| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| Soil problems with houseplant | 8/29/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I am new to houseplants. I may have bitten off more than I can chew! My rubber houseplant has ...
A: Christine, Does your 4 gallon ceramic antique bucket have a drain hole in the bottom of it? If not ...
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| Strelitzia | 8/28/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have an approximate 3 year old strelitzia and it seems healthy but it has outgrown its pot. Long ...
A: Helen, There are several varieties, orange flowering ones get about 5-6 foot tall eventually, white ...
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| Plant leaves fold up at night | 8/27/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a plant in my yard this year which I have never seen before. There are 6 oblong leaves on ...
A: Bette, I answer houseplant questions. This is definitely not a houseplant. In fact I suspect that ...
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| aloe | 8/27/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: i got a aloe plant a few weeks ago and i have watered it to much i didn't know they are dry plants. ...
A: Ashley, Remove the drain tray and let it dry out as quickly as possible. Then set it in the ...
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| Thread like worms in house plant | 8/22/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I recently moved into a large home and decided to decorate my house with some house plants. I ...
A: Linda, I have no idea what the name of the worms are, they will not hurt you, and to kill them just ...
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| Care for a Cat Palm Plant | 8/22/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I purchase a Cat Palm Floor Plant about two months ago. After I repotted the plant, it started ...
A: Denise, No, you are not watering it enough and fertilising it enough and it needs very high ...
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| Bug Infested Dracaena | 8/21/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a 2ft. tall Dracaena and it has 3 main stalks. the smallest stalk of the three lost ALL of ...
A: Denver, Chances are you overwatered the plant causing tissue damage and possible root rot. Insects ...
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| mushroom Question??? | 7/27/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: In the soil of one of my plants I've just notice mushrooms growing(this is in an INDOOR plant pot). ...
A: Freddy, Is this a new plant? Was the plant recently repotted? Have you brought any nearby new ...
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| Bromeliad problem... | 7/27/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: .. I bought a bromeliad from the local nursery... It has beautiful variegated leaves so I realized ...
A: Mohsen, Bromeliads in nature do not normally grow in soil. They grow in crotches of tree branches ...
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| gynura aurantiaca | 7/26/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: Okay so i am doing a project for AP biology and using the purple passion plant(gynura aurantiaca). I ...
A: Evelyn, Most houseplants grow relatively slow even if they are described as growing fast. ...
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| orange tree | 7/26/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: After my orange tree blossomed this spring, all the pea sized developing oranges fell off. I counted ...
A: Sherry, I am offended that you rated my knowledge quite low. I told you I only raise orange trees ...
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| Umbrella Plant dropping leaves | 7/25/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have an Umbrella plant in a pot in my flat. I've had the plant for a few years now. Lately some ...
A: Elizabeth, In winter the plant should be dry before you water it again. You can insert a bamboo ...
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| Syngonium leaf curling | 7/25/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a dusky pink syngonium which I bought maybe two months ago. Since then, some of the leaves ...
A: Jayme, I haven't seen your picture so I'll go ahead and answer. There are 2 reasons for curling ...
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| watering indoor varigated shifolero or chifalero | 7/24/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: it's in an office with 2 plant lights and has been watered and sprayed almost every day and then ...
A: Nanette, How long has your office had this shefflera? Are there no windows anyplace in the office? ...
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| re-rooting a philodendron | 7/23/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: My philodendron suffered from, I think, over-watering about one month ago. So, I cut some starter ...
A: Nancy, Do not use fertilizer. If you want to use anything go to a garden center and get starter ...
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| Peace Lily | 7/23/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I was away for about 5 days and left my plant in the care of my daughter. Big mistake. I found my ...
A: Phyllis, Chances are she watered it heavily and left if sit in a drain tray full of water because ...
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| Candy Corn plant | 7/22/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I bought a candy corn plant last year and it bloomed all summer. I kept it alive all winter but had ...
A: Gloria, I have a few, is it in the same location it was in last year so it is getting the same ...
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| croton plant care | 7/21/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a croton plant I brought home from work after I retired. When I received it, the leaves were ...
A: Mary, What direction does your 10' window face and are there trees close to the windows? Do you ...
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| Transporting a 7 foot palm | 7/21/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I am able to acquire a ponytail palm that is a little over 7 feet tall. What is the best way to ...
A: Rose, It will break fairly easily so if you lay it down it must be supported fully. Totally upright ...
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| croton plant care | 7/20/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a croton plant I brought home from work after I retired. When I received it, the leaves were ...
A: Mary, Your croton is not getting enough sun. This plant is a sun worshipper and needs full sun all ...
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| Jamaican Song Plant | 7/20/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a Jamaican song plant( with me the last 10 yrs) repotted it 5 yrs ago. recently ( last month ...
A: Erin, Your Pleomele Reflexa or Song of Jamaica should love the conditions you say you are giving ...
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| Money Tree Plant | 7/19/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have had my money tree plant for a little over 5 years. We went through a hard period a few years ...
A: Gabe, You can try rooting the broken top in water, there is maybe a 10% chance that it will root. ...
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| new to dracaenas & cacti/ succulents | 7/18/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: i have inherited some cacti and some succulents, also, i am trying to ensure the healthy growth of ...
A: Pippa, Clay pots are actually better for plants because the roots can breath through the porous ...
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| Little black flying gnats? | 7/18/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a problem with real tiny black flying gnats. I set out apple cider vinegar w/ soap. When I ...
A: Glenda, They are fungus gnats. They are attracted by over ripe fruit, rotting vegetables or ...
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| Peace Lily | 7/17/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: Darlene, I need help. I was given a peace lily about 4 years ago when in the hospital. It was ...
A: Carol, Peace lilies hate to be divided into individual plants, at most you should just split them ...
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| Ponytail Palm Bonsai Trimming | 7/17/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a ponytail palm bonsai that is approx 18" tall and is doing well- so well it is bushing out ...
A: Jennifer, Your palm looks quite healthy. The more sun the plant get and the less water you give it ...
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| Indian Jasmine | 7/16/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I bought a lovely Indian Jasmine plant because of it's wonderful fragrance. How should I care for ...
A: Milly, The Belle of India Jasmine is a controllable vining shrub. It needs some pruning to keep a ...
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| Plant Propagation | 7/16/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: it's Tamika again. Hope you had a good Holiday. My question today is simple: What's the best way ...
A: Tamika, It was my husbands 40th class reunion out of state, we had fun, thanks. I would dip it in ...
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| what is it? | 7/10/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I received a potted plant at the hospital, large green thick scalloped leaves with shoots of small ...
A: Jo, It is a kalanchoe blossfeldiana. Kalanchoes are easy to grow, need warm temperatures and ...
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| China Doll leaves turning brownish colour | 7/10/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a china doll plant and just the past few days the leaves have started to change from a nice ...
A: Matt, I suspect that you are overwatering it and it may be getting a fungal infection that China ...
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| Abyssinian Red | 7/9/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I recently went on vacation and left the care of my plants to my sister. When we returned home much ...
A: Mackenzie, Is this plant a Musa plant? In other words, a type of banana plant that doesn't grow ...
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| about palm trees | 7/8/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: i recently bought a chinese fan tree for indoors .the first few days i had it .; the fans started ...
A: Beatrice, You did not tell me anything about how you are caring for this plant so the best I can do ...
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| china doll health?! | 7/8/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a China Doll in my work office that no one looked really looked after nor watered ...
A: Ash, I suspect it is very root bound in that small pot and because of that itcontracted a fungal ...
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| Fig Trees, Inside Our Out? | 7/7/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: Can I put my fig tree outside on shady patio?
A: Michael, It would be very happy out there. You will need to water it more often while it is ...
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| fiddleleaf fig propagation | 7/6/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I took a leaf from a fiddle leaf fig plant that my boss had grown from a single leaf 14 years ago. ...
A: Nina, Since it has roots you can remove it from the heating pad and put it in a semi-shady location ...
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| Potted Palm | 7/6/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a potted Palm in direct sun on a deck. the end of the leaves are turning yellow - what do I ...
A: Troy, Sorry, I thought you wanted to know how to stop them from turning brown and get it to grow ...
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| Potted Palm | 7/5/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a potted Palm in direct sun on a deck. the end of the leaves are turning yellow - what do I ...
A: Troy, Without knowing exactly what kind of palm it is I suspect you are keeping it too wet or too ...
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| Yucca cane | 7/5/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: The leaves on my yucca look like they are rotting and they are also yellowing, what is this caused ...
A: Misty, If you are watering it more often than once a week you are watering it to often and that is ...
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| bird of paradise | 7/4/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I bought this plant about 3 years ago and after initial problems with it the first year (bugs and ...
A: Eva, These plants are generally at least 7-10 years old before they bloom and rather large. Don't ...
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| Jasmine houseplant | 7/4/2008 | Darlene K. Kittle |
Q: I have a cheap houseplant I bought at a discout store that I think is a jasmine. It is potted as a ...
A: Toni, I read that you couldn't use my link. Just go to Google and put in Madagascar Jasmine fruit ...
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