About.com Houseplants

Quick Tip: Watering

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:38 +0000

As your plants' watering needs reduce, be careful not to encourage root rot. Water thoroughly, and then empty out the trays so your plants aren't sitting in water. Remember, drainage is key for healthy plants!

Quick Tip: Watering originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 at 15:00:38.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Brrr! It's Cold Out There!

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 15:12:46 +0000

I've been watching weather reports all day and, yikes! It's cold all over, with snow piling up and subfreezing temperatures. This is when houseplants really shine--there's nothing like a bit of green to spruce up a frozen home. Just remember to follow those winter rules: don't overwater because your plants probably aren't growing much right now, and watch out for drafty windows!

Brrr! It's Cold Out There! originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Saturday, December 19th, 2009 at 15:12:46.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Your Favorite Holiday Plants

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:02:55 +0000

Your Favorite Holiday Plants originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 16:02:55.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Growing Your Own: My AeroGarden Review

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:08:13 +0000

Every so often for the past few months, I've been posting photos of lovely cherry tomatoes. I've been growing these in an AeroGarden Elite 6+ indoor hydroponics unit. These are great products for people interested in indoor gardening--they remove the mystery from hydroponics so anybody can grow herbs, flowers and even a few vegetable crops. If you want to read my full review, I've posted it under the AeroGarden Elite 6+ Review. Tune in for future reviews of growing herbs and lettuce crops.

Photo � Jon VanZile

Growing Your Own: My AeroGarden Review originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Thursday, December 10th, 2009 at 15:08:13.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Poinsettias�What Happens Next?

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:43:56 +0000

I picked up my holiday poinsettias yesterday at a local garden center. I was excited, and they look great by the front door. I was reminded, however, how brittle these plants are. Watch out! They break if you look at them wrong. But I realized something: even as I was buying the plant, I was thinking to myself, "I wonder if I can save these somehow?" It always seems like such a shame to throw away a perfectly good plant. Well, if you're already thinking the same thing, find out here how to bloom poinsettias again.

Poinsettias�What Happens Next? originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 16:43:56.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Poisonous Poinsettias?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:18:16 +0000

This is probably the most common question I get about poinsettias: "Are they dangerous to my pet or child?" Well, fortunately, researchers at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the POISINDEX have thoroughly looked into this question and the answer is ... (drumroll) ... no. Poinsettias are not dangerous, although they may be a minor skin irritant. To read more, check out Are Poinsettia's Poisonous?

Poisonous Poinsettias? originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 17:18:16.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

It's Christmastime, So that Means Poinsettias

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:08:38 +0000

So now that the Thanksgiving herb garden is safely planted, it's time to pivot to the next holiday plant: poinsettias. These are the most common houseplant in the world, a symbol of the season all over the world. Among the questions I hear are: are poinsettias poisonous? Why is mine dying? What do I do after Christmas? Stick around for the next few days and find out everything you wanted to know about these beautiful plants, beginning with basic care tips.

It's Christmastime, So that Means Poinsettias originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 22:08:38.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

A Funny Friday Thought

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:24:28 +0000

We spent much of the day cooking yesterday, and by the late afternoon, I started to wonder if my poor herbs were developing a nervous twitch every time I approached their sill with a pair of scissors ... I hope you all had a nice holiday.

A Funny Friday Thought originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 11:24:28.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Thanksgiving Herbs, Part II

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:27:04 +0000

I did a spot for my local news station recently on the Thanksgiving herbs I mentioned a post or two ago--it was rather fun, actually, and I got to talk about growing herbs on TV. Which got me thinking: if you're planting herbs this holiday season, remember to keep the root ball slightly higher than the surrounding soil. Don't mound dirt up next to the fragile stems as it might kill your herbs. And if you're anything like me, you'll want a steady supply of fresh herbs all season long ...

Thanksgiving Herbs, Part II originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 14:27:04.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Cherry Tomato Update

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:42:42 +0000

I'm nearing the finish line ... these cherry tomatoes were grown as part of my test of the AeroGarden Elite6. They sprouted on September 3, making them almost 3 months old. And these are some very healthy cherry tomatoes--it's hard to see in the picture, but they are almost the size of golf balls. Check back often for updates, and when I'm done, I'll write a full review of my experience with the AeroGarden.

Cherry Tomato Update originally appeared on About.com Houseplants on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 09:42:42.

Permalink | Comment | Email this