| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| Repottig mistake | 11/10/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I just repotted my cactus (it is a flowering one; bright pink in November) but the pot is three ...
A: Sheilagh, You would be best off to go buy another cactus or 2 and move the one to one side of the ...
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| Rose problems | 11/9/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have had a potted miniature rose in my window. The tips of the leaves have been turning brown, but ...
A: Mackenzie, A rose is a very touchy plant to try to grow indoors. It needs at least a 10 degree ...
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| False Aralia | 11/8/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I planted a seed given to my about 10 months ago (outside on patio in Tampa, FL) and the attached ...
A: Douglas, It is not a bamboo, it is a "False Aralia" or Aralia elegantissima/Dizygortheca ...
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| Root Rot in Desert Rose. | 11/8/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I just acquired an adenium from a friend. It was planted in her patio in the ground by the beach. It ...
A: Wanda, Yes, but if there is no sand in the soil I would put some sand on top of the soil and as you ...
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| Calathea Second Chance Plant | 11/8/2009 | Tracy |
Q: I have a Calathea Second Chance Plant that was growing beautifully this summer. It would spread out ...
A: It is not unusual for Marantas (Calatheas are members of the Maranta family which also includes ...
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| Overgrown umbrella plant | 11/7/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I live in the south of England, UK and I have 11-12 foot ceilings. My umbrella plant reached the top ...
A: Suzanne, New branches will come out of buds at the base of a leaf stem and the can come out ...
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| Sad Purple Passion | 11/7/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: My mother's purple passion had been doing well, then a couple of leaves turned brown and fell off. ...
A: Robin, You said she was watering like she was told to, how was she told to water it? It should be ...
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| worms? | 11/6/2009 | Tracy |
Q: I've brought some outdoor annuals inside, and I think they brought the pest in with them. They are ...
A: I am not sure exactly what type of insect you are having a problem with. None of the signs you ...
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| papyrus plant | 11/6/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: A renter neighbor moved leaving an outdoor papyrus plant. The unit remained vacant and the plant ...
A: Phyllis, It is a plant that needs sun. Do you have a friend that you might want to give it to who ...
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| Root Rot in Desert Rose. | 11/6/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I just acquired an adenium from a friend. It was planted in her patio in the ground by the beach. It ...
A: Wanda, If the caudex is white it sounds like it is fine, however the cut may be a problem. That ...
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| Overgrown umbrella plant | 11/5/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I live in the south of England, UK and I have 11-12 foot ceilings. My umbrella plant reached the top ...
A: Suzanne, You didn't say whether it has leaves growing all the way up the trunk or any side ...
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| How to trim a potted palm tree | 11/5/2009 | Tracy |
Q: I have two large palm trees in pots and have to bring them indoors for the winter. can I trim them ...
A: You can prune off or cut back individual palm fronds down on the body of a palm, but you cannot ...
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| Mass Cane | 11/5/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I live in S W Florida, but grew up in the midwest. Many of the outdoor landscape plants here were my ...
A: Linda, Try to figure out which end of each cane goes down and get a pot of soil then dip the ...
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| house plant | 11/4/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I was given a house plant as a gift about a month ago but don't know how to care for it. It looks ...
A: Anna, I am sorry, you will have to send me a picture for me to identify it for certain. I think it ...
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| Croton | 11/4/2009 | Tracy |
Q: Bought a Croton plant in the fall, replanted it and brought it in when it got cold. Now have it in ...
A: Moderate to high intensity sunlight is what a croton plant requires. Inside in the summer time the ...
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| Money Tree pruning | 11/3/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I had an accident with my money tree and all of the branches have broken off the trunk. :-( It is ...
A: Gracie, A money tree is a Tree just like a Maple tree or an oak tree. I would keep the trunk in a ...
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| minimum temps for houseplants | 11/3/2009 | Tracy |
Q: we recently had our screened in porch enclosed so it's going to remain dry for the winter. on a ...
A: Scheffleras are somewhat sensitive to temperature and humidity. They are native to regions that are ...
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| brown spots on aloe plant | 11/3/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: My aloe has small brown spots on two of its outside leaves. I think it may have bugs (I saw a small ...
A: Katherine, The brown spots on your aloe plant are most likely a sucking insect called scale that ...
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| minimum temps for houseplants | 11/3/2009 | Tracy |
Q: we recently had our screened in porch enclosed so it's going to remain dry for the winter. on a ...
A: Pothos are comfortable in the same temperature range indoors as most people are. Just like us, they ...
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| Ornamental orange tree | 11/2/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: Help! I live in Massachusetts. I have an ornamental orange tree which is, truly, about 50 years ...
A: Arleen, The mold is most likely due to being too wet and because we have had a very wet year there ...
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| ponytail palm | 11/2/2009 | Tracy |
Q: I had a branch that broke off of my plant and i put it in water to root. It has great roots but i ...
A: If the branch rooted well then it should become a plant just like the one it came from. However ...
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| Basil Plant | 11/1/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: A few months ago, I had a friend give me one Indian Basil Plant (Ocimum sanctum) and it had numerous ...
A: Kritka, You should keep the house much above 70 degrees because too hot can kill them also. The ...
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| Chinese Evergreens | 11/1/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: Mine is several years old and has been in the same pot (smallish). It is healthy, loves the spot ...
A: Linda, Earlier today someone sent me a picture of the largest Chinese Evergreen I have ever seen. ...
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| Scale treatment | 11/1/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I believe the big aglaonema I have at home has gotten scale (very sticky). I bought "Ced-O-Flora" to ...
A: Angela, The instructions from Logee's website for Ced-o-flora are as follows: Directions for Use: ...
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| sap on my umbrella plant | 11/1/2009 | Tracy |
Q: I have a beautiful big umbrella houseplant. recently It appears to have sap all over it. So much ...
A: The sticky stuff you are finding on the leaves and your floor is not sap, it is called 'Honeydew'. ...
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| Basil Plant | 10/31/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: A few months ago, I had a friend give me one Indian Basil Plant (Ocimum sanctum) and it had numerous ...
A: Kritka, Your spindly little plant is in way too large a pot. It should be in a pot no larger around ...
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| I think my plant has chicken pox! | 10/30/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: Do you know what these things are that suddenly appeared on my plant stems?
A: Linda, I can't tell exactly what your plant is but the "things" are an insect called scale. Under ...
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| plam tree | 10/30/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: My tree leaves are turning brown and dry. New growth is coming in from the bottom of the pot but the ...
A: Billy, You need to kind out exactly what type of palm it is and what it's needs are and care for it ...
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| Dracaena cane | 10/29/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I recently cut down my 10-year old dracaena (itself a cutting from a much older plant). About a ...
A: Debbie, Because this has been such a wet year there is a lot os mold and fungus spores in the air ...
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| christmas cactus & atomic grow | 10/29/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a old christmas cactus - it was my mom's - it always bloomed prolificaly (sp) but mom has ...
A: J. A., You have over or under watered it. During the summer and before blooming you should give it ...
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| Peace Lily | 10/28/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: Why would the leaves on my Peace Lily curl downwards and it will not bloom either
A: Cheryl, The leaves are turning down either because you are keeping it too wet or too dry. Feel the ...
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| Philodendron | 10/28/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I am researching my philodendron after a science experiment. I re-potted my plant in gravel instead ...
A: Hannah, I am surprised that it did not do just fine. It actually gets as much from the sun and ...
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| Mass Cane? | 10/26/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I was gifted with a plant that I believe is a mass cane. One of the stalks just recently lost all ...
A: Cindy, First I would check to see if this cane is well rooted. If it pulls out of the soil easily ...
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| Ficus Benjamina | 10/25/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have 2 ficus benjamina - 1 has been in my house for the past 8 years and is ~10feet tall and I ...
A: Muna, I beleive that you are probably right and your hard yellow clusters are fungal growths. If ...
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| House Plant Identification | 10/23/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: The tall houseplant in the picture is the one I am concerned about. First, what is it? Second, it ...
A: Todd, Your plant is a dieffenbachia. The trunk is tall and flimsy because the plant did not have ...
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| Houseplant Lighting | 10/22/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I don't have many areas in my townhouse where plants can get a good amount of sunlight. I want to ...
A: Scott, The compact flourescents would provide the best light and since they need to be on for 14 ...
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| type of house plants that need none or mininal sun | 10/21/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I live in Minnesota in a townhome that only has sunlight on one side of the house for only a few ...
A: Kate. The only way you can grow houseplants in that location would be if you use flourescent ...
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| ???sugarcane plant | 10/20/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: i'm not sure if i'm pronouncing the name of my plant correctly, but my question is how do you take ...
A: Dominique, I cannot be sure what plant your are talking about. The sugarcane plant is not a ...
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| sensitive plan prunning | 10/19/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: do you have any video on trimming a sensitive plant.
A: Carol, No, I am a volunteer Master Gardener. I am not a professional horticulturalist. It is my ...
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| 3-Season Room Plants | 10/18/2009 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a 3 season room addition on my house. I live in Westchester, NY. I wanted to put some nice, ...
A: Carolyn, No tropical house plant will survive if the temperature drops in the the low 40's. Plants ...
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