Houseplants – Garden Bite: Recent Episodes
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Click on the link below to listen to today’s Garden Bite: Debunking NASA study on air-cleaning plants
Over 30 years ago, in 1989, NASA scientist Bill Wolverton claimed that household plants could provide a “promising” solution to indoor air pollution.
Decades later that report is doused with cold water. And for the record, not from me but from those WELL above my pay grade! Including the American Lung Association. In part they said that This NASA study showed that plants did clean the air in a closed, limited environment or … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Is Shamrock a real plant?
“Top of the mornin’ to ya!” and Happy St. Patty’s Day! I may be slightly Irish but I am all American, as those phrases really are! But it IS St. Patrick’s day and that makes me think of Shamrocks and all things green.
It was the Celtic druids who started the shamrock on its path to Irish glory! They believed the number 3 to be a perfect number and, as such, to have … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Air plants trend for 2023
Last week I talked about the latest popular plants including Strings of plants and succulents and cacti, so great for the office.
Air Plants have been trending for a while and remain very popular in 2023. Their Latin name is Tillandsia and they are native to South and Central America with about 500 species!
Do they really grow with no soil? Yes, they are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants, usually tree … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Succulents vs Cacti
Yesterday I talked about the popularity of the succulent, Strings of plants. Cactus are also very popular as they are excellent home or office plants.
What’s the difference between a succulent and a cactus? There is a saying, “all cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti”. Cacti are simply a subcategory within a group of plants, which are known collectively as succulents. I’ll explain… I checked out an article from Planetdesert for a … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Strings of plants
In the world of succulents, strings of them have gained significant popularity both among plant aficionados and home decorators!
I just saw a String of Bananas. I have to admit, they look like tiny green bananas, full and hanging down. So what ARE they?
String Plants are adorable smallish plants that grow very well in hanging baskets or in a container on a pedestal or sitting on a shelf where they can trail down. They’re … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Lighting for plants
Yesterday I talked a little about the light spectrum for houseplants. If you’re trying to get a houseplant to flower, ideally you’ll give it the full spectrum of light.
While you can achieve that with a combination of warm/soft bulbs and the cool/white bulbs you may consider LED lights.
According to a 2016 study, NASA scientists, found that LED lights provide the best source of lighting for plants cultivated indoors. Better for plants, better for … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: How to kill a houseplant
Why would I tell you how to kill a houseplant? I’m supposed to love plants… I tell you so you don’t… kill them!
This time of year I get a lot of questions about houseplants. Why are the leaves brown, yellow or limp? Why is my plant crunchy? I’ve decided to share with you a list of the 5 easiest ways to kill a houseplant!
Number 1: poor light. Either too little, too … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Giving your leaves a bath
I’ve talked about this topic before but it does bear repeating, especially in winter. Our leaves get really dusty over time. That layer of “gunk”, be it dust or even airborne grease from cooking, creates a layer that inhibits plants from doing what we want them to do. Especially in Winter. Clear the air.
Periodically cleaning the leaves of your houseplants is actually less work than letting it go until a year down … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Bottom watering houseplants
Watering is always an issue with houseplants.
The vast majority of people overwater their plants. It’s our first reaction if a plant doesn’t look like we think it should. Oh, give it more water. More times that not, that isn’t the problem. Stick your finger into the soil about first knuckle deep. If it’s dry consider watering. But first check to see that is what the plant requires. Some, such as holiday cactus can go … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Mesmerizing caladiums
I was perusing topics for today when I came across a caladium that screams Christmas! Since this IS Christmas week, I really wanted to share it. Heart to Heart “Mesmerized’ by Proven Winners is SO festive with various shades of greens and reds along with splashes of white in each leaf. This is definitely your Thriller in a container, growing to about 20 inches tall with a 14 inch spread.
Another Christmasy caladium is called ‘Fiesta’ … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: National Poinsettia Day and the Legend
The quintessential plant of the holiday season is due in part to Joel Roberts Poinsett who was the first U.S. diplomat to Mexico.
He took a fancy to the plant in 1828 and sent samples back home. Euphorbia pulcherrima was used by the Aztecs for dyes and medicines.
Spanish Catholicism made the connection to Christmas due to the leaves that were said to be shaped like the Star of Bethlehem and the … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Striking houseplant choices
Since we’re mostly indoors now, our houseplants serve as our “nature respite” in the warmth of our homes! We all have or have had spider plants, mother-in-law tongues, philodendron and the like. How about adding a little bite, with the striking foliage of the Rattlesnake Plant also known as Calathea lancifolia.
It’s leaves are various shades of green with wavy edges and a reddish-purple underside. The leaves alone can grow to 30 inches in … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: 2023 bulb of the year – Amaryllis
Each year the National Garden Bureau selects a bulb, annual, vegetable, perennial, shrub and houseplant of the year. For 2023 they’ve selected the Amaryllis as bulb of the Year. The focus is on the Hippeastrum plants.
Amaryllis is a bulb native to South Africa. I talked about amaryllis a couple of weeks ago and shared some new offerings, check out them out here.
Today I’m sharing some of the … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Norfolk Pine – the tropical Christmas tree
I’ve talked about evergreens and fresh Christmas trees so far this week, how about a Tropical Tree!
Perfect for small places, in fact I had one in my own home a couple of years ago, this little darling fits well in apartments or any space you have light. It’s the Norfolk Pine.
I know many of you have seen this houseplant but maybe don’t know where it actually comes from … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: What holiday is your cactus blooming in?
I hate to disappoint you but your “Christmas” cactus is not an overachiever…
I changed my cover photo on my personal Facebook page and got a lot of comments so I thought it was time to revisit this subject.
Every year people are mixed up on what kind of flowering cactus they have. If yours is blooming now, like mine is, it’s a Thanksgiving cactus. It’s not just because that’s the … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Amaryllis – the Art & Soul of winter
Amaryllis, the “art and soul of winter”. I just came across that line from a company out of Connecticut and thought it was pretty appropriate!
Amaryllis bulbs are usually in garden centers in early October and online even earlier. Some varieties are already sold out, but there’s still time!
Amaryllis are synonymous with the holidays as we watch their growth and those incredible blooms! Bulbs take 4 to 6 weeks … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Moving indoors and thinking houseplants
Winter approaches as daylight savings time just ended Sunday. So we get dark an hour earlier. To me that just means I have one less hour of getting things done since it feels like it’s time to go to bed an hour earlier also! It also means that many of us are putting more focus on our indoor plants.
Greenery during winter is proven to lift spirits. And that’s not all, studies have … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The Jade plant
A friend of mine is moving and had a jade plant he couldn’t take with him, so he gave it to me! Thanks, Earl.
Having always wanted one, I was eager to learn more about caring for it.
Jade plants, also known as Lucky plant, are succulents. They prefer about 4 hours of sunlight, that means a south facing window. The afternoon sun of a west window may burn them.
Plant Jade in well-draining soil, … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Oxalis – the Good Luck plant
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
While you’re likely seeing green “shamrocks” everywhere, what exactly is a shamrock? It’s a kind of slurred pronunciation of the Irish word seamrog, meaning little clover. It’s really White Clover also known as trifolium reepens. A 3 leafed plant that WAS thought of as a weed but is now a great lawn replacement!
It’s also related to oxalis, also called shamrock. The leaves are very similar but … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Soil vs soil-less mixes
Yesterday we talked about repotting your pot-bound plants and I mentioned soil. There are so many types of soils and soil-less mixtures on the market, which do you choose?
Let’s first talk about the functions of soil or potting media:
- The first function of a potting media is to anchor the roots.
- The next is to feed the plant, provide it with minerals and nutrients.
- And finally, to allow air to reach the roots.
… [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Repotting houseplants
I just recently had to cull 2 houseplants. They were each at least 15 years old and I hadn’t “done” anything to them.
It was well past time and I went after them. A philodendron and spider plant.
My step stool is JUST tall enough for me to get these hanging plants down. The philo was rootbound and droopy, the spider plant just sagged.
I don’t have pics of the absolute mess I made, but … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Orchid (Phalaenopsis aka Phal) care
Orchids! Phalaenopsis orchids, specifically, are the most popular indoor houseplant gift.
Catching your eye in the produce aisle of the grocery store or in local garden centers, they can often be an impulse buy.
The good news is they are relatively easy care. Light and watering, however, are always an issue with houseplants. The American Orchid Society recommends using a pencil or wooden skewer to determine whether an orchids needs to be watered. … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Air plants
Air plants have become a fun, trendy plant. Their Latin name is Tillandsia and they are native to South and Central America with about 500 species!
Do they really grow with no soil? Yes, they are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants, usually tree branches but they’re not a parasite. They’re a cousin of bromeliad.
They take in nutrients through their leaves from the air and occasional rainfall. They have tiny hair-like parts on their … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Peperomia plants
Oh peperomia how I love your vast foliage options. I recently treated myself to a new plant and sassy pot.
‘Watermelon’ peperomia argyreia, is a sweet little beauty. The leaves are green and silver while the stems are red!
Peperomia like bright, indirect light, a bit of warmth and humidity in our cold climate homes but not too much water. They are tropical plants, native to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. You can see from … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Clean your plants, clear the air – vice versa
Uh, you might want to give that plant a bath. I’m not saying that there’s an odor, but… no, seriously, that crusty layer of dust and, maybe cooking residue, diminishes the plant’s ability to clear your air! Which I talked about last week!
I wiped down my snake plant yesterday!
Periodically cleaning the leaves of your houseplants is actually less work than letting it go until a year … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Clearing the Air
Many of us are still sticking close to home and filling our homes with houseplants. There are many reasons, certainly one is to brighten the mood, the other is to CLEAR the AIR!
Decades ago NASA proved plants could remove volatile chemicals from the air including formaldehyde which is found in, or used to produce, a multitude of everyday products, from fabrics and furniture to tobacco smoke and gas stoves.
Skip to page 9 and … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Identifying holiday cacti
Let’s just clear it up! Identifying Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter cacti!
Every year there’s a lot of social media chatter about those holiday cacti. Is it a Thanksgiving cactus, a Christmas cactus, an Easter flowering cactus? Their common names suggest their bloom time!
The main thing we can all agree on is how lovely they are and it gets even better. Some of these plants have lived over 100 years! Can you imagine how many … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: The story of the Poinsettia – Flowers of the Holy Night
Every year at this time I share the legend of the Poinsettia as we celebrate National Poinsettia Day in the U.S. on December 12th. This year, that’s on Sunday.
The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a native of Mexico, where it grows like a weed and can reach 10 feet tall.
Mexican legend holds that the leaves, shaped like the star of Bethlehem, first bloomed red for a … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Norfolk Pine – a tropical Christmas tree
For those who have smaller homes or just don’t want the fuss of a big Christmas tree, check out the Norfolk Pine.
This houseplant, that’s in many nurseries right now, is not a pine at all! Native to Norfolk Island, a small island between New Zealand and New Caledonia, it can grow to nearly 200 ft.!
Here, in our northern climes, the Norfolk Pine has been a houseplant for decades. … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show; Bringing houseplants back in the house
Your houseplants that spend the growing season outdoors should be inside by now or they’re likely toast. My area south of Mpls/St. Paul had just a smidgen of snow but Up North, you guys had a bit more!
Hopefully you brought them indoors and checked for “travelers” such as plant debris and bugs. Use a loop or magnifying glass with a light to check under the leaves.
If you find webbing, egg … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Amaryllis bulbs
Where I work, the amaryllis bulbs have been out for a while, and there’s a NEW type I’d never seen before. It’s covered in decorative wax with no watering necessary. PS, those waxed bulbs do not rebloom.
Amaryllis are synonymous with the holidays as we watch their growth and those incredible blooms!
Bulbs take 4 to 6 weeks from planting to bloom, depending on how much sun and warmth they get in their location, writes Eric … [Continue reading]