The best plants to grow with ferns in pots are shade lovers that want the same steady moisture: impatiens, begonias, caladiums, coleus, coral bells, miniature hostas, torenia, fuchsia, and golden creeping jenny. For most American porches and patios, I’d pair a fern with begonias or impatiens for flowers and a coral bell or caladium for … Read more >>
Staghorn ferns cost more than most houseplants because they grow slowly, take a year or more to propagate from spores, and need hands-on mounting before they look like the wall display you want to buy. A nursery has to water, feed, and protect each plant for 2 to 3 years after starting it from a … Read more >>
If your Boston fern’s older fronds are fading to a washed-out lime color, the plant is usually reacting to too much light or a shortage of nitrogen. A Boston fern turning light green most often needs a shadier spot with bright indirect light, a light feeding, or both; pale new fronds alone are normal. The … Read more >>
Ferns live in damp places because water runs almost every part of their lives. Their sperm has to swim through a film of water to reach an egg, their thin fronds lose moisture fast, and their shallow roots dry out quickly. A cool, shady, humid spot keeps all of those weak points covered. That’s why … Read more >>
Healthy, leafy plants growing in bright light make the most oxygen indoors. If you want the best indoor plants for oxygen, I’d pick a large areca palm or a full pothos in a bright window, because more leaf area in good light means more photosynthesis. Even so, no houseplant will measurably raise the oxygen level … Read more >>
Hanging baskets are one of the easiest ways to add color to a porch, but they are also some of the thirstiest plants you will ever grow. If you have ever wondered how often should you water hanging plants, the short answer is more often than anything else in your yard. In summer, that usually … Read more >>
You braid a money tree by weaving three to five young, green trunks loosely together, then holding the top with a soft tie while the stems harden into shape. To braid a money tree, start with stems under about 1/2 inch thick, cross them gently like a hair braid, leave a little space between them, … Read more >>
You’ve probably seen lists of plants that release oxygen at night, promising better sleep and fresher bedroom air. It’s a lovely idea. Unfortunately, the plant science doesn’t back it up. In this guide, I’ll explain what really happens inside a plant after dark, which plants have a clever nighttime trick, and how much any of … Read more >>
Philodendrons are some of the easiest houseplants to keep happy. But winter changes the rules. Shorter days, cooler rooms, and dry furnace air all shift how much water your plant actually needs. If you want to water philodendron in winter the right way, the goal is simple: give less, check more, and pay attention to … Read more >>
A money plant and a money tree are two different plants. In the US, “money tree” almost always means Pachira aquatica, an upright tree with a braided trunk and leaves shaped like an open hand. “Money plant” most often means golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum), a trailing vine with heart-shaped leaves. The mix-up causes trouble because … Read more >>