My top pick among tall indoor plants for low light is the dracaena, especially the corn plant and its dark-green cultivar ‘Janet Craig,’ because it forms a real tree shape and keeps its leaves in a dim corner where most floor plants drop theirs. If your corner is narrow, a tall snake plant is my … Read more >>
Good news if you share your home with a cat: the ASPCA lists the areca palm (Dypsis lutescens) as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, so a nibbled frond won’t poison your pet. It’s one of the safest large floor plants you can bring into a pet household. That said, “non-toxic” has limits. Rabbits aren’t … Read more >>
If you’ve been eyeing those sleek water-based gardens, you’ve probably asked yourself: is hydroponic better than soil? It’s a fair question, and the honest answer depends on what you grow, where you live and how much time you want to spend checking on your plants. In this guide, I’ll walk you through where each method … Read more >>
If you’ve noticed your jade plant leaves turning dark green, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common things jade owners notice, especially after a plant moves indoors or spends a winter away from a sunny window. The good news is that dark green leaves are rarely a sign of disease. In most cases, … Read more >>
Finding aphids on jade plant leaves can be a surprise, because jade is a tough succulent that rarely draws these pests. When aphids do show up, they cluster on soft new growth and flower buds. The good news is that they are easy to control once you know what to do. In this guide, I’ll … Read more >>
Cactus mix on its own is a poor fit for a dieffenbachia. It drains fast and holds little food or water, while this tropical plant wants soil that stays lightly moist between drinks. You can use cactus soil for dieffenbachia only as a minor ingredient, blended about one part cactus mix to two parts regular … Read more >>
Seeing a jade plant stem turning black is scary. Jade plants are tough, so a dark, ugly stem feels like a sign that something has gone badly wrong. The good news is that not every dark stem is a death sentence. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to tell harmless aging from real … Read more >>
Your hanging baskets looked full and lush in May. Now it’s July, and they’re a tangle of long, bare stems with a few flowers dangling at the tips. If you’re asking yourself, “Why have my hanging baskets gone leggy?”, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common summer basket complaints. The good news … Read more >>
True lotus plants (Nelumbo) are not listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA, and people in many parts of the world eat their roots and seeds, so a nibble on a lotus leaf is not a poisoning emergency. Your cat can still throw up after chewing a big piece, because any plant material can … Read more >>
A single dieffenbachia leaf can’t grow into a new plant. A leaf has no node, the small growth point on the stem where buds wake up and push out new shoots. Without that bud, a leaf can stay green for weeks, but it has nothing to build a new stem from. To propagate dieffenbachia from … Read more >>