Check out all our blog posts on Indoor gardening.
Every June I hang four baskets of calibrachoa and trailing petunias off the front porch rail, and every June, right around the Fourth of July, at least one of them starts going pale. First the inner leaves fade to a soft lime green. Then the lower ones turn straw-yellow and drop onto the porch boards. Meanwhile, the basket hanging … Read more >>
A hanging basket can look fantastic in May, then suddenly turn into a thin, tangled mop by mid-July. I have had this happen on my own back porch, especially with petunias and calibrachoa that started the season full enough to hide the basket rim. When hanging baskets go leggy, they usually stretch toward light, outgrow … Read more >>
A bag of cactus mix looks tempting when you are repotting a houseplant. It feels clean, drains fast, and may be the only unopened soil bag in the garage. I have faced that exact situation while repotting a droopy Dieffenbachia on a bright, covered patio in my Zone 7 backyard. So, can you use cactus … Read more >>
A jade plant usually asks for very little: bright light, a thorough drink now and then, and plenty of time to dry out. That is why it feels so discouraging to spot tiny green, black, or gray insects packed around tender new leaves. I have found them most often on a jade plant that spent … Read more >>
Indoor plants add beauty and better air quality to our homes. They really need the right care to thrive, and proper fertilization is a big part of that. Fertilizers supply nutrients that potting soil alone might lack. Most indoor plants live in containers with limited soil, so they need extra nutrients to stay healthy. Regular … Read more >>
Indoor plants add life and beauty to any home, but let’s be honest—not everyone has rooms filled with sunlight. Tall indoor plants that thrive in low light conditions are perfect for brightening up dark corners, hallways, or spaces with limited natural light. These plants can make a bold statement and purify the air while needing … Read more >>
A Dieffenbachia can look perfectly happy on Monday, then suddenly appear dusty, faded, and tired by Friday. I have seen it happen most often during winter, when a big dumb cane sits near a warm vent in a dry living room. The leaves lose their shine, tiny pale dots spread across the surface, and fine … Read more >>
You walk past your Dieffenbachia in the morning and notice clear droplets hanging from the leaf tips. At first glance, it looks as if someone misted the plant overnight—or as if the plant is crying on your kitchen counter. I have seen this happen most often after a thorough watering, especially when a big dumb … Read more >>
A plant that looked almost unchanged last Monday can suddenly tower over its neighbors by Friday. I see it every summer in my backyard vegetable patch, especially when the cucumbers hit warm weather, and the tomatoes finally settle into their raised bed. But growth is rarely steady. A basil plant may add an inch in … Read more >>
A mature Podocarpus hedge can get expensive fast, especially when you need several plants to fill a bare fence line. I learned that after planting a small backyard privacy screen and realizing I wanted another dozen plants to match the ones already growing. The good news is that Podocarpus roots reliably from stem cuttings when … Read more >>
