Concerned About Cloning
Dear Ivy,
I’m learning about plants and love the Pothos plant. My question is this: I looked up your blog saw how to clone a Pothos so I did it. It’s not dying, but it’s not growing the roots yet out of the nodes and do I have to wait until Spring or Summer to do [...]
Fail :(
I swear I was going to bring it in… soon.
I just needed some time!
Oh, the carnage…
This is what happens when you leave your tropical house plants outside, and the weather turns. I had started bringing other plants in, in preparation for Winter. I supposed the Pothos would be sturdy enough to deal with the initial [...]
Reader Mail
Dear Ivy,
What would happen if you put a plant in an airtight container?
-Curious Carey
Dear Carey,
Here’s the short answer… It’ll die.
I’ve seen those enclosed containers that you can order from catalogs that say “TOTALLY ENCLOSED CONTAINER!!” “NO CARE NECESSARY!!” And I’m here to tell you that they are… well, they’re a crock, to be honest…
You see, [...]
Plants in any place
Recently I was talking to a friend. She lamented that she wanted houseplants, but didn’t have anywhere to put them. She thought she would have to wait until she moved to a new home.
Never say never! I excitedly told her she could create a good environment for a plant anywhere in her home where she [...]
One of My Favorite Places, Part 2
The weather here has been rainy and drab for ohh, about two months now. This has really pushed back the timing of planting my garden. Normally around this time of year, my tropical indoor plants would have been out enjoying the sun for a few weeks, but the rain has kept temperatures low, so they [...]
Phalaenopsis Orchid Bloom!
My orchid recently came into bloom! I’m super excited about this because it’s my first really successful orchid. (I admittedly have a little eensy weensy problem with over watering them…) The best thing i can say about orchids is “Set it and Forget it”. Basically, you have to go through your home and find a [...]
Nasty Cats
Dear Ivy,
I have a five gallon tank I set up last spring for fly traps I had some nasty cats and they peed in the tank! Is it ok to put fly traps in it? And is there any way to clean the dirt? I could keep putting clean water in it to clean it [...]
Re-Potting a Cast Iron Plant
Dear Ivy,
How do I re-pot a Zanzibar Gem?
-Putting New Roots Down
Dear Roots,
Easily! You can treat the ZZ like you would most any plant when re-potting, with just a few things tailored specifically to this species. Find a pot that’s a bit bigger than the one your plant is currently taking residence in. Make sure it [...]
Night Stalks
Dear Ivy,
Is bringing potted plants into our bedroom during the evening a healthful practice?
-Winkin, Blinkin and Sod
Dear Winkin, et all…
Here is a short lesson in botany…
When plants are exposed to sunlight during the day, they use their energy for photosynthesis. This creates oxygen as a by-product. During the evening, when there is no sunlight, and [...]
Mail Call!
Dear Ivy,
I have Over watered my bromeliad, What can I do? The leaves are turning brown on the ends and Have spots on them. Please help I love this plant!
-Brown Betty
Dear Betty!
Cease and desist! Bromeliads evoke images of steamy jungles and high rainfall, so most people feel the strong urge to water them constantly. In [...]