Plant Care Tips

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Plant Care Tips

Since our green & blooming plants are so popular with our customers, we frequently receive questions with regard to their care. Below is a list of some of our most popular green & blooming plants & some care tips for each. If you don't see your plant variety listed here or you have additional questions, please email us at [email protected] or phone us at 800.253.0100.

African Violet

African violets are lovely plants, which may bloom anytime. They prefer bright indirect sunlight & grow well under fluorescent light. Cut off the flowers after they die & provide good ventilation. Keep the soil evenly moist at all times & feed monthly spring through fall with a nitrogen-free fertilizer.

Areca Palm

Areca Palms grow well indoors in bright indirect sunlight & may be placed outdoors for the summer in filtered light. Keep the plant away from drafts & ensure that it has good drainage. Never let the plant sit in water. Mist the fronds occasionally with warm water & feed monthly.

Azalea

Azalea plants produce beautiful blooms February through May. They require specific care, such as good rich potting soil & full sunlight. Azaleas should be fed every two weeks during the growing season. Remove all dead flowers & keep the soil on the wet side.

Boston Fern

The Boston Fern is the ideal hanging basket plant. It requires a little extra care in that it likes good, rich potting soil & should be misted frequently with warm water. Boston ferns grow well in bright indirect sunlight. Keep the soil barely moist & feed weekly.

Bromeliad

Bromeliads are beautiful, exotic plants requiring some extra care & attention. Bromeliads grow best indoors in bright indirect sunlight. Use good rich potting soil, keep the soil evenly moist & feed about every eight months. Bromeliads bloom April through June.

Christmas Cactus

The Christmas Cactus blooms October through March. Keep the plant cool in winter & be careful not to over-water. Christmas cacti need twelve hours of darkness to encourage blooms in the fall. Use a general purpose cactus mix soil & feed every two weeks spring through fall.

Croton

Croton plants require full sunlight & should be pinched back occasionally for good shape. Croton plants are poisonous & should not be kept around children. Keep the soil barely moist & feed every two weeks when young. Fertilize weekly after maturity.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen have beautiful dark green foliage & flower December through May. Cyclamen are dormant for the summer & should be repotted in late summer & kept cool. Stop watering in late spring & resume watering in late summer. Feed every two weeks while in growth. Bright indirect sunlight & evenly moist soil is best. Cyclamen are poisonous & should not be kept around children.

Diefenbachia

Diefenbachias are easy care plants with large leaves, making it an effective remover of indoor air pollutants. Diefenbachias are poisonous if ingested. Do not keep around children. Place this plant in bright indirect sunlight & let its soil become moderately dry between waterings.

Dracaena

Dracaena plants are easy to grow indoors in bright indirect sunlight. Good general purpose potting soil is fine & should be kept evenly moist. Leaf tips may turn brown if the plant is under-watered. Feed every two weeks.

Gardenia

Gardenias are wonderfully fragrant blooming plants, but generally require a little extra care & attention. Gardenias grow best inside the house with bright indirect sunlight. The plant requires good rich potting soil, kept evenly moist at all times. Mist the plant frequently with warm water, feed every two weeks & prune in early spring. Gardenias flower June through August.

Gerbera

Gerbera plants produce beautiful blooms July through September & will grow for anybody. They prefer full sunlight. Be careful the crown of the plant is above the soil & provide good drainage. Allow the soil to become moderately dry between waterings & feed every two weeks during growth periods.

Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are gorgeous blooming shrubs with showy color June through December. They require full sunlight & good, rich potting soil kept evenly moist. Prune the plant way back in early spring & feed every two weeks during growth with fertilizer suitable for acid loving plants.

Ivy

Ivy plants are easy care leafy green plants perfect for hanging baskets. Ivy grows well in bright indirect sunlight. Keep the soil evenly moist, mist occasionally with warm water & feed every two weeks during growth periods.

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe are succulents & bloom January through July. Kalanchoe grow best indoors in full sunlight. Use good general purpose potting soil with a little added sand. Avoid getting water on the leaves, be careful not to over-water & feed only twice a year, once in April and once in July.

Norfolk Island Pine

Norfolk Island Pines require a little extra care & attention. Bright indirect sunlight is best & over-watering must be avoided. Turn the plant occasionally to keep it symmetrical. If possible put the pine outside during the summer in bright light. Feed every two weeks & do not fertilize in the winter.

Orchid

Orchids are exquisite blooming plants, requiring just a little extra care. Orchids grow well in bright indirect sunlight & may produce flowers at anytime. Avoid cold drafts. Most orchids have sphagnum moss potting mix & should be kept evenly moist. Be careful not to over-water. Feed every two weeks during the spring & summer with orchid fertilizer.

Peace Lily

Peace lilies are beautiful large-leafed plants, which produce white blooms April through October. They require full sunlight & should be placed away from drafts. When watering, drench the soil & allow it to become moderately dry between waterings. Feed every two weeks during the summer months only.

Philodendron

Philodendrons are easy care plants, which grow best indoors in bright indirect sunlight. This plant is a climber if given proper support. Philodendrons are poisonous if ingested. Do not keep around children. Keep this plant's soil barely moist & feed it every two weeks when in growth.

Pothos

Pothos are easy care climbing green plants. Pothos do well indoors in bright indirect sunlight, but will grow in rooms with less light as well. Keep this plant's soil evenly moist & supply good drainage. Pothos is a good climber, if given proper support. Otherwise, pinch back to maintain its shape. Fertilize every two weeks.

Sansevieria

Sansevieria is a succulent plant requiring bright indirect sunlight & good, rich potting soil. Be careful not to over-water & keep the soil barely moist. Feed once a month except during the winter.

Schefflera

Schefflera are beautiful, easy care leafy green plants. They grow well indoors in full sunlight. When watering, drench the soil & allow it to become moderately dry between waterings. Feed monthly spring through summer.

Senecio

Senecio is a succulent plant & flowers January through July. It grows well in bright indirect sunlight. The plant is poisonous & should be kept away from children. Avoid drafts, drench the soil when watering & let it become barely moist between waterings. Feed twice a year, once in April & once in July.

Succulents

Succulents love bright indirect light, but do not thrive in direct sunlight. Remember to water generously when the soil feels dry to the touch. Provide good drainage for the water and do not allow the plant to stand in water. You can also fertilize with a green plant fertilizer following the manufacturer's directions to have the happiest plants possible!

Syngonium

Syngonium is an easy care plant & is a good climber if given support. Pinch the plant back occasionally & keep the soil barely moist. Bright indirect sunlight is best. Feed every two months when in growth.