, ferns, African violets, pothos, and leafy herbs. They hold water in a hidden reservoir and let the soil pull it up as the roots dry. That steady supply keeps thirsty plants from swinging between soggy and bone-dry. My advice is … Read more >>
The easiest cat-friendly indoor plants for most homes are the spider plant, parlor palm, Boston fern, calathea, peperomia, and cast iron plant, because the ASPCA lists all of them as non-toxic to cats and they handle normal indoor conditions well. If you want one plant to start with, I’d pick a spider plant in a … Read more >>