Care and How-To - Houseplants and Indoor Gardening
-
Nearly every sentiment can be expressed by flowers. Amaryllis—Pride, pastoral poetry; Anemone—Forsaken; Aster—Symbol of love, daintiness...
-
Reusing plastic, clay, and other containers is a great way to save money and reduce the amount of plastic waste that goes into landfill. Plastic containers cannot be recycled in traditional single-stream home recycling programs and, unfortunately, programs to collect and recycle plastic pots are not common.
Proper cleaning and disinfecting of pots requires just a minimum amount of effort, yet can mean the difference between the success or failure of containerized plants, plus it allows you to reuse containers and reduce plastic waste. Follow the steps below to clean and disinfect used containers.
-
Succulents generally make good indoor plants because they require little care. They are grown for their attractive leaves, stems, growth habit, and/or flowers. The many different colors, shapes, and sizes of succulents and the fact that many are small in size make them highly collectible.
-
Discover how to grow and care for amaryllis bulbs, from potting and forcing to after-bloom care. Learn about various types, colors, and cultivation tips!
-
Some plants in the landscape need a little extra protection to make it through the winter months. Here is what you need to know to successfully overwinter plants in Iowa.
-
Looking to buy a houseplant? Try starting with some of these easy-to-care-for, low-maintenance indoor plants.
-
Light is crucial for plant growth. Key factors include quality, intensity, and duration. These three factors are used to determine the light requirement needed for best growth, called the daily light integral (DLI). Learn more about the important factors that need to be considered and how to calculate the DLI below.
-
Growing houseplants is a rewarding and popular hobby.
-
Alternatives to cuttings are air and simple layering. Discover air layering and simple layering methods, timing, rooting hormone use, and suitable plant species.
-
Air plants grow and reproduce without any soil. The watering method and frequency for air plants looks much different than the typical houseplant.
-
Bulb forcing can bring the bright colors and fragrances of spring indoors during winter. Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, and other spring flowering bulbs can be started indoors in September for forcing from December through March. Learn how to force bulbs indoors below.
-
Stem cuttings are produced using the tip or section of a stem with leaves and buds on it to produce a new plant. New roots form from buds on the lower portion of the stem. Stem cuttings work well for species such as dracaena, weeping fig, English ivy, philodendron, and dumb cane, among other plants.
Learn about how to propagate houseplants by cuttings below.
-
Like many seasonal houseplants, shamrocks appear in floral shops, garden centers and other retailers for a short time. While many seasonal plants are discarded after flowering, shamrocks can be long-lived houseplants with proper care.
-
Light is important for plant growth. Without it, there is no photosynthesis, and plants cannot grow and thrive. Light is often the most limiting growth factor when growing houseplants, starting seeds, or nurturing any plant indoors. Because of this, many houseplants benefit from supplemental lighting.
Below is a complete guide to providing supplemental light for houseplants, seedlings, and other indoor plants.
-
The orchid family (Orchidaceae) is one of the largest plant families on earth with more than 28,000 known species. Orchids can be found on every continent except Antarctica, but it’s the tropical regions of the world that grow the most diverse number of species. They are noted for their uniquely shaped, colorful, and often fragrant flowers.
-
Philodendrons are easy-to-grow, attractive houseplants. They come in climbing and non-climbing types, need indirect light, and prefer evenly moist soil. Learn about care, propagation, and different types.
-
Propagation is the creation or growing of new plants. When houseplants get large or more plants are desired, many can be easily propagated. Many species are propagated at home utilizing techniques like cuttings, division, and layering.
Step-by-step instructions on many of the different forms of propagation that can be used on houseplants are outlined below.
-
Holiday cacti (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter) are easy-to-grow, long-lived plants that thrive with minimal care. Learn about the best growing conditions, how to care for them, dealing with potential problems, and how to get them to rebloom each year.
-
Discover how to care for succulents and prevent common issues like overwatering, insufficient light, and pests. Early detection ensures healthy growth!
-
Light is crucial for plant growth. There are many sources of supplemental light that can be used to grow plants including LED and fluorescent, among others. Learn about the different sources of supplemental light and compare them to determine the best type of light fixture for you.