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| Subject | Date Asked |
| Lucky Bamboo Yellowing | 2/6/2012 |
| Q: I own a little lucky bamboo since 2007, and everything was fine until now, the leaves are starting ... A: Anna, Your lucky bamboo is actually Dracaena sanderiana. Lucky bamboo is happy to grow without soil ... | |
| Jasmine plant leaves turning brown | 2/5/2012 |
| Q: I just recently transfered my jasmine plant to a different location, none of the roots were damaged. ... A: Elizabeth, It would have been safer to wait until after April 1st to move your Jasmine. Unless it ... | |
| How much product? | 2/4/2012 |
| Q: I just found your recommendation to use Bayer Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed to treat Mealy Bugs on ... A: Claudia, The foliage would not be poisonous to the touch but it would make a small child or pet ... | |
| is this fungus on my cactus? | 2/4/2012 |
| Q: ok this plant has been hanging over my sofa for about 4 years now. the basket has several types of ... A: Mary, Your picture is a little fuzzy. The bright white spots may be mealy bugs if they look like ... | |
| Japanese Peace Lily | 1/31/2012 |
| Q: I read your answer about this peace lily and you said that it is a poisonous plant. I've read this ... A: Synthia, Peace lilies actually clean the air as they take in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen ... | |
| Fiddle leaf fig | 1/30/2012 |
| Q: ... Do you know if FF fig will Bloom as a potted plant? A: Nick, No you will not see a flower on a Fiddle Leaf Fig in a pot or in the ground. You need a ... | |
| Indoor jade plant | 1/30/2012 |
| Q: I have had an indoor jade plant for years. It's about 3ft around and about 2.5 ft tall. It was full ... A: Barb, The best thing to do would be to put it outside where it only gets sun in the morning and ... | |
| Cactus Problem | 1/29/2012 |
| Q: This cactus is getting brown on the stalks and starting to fall over somewhat. What could be wrong? ... A: Michael, It does matter whether it is near the light. You won't notice a difference in a couple of ... | |
| Cactus Problem | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: This cactus is getting brown on the stalks and starting to fall over somewhat. What could be wrong? ... A: Michael, I am consulting a friend who is a cactus expert on what exactly it is. In the meantime ... | |
| Cactus Problem | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: This cactus is getting brown on the stalks and starting to fall over somewhat. What could be wrong? ... A: Michael, It is drying and forming the brown skin because of the lower indoor humidity. I suspect ... | |
| Indoor jade plant | 1/27/2012 |
| Q: I have had an indoor jade plant for years. It's about 3ft around and about 2.5 ft tall. It was full ... A: Barb, You have to make sure a jade is very dry before watering again. They are very susceptible to ... | |
| Pony Tail Palm Too Tall | 1/27/2012 |
| Q: I have a 35 year old ponytail palm that has a monster bulb and the stalk roughly 2" diameter but 12 ... A: Ron, You can cut the top off your ponytail palm but it is best if you wait until summer when it can ... | |
| identify plant that needs help | 1/26/2012 |
| Q: I received this plant a year ago when it was very small. It has grown very big and overlapped the ... A: Heather, I have the same plant and I have never been able to identify it except to say that it is ... | |
| lucky bamboo stalk turning completely yellow | 1/25/2012 |
| Q: liquid fertilizer but first i cleaned it please help me im panicking i don't want my luck bamboo ... A: Nino, You need to change the water on lucky bamboo at least every 2 weeks. The fertilizer you added ... | |
| Fiddle Leaf Fig | 1/7/2012 |
| Q: I have recently acquired a fiddle leaf fig (within the last 6 months). The first few weeks it was ... A: Kim, I think you are right about 2 or your problems but you have a 3rd problem, overwatering. Do ... | |
| red spots on spider plant roots | 1/6/2012 |
| Q: Our spider plants in our greenhouse are one to two years old and we noticed that some of them ... A: Jacob, It could be nematodes, but it more likely was spider mite larva. Spider Mites, members of ... | |
| problem Jadewplant | 1/5/2012 |
| Q: My husband and I were given a large jade plant last year. We gave it water once a month about 8 oz. ... A: Brenda, That is not nearly enough water for that size jade. The branches are withering. When you ... | |
| yucca | 1/1/2012 |
| Q: I think I have overwatered my spineless yucca, some of the fronds/leaves are dropping, I can't see ... A: Mathew, To save it you need to have it in the sunniest location possible in your home. The drapes ... | |
| STROMANTHE 'Stripestar' | 12/24/2011 |
| Q: We have a 12 year old Stromanthe that has moved house with our family on 4 occasions.He appears ... A: Bill, If you just recently repotted it that is part of the problem. You repotted it at the wrong ... | |
| Sago Palm | 12/24/2011 |
| Q: My friend just gave me a small sago palm as a christmas present. I have never grown bonsais or ... A: Victor, Take a screwdriver and pry off the glued together stones immediately. They make it ... | |
| play sand that's colored in potting medium | 12/10/2011 |
| Q: Darlene, Thank you for your answer on what potting medium to use for my rice cactus.I live in a ... A: Jelinda, I have never seen playsand at Lowes, Menards or Home Depot that is colored. It is normally ... | |
| Rhipsalis cereuscula | 12/9/2011 |
| Q: Hope you are well!! I have a pot of cuttings of R.cereuscula/coral cactus & rice cactus I believe ... A: Jelinda, Rhipsalis cereuscula are succulent plants and should be treated much like cactus, be kept ... | |
| Repotting a HUGE Schefflera | 12/9/2011 |
| Q: I have a tremendous (over 6' tall & more than 4' circumference) Schefflera that I rescued from ... A: Mike, You can only divide it easily if there are 2 or more different plants in the pot, each with ... | |
| zygo cactus | 12/6/2011 |
| Q: are the zygo cactus poisoness to animals because I have three cats that are most likely going to try ... A: Sherry, Yes, they are poisonous to cats and dogs. At first I could not locate any information ... | |
| Pony Tail Palm Pests | 12/5/2011 |
| Q: I have a 12" high pony tail palm in an 8" clay pot. It sits on a high counter facing a southern ... A: Becki, It sounds like your bugs are fungus gnats which usually only attack plants that are too ... | |
| Drooping Plant | 12/1/2011 |
| Q: That is my first question - What Type of plant is this? I believe I bought this plant in the spring ... A: Trisha, Your plant is a nepthitus or arrowhead plant. In the picture it looks too dry. It needs for ... | |
| can't identify plant | 12/1/2011 |
| Q: Hey Darlene, I just found this website and love it! I was actually trying to figure out the ... A: Tara, Your camouflage plant is a Chinese Evergreen. It likes to get dry between watering. It ... | |
| maiden hair fern problems | 11/26/2011 |
| Q: I am trying to keep my maidenhair with the right humidity to keep it happy now that it had to be ... A: Janet, I read your comments and hope you read my original answer thoroughly because I added several ... | |
| Hybiscus Tree Care | 11/25/2011 |
| Q: My husband was given a Hibiscus tree for his birthday in late June. The tree was beautiful all ... A: Keri, If it still has some green leaves it will probably survive. If it looses all of it's leaves ... | |
| Bougainvillea Shrub | 11/22/2011 |
| Q: I planted my Bougainvillea Shrub in Sept. and it was doing fine, however, about a month after I ... A: Richard, Bougainvillea love the sun but they also like to be a little dry. Make sure you did not ... | |
| Do I have sick plants? | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: A friend who was moving out of state was about to throw out two plants (an aloe vera and Christmas ... A: Cate, I suspect that the Christmas cactus has been overwatered and suffered from root rot. It will ... | |
| Falling leaves | 11/18/2011 |
| Q: This summer on our north facing covered porch I grew a beautiful schefflerra. It had grown to be ... A: Jeri, Where in PA do you live? I have a son that lives in Lewistown, PA. I am in northern IN and it ... | |
| rainwater | 11/17/2011 |
| Q: would warming water be of any good to my houseplants A: Mathew, If the water is very cold then yes it would be better to warm it so it does not shock your ... | |
| True Christmas Cactus | 11/13/2011 |
| Q: I have been searching for a true Christmas Cactus. Schlumbergera x buckleyi that is round instead of ... A: Jonica, You can get Schlumbergera Christmas cactus at the following site: They have several hybrid ... | |
| corn plants | 11/9/2011 |
| Q: I have a corn plant that I have had since early spring. It is about three feet high and very ... A: Tonia, This is not the best time of year to divide plants. The days are getting shorter and ... | |
| Fig Tree | 11/9/2011 |
| Q: I was given a "cutting" of a fig tree. It was outside all spring and summer on my deck. It ... A: Rose, A 20 gallon container is extremely large for a plant you are going to keep in the house part ... | |
| Beaucarnea Plant | 11/7/2011 |
| Q: I have a nice Beaucarnea plant, which I have had for about 6 years. Recently it has become infected ... A: Myra, The white stuff on your plants is an insect called mealy bugs or in your country wooly ... | |
| Blooming corn plant | 11/6/2011 |
| Q: I have a small corn plant which I have acquired from a street fair a year and half ago. It is about ... A: Juliet, Yes, blooming is fairly rare and one of the things that can trigger it is being very pot ... | |
| Something growing in my houseplant | 11/6/2011 |
| Q: I have had the plant for nearly a year, and this summer it was repotted to a used container that I ... A: Hannah, It is either the eggs of mealy bugs or it is soil infected with mushroom spores. It is ... | |
| jade plant | 11/4/2011 |
| Q: I have a jade plant that is at least 35 yrs old. I put it out on my fire escape all summer and bring ... A: Cathy, The good news is the problems are not life threatening. The brown spots it gets are sunburn. ... | |
| Fertilizer | 11/3/2011 |
| Q: Kittle, My name is Alyssa Riddick. I am a sixth grade student at Kemps Landing Magnet School in ... A: Alyssa, I regularly fertilize all my plants with various fertilizers depeending on it's needs and I ... | |
| Jade Plant | 10/31/2011 |
| Q: I have a very large old jade plant. It sits in front of a window that is on the northeast, so it ... A: Pamela, That stem does not look good. It may have been over-watered at some point which started ... | |
| queen ann ferns | 10/31/2011 |
| Q: I have two enormous queen ann ferns i purchased from in front of our local grocery store early this ... A: John, I am about 100 miles northeast of you, just north of Fort Wayne, IN so I am quite familiar ... | |
| jolla | 10/25/2011 |
| Q: My jolla (hoya in English) has grown long tendrils (4+ feet) with new leaves towards the ends, a ... A: W.C., So the tendrils had leaves at one time but they fell off for one reason or another. This is ... | |
| infestation | 10/24/2011 |
| Q: I had small white drops on a palm tree plant and saw long webs so I threw it out. Now I have the ... A: Brenda, I am not sure what the white drops on the palm tree weere. The long webs were spider mites ... | |
| Queen palm | 10/23/2011 |
| Q: Ms. Kittle, I have two queen palm(Syagrus romanzoffianum)plants that I bought to decorate around ... A: Chris, According to the ASPCA: "There is currently no data indicating that Queen Palm (Cocos ... | |
| dividing & re-potting Christmas Cactus | 10/22/2011 |
| Q: I have a Christmas Cactus that is absolutely huge! I have had this plant for at least 10 years. I ... A: Christine, I suggest you go to Menards and get a 17 inch round clear plastic drain tray to put ... | |
| Plant name unknown | 10/20/2011 |
| Q: Recently I have purchased some plants and do not know what are the care needed especially on ... A: Alfred, No plant likes to be kept constantly wet. You will rot the roots. You should always empty ... | |
| Coral Cactus | 10/18/2011 |
| Q: I received a small potted Coral Cactus as a gift on Friday at the office. The instructions said to ... A: Kim, It has been overwatered by someone. Yes, if the stem has collapsed it will not come back. If ... | |
| unknown plant | 10/12/2011 |
| Q: I've just been given a plant by a friend but we don't know what it is, I've had a quick look online ... A: Mathew, Also make sure you only water it when it has been dry for at least 3 days and an hour ... | |
| unknown plant | 10/12/2011 |
| Q: sorry Forgot to attach image. @@@@@IMAGE:88332:House-Plants-721/2011/10/unknown-plant-photo.jpg##### ... A: Mathew, Prune of the dead branches or the dead ends of branches. If you are in a tropical area move ... | |
| unknown plant | 10/11/2011 |
| Q: sorry Forgot to attach image. A: Mathew, Since you sent 2 separate questions in order to send the picture you will get this answer ... | |
| unknown plant | 10/11/2011 |
| Q: I've just been given a plant by a friend but we don't know what it is, I've had a quick look online ... A: Mathew, Since you sent 2 separate questions in order to send the picture you will get this answer ... | |
| christmas cacti blooms | 10/10/2011 |
| Q: I have two christmas cacti and i want them to bloom at christmas time. I know that they need dark ... A: Victor, As I said above you can keep them in the cool basement but put a 2 tube florescent light ... | |
| christmas cacti blooms | 10/10/2011 |
| Q: I have two christmas cacti and i want them to bloom at christmas time. I know that they need dark ... A: Victor, Have your Christmas Cactus been outside at all this summer? And what climate do you live ... | |
| amaryllis | 10/10/2011 |
| Q: I have an amaryllia bulb (chirstmas type) that i just bought yesterday. I was wondering if you could ... A: Victor, The bulb needs to be planted 6-8 weeks before you want to see flowers. It needs to be in ... | |
| Diffenbachia/house plant | 10/9/2011 |
| Q: the leafs have yellow spots with a brown ring, can you please tell me whats wrong and how to fix it? ... A: Theresa, It sounds like a fungal infection. You may be able to stop it by spraying all the leaves ... | |
| Plants' states of consciousness | 10/7/2011 |
| Q: Do plants sleep? A: Harsh, When the days are shorter plants go into a dormant state where they do not grow until the ... | |
| mandev illa | 10/5/2011 |
| Q: I have a large[about15inches] pot outside growing a mandevilla. This is my first summer and do I ... A: Florence, Yes you will need to take it in before frost. As the nights begin to cool off the ... | |
| Glue | 10/5/2011 |
| Q: I have notice that on Lucky Bamboo plants, the top rocks that cover the soil appears to be glued. ... A: Norma, Why do you want to? The first thing I do when I purchase a plant with glued together stones ... | |
| Ponytale Palm | 10/4/2011 |
| Q: I have a Ponytail Palm, she is about 5' tall, bulb is about as large as container ( 2 gallon black ... A: Nancy, You need to measure the diameter of the current pot and find a new pot with a diameter no ... | |
| what kind of plant is this | 10/1/2011 |
| Q: I have a plant that got over 15 years ago, a piece from my grandmother. In the last 15 years it has ... A: Melissa, It sounds like it may possibly be a night blooming cereus from your description. At this ... | |
| juncus spiralis | 9/29/2011 |
| Q: My plant use to spiral up now it is drooping and also has a few brown coils, What do i need to do ? A: Lennea, Corkscrew rush generally goes dormant in the fall/winter because of the shorter days. It's ... | |
| purple calla lily with spotted leaves | 9/28/2011 |
| Q: my calla was out doors all summer and did very well but the stems were like rubber and bent over the ... A: Mary, When Calla lilies are not in enough sun the stems get extra long trying to reach for the sun ... | |
| Sticky substance on Stephanotis Plant | 9/25/2011 |
| Q: I have a Stephanotis palnt that recently started to produce a very sticky substance on its leaves. ... A: Jennifer, The sticky stuff is the excrement of insects. You may want to use a magnifying glass to ... | |
| Money Tree | 9/24/2011 |
| Q: I took your advice and cut back my 2 money trees. They were fine for a while with lots of new ... A: Betty, You have 2 choices. You can spray it thoroughly with rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle every ... | |
| 38 year old Rubber Tree houseplant dying | 9/24/2011 |
| Q: Ms. Kittle, I have a 38 year old rubber tree, my father gave us when we married. Stretched out it ... A: Luci, It has been given too much water or has been put in a pot that does not have a drainage hole ... | |
| purple calla lily with spotted leaves | 9/23/2011 |
| Q: my calla was out doors all summer and did very well but the stems were like rubber and bent over the ... A: Mary, Clip the leaves of at the soil level. Let the plant dry out and put it, pot and all, in a ... | |
| jade plant and oriential pepper plant | 9/23/2011 |
| Q: have a 30 year old jade plant was in the house all summer and was watered to much started to loose ... A: Amy, I would bet it wasn't necessarily over watered but that it did not get enough sun. If a jade ... | |
| mandevilla vine care for winter | 9/22/2011 |
| Q: I have mandevilla vine and would like to know if I should cut it down to 6 inches for the winter or ... A: Pat, As the nights begin to cool off the Mandevilla will slow down. That is the time to give them ... | |
| corn palm | 9/21/2011 |
| Q: I have two corn palms which I bought around two months apart. The first I watered as per ... A: Matt, The sprout on the left in the picture looks like it still has some green leaves. Take the ... | |
| corn palm | 9/21/2011 |
| Q: I have two corn palms which I bought around two months apart. The first I watered as per ... A: Matt, I suspect that your city water has fluoride and chlorine in it and this plant hates that.It ... | |
| Cats and Asthma | 9/17/2011 |
| Q: I'm an asthma patient and I have a cat. I can't take risk to keep anything that is toxic to ... A: Senjuti, You can find a list of houseplants and other plants that are safe for cats at this ... | |
| Roots growing under pot | 9/16/2011 |
| Q: I have a plant who is in a pot with holes at the base. Roots have began to grow thorugh the holes ... A: Kenneth, It is not a papyrus, it is a dracena marginata. It can get quite large if planted in the ... | |
| Canela plant | 9/16/2011 |
| Q: Several weeks ago (about 5) I bought a Canela plant. Its about 5 feet. The tag said the plant is ... A: Jowita, Your plant was not sickly when you bought it, it had been pruned to tree form so it looks ... | |
| Roots growing under pot | 9/12/2011 |
| Q: I have a plant who is in a pot with holes at the base. Roots have began to grow thorugh the holes ... A: Kenneth, It appears to be a cyperis papyrus which love water and the roots do that. Simply cut ... | |
| Dying peat moss (or so I think) | 9/12/2011 |
| Q: I'm in urgent need of help. I bought a pot of venus flytrap a few months back and it was thriving ... A: Jasper, Set the pot in a glass aquarium or put a plastic bad over the top then open it for 5 ... | |
| Schefflera house plant | 9/9/2011 |
| Q: My three year old Schefflera spends the summer months in the back of my sunroom and only receives ... A: Margaret, Scheffleras love the sun. If you can give it more sun that would be great for it. Have ... | |
| kalanchoe turns bad suddenly | 9/8/2011 |
| Q: My Kalachoe turns very bad in 2or3 days. It was quite nice with a couple of white flowers before. ... A: AsiaSun, I can't see the bottom of the pot in the picture so it cant tell if it has a drain hole ... | |
| Dying peat moss (or so I think) | 9/7/2011 |
| Q: I'm in urgent need of help. I bought a pot of venus flytrap a few months back and it was thriving ... A: Jasper, The plant needs a bright location but only a little morning sun. The moss will not come ... | |
| outdoor plants/no sunlight | 9/6/2011 |
| Q: I live in Sydney Australia and I would like to grow some plants that get no sunlight and not much ... A: Marcea, I know of no plants that will live with no sun and little light. There has to be enough ... | |
| coral cactus | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: i got a coral cactus and i cant find much info about it. all i found was lighting, water and what ... A: Krystine, The coral cactus is the colored or fan shaped part that is usually grafted on to either. ... | |
| Keepsake Azalea | 9/2/2011 |
| Q: I received a keepsake for a present. I read online that I needed to repot it . I repotted it in a ... A: Julia, I would take the drain tray out from under it while it is outside and water it only when the ... | |
| pods diefenbachia | 9/1/2011 |
| Q: can you plant them for new plants using the seeds inside the pod. A: Janis, You can try it but your diefenbachia may be a hybrid (DNA from two different plants was ... | |
| madagascar dragon tree | 8/31/2011 |
| Q: I am very new to plants and want to understand and love them. I replanted this once dragon tree ... A: Your dragon tree is a Dracaena marginata. Please put that in Google and then click on images to ... | |
| fungus gnats | 8/31/2011 |
| Q: My house plants will soon be ready to come inside. Last year they brought in with them an ... A: Winona, Yes, "beneficial nematodes" might take care of fungus gnats for you. You can put ... | |
| maternity plant | 8/29/2011 |
| Q: My maternity plant is almost 2' high. Instead of getting 'babies' the leaves are turning yellow, ... A: Ann, The Latin name for your plant is kalanchoe daigremontia. Yes, you should repot it in cactus ... | |
| house mother daughter plant | 8/25/2011 |
| Q: have a plant with long leaves with a baby leaf at end, want to know if I can start another one with ... A: Sonya, It would help to give you a better answer if you sent me a picture of the plant with the ... | |
| dragon palm | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: I have a dragon palm that i have had for about 4 years it is in a pot about the size of 5 gallon ... A: Jessica, I believe that your dragon palm is a Dracaena marginata. Please put that in Google and ... | |
| Papyrus overgrown for area | 8/20/2011 |
| Q: I have papyrus in a water feature which has become very large. Although it is healthy and rapidly ... A: David, You will need to literally dig up the plants. Cutting them off will not help for long, they ... | |
| Peace Lily???? | 8/20/2011 |
| Q: i was just given this plant, I think it is a peace lily, but the flowers are not white, they are ... A: Marlena, It is a peace lily. As the flowers fade they turn green and eventually brown. I usually ... | |
| My New Moon Cactus | 8/19/2011 |
| Q: I just bought a moon cactus and it is about 2.5" tall. I also bought a glass bowl and was wondering ... A: Katie, A moon cactus, or 'grafted cactus' is a cactus grafted on to another to grow as one. The top ... | |
| Tabernaemontana holstii | 8/18/2011 |
| Q: I've had this plant for about 1 year and it has been growing beautifully. It has flowered many ... A: Betty, This is a plant that I have not grown. However after a bit of research your problem may be ... | |
| soil fungus | 8/17/2011 |
| Q: Ok I live in a subtropical area on the Oregon coast. I have quite a few house plants most of them ... A: PS. The bugs will go away when you water less. If you want them to go away immediately you can water ... | |
| My floppy Fittonia | 8/16/2011 |
| Q: It is me again. I found the bigger green leaves look a bit curly. Some of them even get quite dry ... A: Asiasun, This plant hates sitting in water. Make sure you have drain holes in the container and a ... | |
| Dwarf Banana Tree Production | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: It has grown quite large and has grown three smaller "stalks" next tot the main trunk. The tree ... A: Katy, It needs a lot of sun all year to grow bananas. They are capablee of growing bananas in 18 ... | |
| My Peace Lily | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: My peace lily is ok, but there are some yellow/brown and floopy leaves. Their tips turn black as ... A: Asiasun, It would be considered very low light. LED lights have not proven to be as effective as ... | |
| ornamental pineapple plant | 8/14/2011 |
| Q: my plant has a small base that looks like a pineapple, however with all the rain we have gotten it ... A: Cindy, It is time to repot the plant into a heavy clay pot and pack the soil very firmly around the ... | |
| My Peace Lily | 8/14/2011 |
| Q: My peace lily is ok, but there are some yellow/brown and floopy leaves. Their tips turn black as ... A: Asiasun, As long as they are still green they may perk up again. Water them as soon as they are dry ... | |
| yuca tree houseplant | 8/13/2011 |
| Q: i recently purchased the plant and soon noticed slithering bugs. to rid the bugs, i immersed the ... A: Audrey, A yucca is a dessert plant an should be given the sunniest location in the house next to a ... | |
| My Peace Lily | 8/12/2011 |
| Q: My peace lily is ok, but there are some yellow/brown and floopy leaves. Their tips turn black as ... A: AsiaSun, It is in quite a large pot for the size of the plant. You may never need to repot it. ... | |
| Dying Spider plant | 8/10/2011 |
| Q: Spider plant should be an easy handle indoor plant. But mine is really bad. I water it thoroughly ... A: Asiasun, For starters you have been watering it way too much. Water only once a week and never ... | |
| ficus | 8/8/2011 |
| Q: I have a weeping ficus that I have had a year. It is doing phenominally. I have owned this type of ... A: Karen, That is the fruit (figs) of your very healthy ficus tree. Unless you live in Florida and ... | |
| yucca cane | 8/8/2011 |
| Q: My plant is huge and old and touches the ceiling, actually bending over as well. It has a lot of ... A: Nora, You can move it outside but put it in a shady location so it will not get sunburned.I agree ... | |
| Pots | 8/7/2011 |
| Q: I bought a double pot, small one sets inside of larger one. It says it's a self watering pot. I've ... A: Karen, Take it back to the store. Self watering pots keep plants too wet and they will eventually ... | |
| corn plant | 8/7/2011 |
| Q: i'm attempting to save my dying corn plant after being out doors in direct sunlight .currently has ... A: Andre, If the base is blaackening it is too late, you cannot save it. Go to Walmart and buy another ... | |
| Giant Peace Lilly | 8/5/2011 |
| Q: I bought this beautiful giant Peace Lilly about 8 months ago and all was well until about two months ... A: Sharon, Not watering it until the leaves droop constantly will eventually damage the roots and I ... | |
| China Doll Ivy | 8/2/2011 |
| Q: I saw your response about the China Doll Ivy while researching the same question for a customer. We ... A: Laura, I do not have any experience with a plant called China Doll Ivy nor can I find any ... | |
| peacock jasmine | 7/30/2011 |
| Q: what kind of soil do I need to transfer my new peacock jasmine from the 2 to 2 1/2" planter to a 4" ... A: Karen, You need a light weight soil, to acheive that you can use 2 parts of potting soil and 1 part ... | |
| Yucca Cane | 7/29/2011 |
| Q: My husband and I planted a Yucca Cane outdoors in a flower bed connected to our in-ground pool. We ... A: Karen, Yucca canes have taproots that pretty much grow straight down. Problems arise when you try ... | |
| Reviving a Ming Aralia | 7/29/2011 |
| Q: I inherited a lovely ming aralia 2 years ago. I've always loved these plants and have a couple ... A: Brent, What you are proposing is exactly what I would do. I would suggest putting it in a pot with ... | |
| desert rose ? stem rot | 7/28/2011 |
| Q: I have had this desert rose for about a year. I must admit although I have grown many plants ... A: Robin, I believe that your problem was either a fungal problem or sunburn but that your plant is ... | |
| Madagascar Palm | 7/28/2011 |
| Q: We purchased a Madagascar Palm from a local nursery here in Tucson in June for an indoor plant. I ... A: Elaine, I think you have a few problems with your Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamerei). It may ... | |
| Coral Cactus | 7/25/2011 |
| Q: I have a small Coral Cactus, which I think is also called, Euphobia Lactea Crest, which has started ... A: Frank, Yes but leave it lay on the counter for 3=4 days after cutting it before planting it so the ... | |
| mandevilla | 7/24/2011 |
| Q: i would like to know how to transplant this for indoors, what soils or mixture to use. Thank you A: Grace, As it is probably in full bloom right now you should dig it trying to disturb the soil ... | |
| black tiny bugs on holy basil leaves. | 7/24/2011 |
| Q: I planted holy basil from seeds. They came out really good and plenty 2 weeks ago. Now the plants ... A: Gita, It sounds like you have aphids on your basil. It is a sucking insect. Here are 3 recipes for ... | |
| Anthurium as a hydroponic? | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: I am trying to pick a flowering plant that I can put in a vase with water for a betta bowl. My ... A: Lori, Anthuriums need to dry out between watering so they are not a good idea. Peace lilies or ... | |
| Name that houseplant | 7/22/2011 |
| Q: Could you please tell me what the name of this plant is, and how I can make it flower? Thank you, ... A: Trina, It appears to be a hoya vine. To bloom it must be rootbound. It will take about 3 years for ... | |
| What is this plant? | 7/19/2011 |
| Q: What is the name of the plant and how do you take care of it. A: Norma, That was my Mother's name. Nice name! You have the standard variety of large Aloe Vera ... | |
| China Doll Ivy | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: My sister gave me a plant she calls China Doll Ivy. I love it and want to get a cutting so I can ... A: Sandra, There is no such thing as China Doll Ivy. There are China Doll Plants and there are Ivy ... | |
| Hawaiian Palm Tree | 7/17/2011 |
| Q: Please could you help me, I have the above palm but the leaves get to about 6cm long and then turn ... A: Angela, In winter, the "Hawaii palm” prefers a light place, even the south window sill is possible. ... | |
| My Pachira Trees | 7/15/2011 |
| Q: I have 2 indoor money plants about 5 years old. Last year, I transplanted them into 12" pots and ... A: Betty, You can cut them back but if you cut all the green leaves off of a branch chances are it ... | |
| What plant is this? | 7/14/2011 |
| Q: I received this plant as a gift and have no idea what it is or how to care for it....help....please! A: Lyndy, Your plant is an Adam's Needle Yucca. It is a cold desert type plant. It can be planted in ... | |
| Clear Worms in house plant | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: I have a common house plant that has been in our family for generations, so this plant means a lot ... A: Carly, They are Planarians, horsehair worms, newly hatched earth worms, fungus gnat larvae, grubs, ... | |
| going on vacation | 7/11/2011 |
| Q: I'm going on a 4 week vacation this summer. I have many house plants, like succulents, christmas ... A: Victor, Yes, Victor, when I go on vacation I have a friend who lives nearby water my plants and i ... | |
| "palm" tree? | 7/10/2011 |
| Q: I inherited this plant from a dear friend. It has been doing wonderfully for the past 6 years but ... A: Colette, Although I can't see it very well in the picture I suspect from the shape of the leaves ... | |
| indoor juniper | 7/7/2011 |
| Q: I recently bought a indoor juniper and I've waterd and lightly pruned.I even started using ... A: Nick, There is no such thing as an "indoor juniper". All junipers are outdoor plants. You probably ... | |
| indoor pepper plant | 7/5/2011 |
| Q: my 7yr old was sent home with a yellow pepper plant in march... i re potted it when it became to big ... A: Jessica, I have a large 5 year old pepper plant in a 6 inch pot. You did not say what size pot it ... | |
| Areca Palm | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: I have an Areca Palm that has began having a "sap like" substance coming from the fronds and it is ... A: Robin, Your brown/tan spotting along the stalks is not a fungus, it is an insect called scale. Go ... | |
| fungus gnats | 7/1/2011 |
| Q: Help - I seem to be on the verge of a fungus gnat invasion in my home. I purchased a contaminated ... A: Jeff, Fungus gnats will not live in soil that drys out well between waterings. Allow your plants ... | |
| splitting an Umbrella plant to start a new one | 6/30/2011 |
| Q: I didn't read your answer to how to start umbrella plants before I went outside with my mother's too ... A: Linda, You will have a much better chance of starting all your cuttings if you get a 2" or 4" pot ... | |
| fica tree problem | 6/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a problem with growing fica trees outdoors. The root systems cracked concrete walkways and I ... A: Maryana, You can try it but ficus are very agressive at growing roots which often swell. If you ... | |
| fica tree problem | 6/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a problem with growing fica trees outdoors. The root systems cracked concrete walkways and I ... A: Maryana, Yes, ficus benjamina can be rather invasive and destructive if grown close to concrete or ... | |
| I have a very sick plant | 6/26/2011 |
| Q: I just got a yucca house plant at a garage sale, the lady said she really didn't know how to care ... A: Stacey, I need to know a few things. Is the yucca in a pot with a drain hole and a drain tray ... | |
| Plumeria fungus | 6/24/2011 |
| Q: I have 8 plumeria trees that all have some sort of fungus. It is a rust/orange color. It is speckled ... A: James, Your plumeria has plumeria rust. It can be difficult to get rid of. Check on the following ... | |
| Peace lilies | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: I have three peace lilies. One sits in an eastern window, and the other two are on a table in front ... A: Kathy, I suspect that you may be keeping them too wet. To begin with they must be in pots with ... | |
| Help identify plant | 6/21/2011 |
| Q: Have had plant for severl years. Looks very similar to top of pineapple.Never had any sign of ... A: Pat, I was hoping you had sent a picture so I could positively identify it. I am sure it is a type ... | |
| I dunno the name of the plant, but the leaves are yellowing all the time. | 6/20/2011 |
| Q: I bought this plant three weeks ago, the seller was unable to tell me the name of the plant. Anyway, ... A: Mahmud Shuvra, Yellowing leaves are usually the result of keeping the plant constantly wet. This ... | |
| rubber plant | 6/19/2011 |
| Q: My rubber plant is quite old - the leaves are healthy at the base but then there is a long stalk ... A: Sheiladolly, Rubber tree plants, Ficus elastica, get rather large and sometimes develop bare spots ... | |
| money tree plant | 6/17/2011 |
| Q: I have a money tree plant for 2 months, looks good and has new growth. Recently I have noticed ... A: Donna, If they are flying around the soil and the base of the plant they are fungus gnats and you ... | |
| white stuff on Majesty palm | 6/15/2011 |
| Q: There is a white, powdery looking substance taking over the base and new growth of my Majesty palm. ... A: Carl, Ravenea Rivularis is called “The Majesty Palm”.nOutdoors in south Florida or in California ... | |
| Coral Cactus | 6/14/2011 |
| Q: I bought 2 coral cactus about 2 months ago, they are inside not alot of light. 1 is fine but the ... A: Cindy, Yes, the top should reroot unless the stem rot has gotten into the top also. It is worth a ... | |
| plant sticky | 6/14/2011 |
| Q: We have a huge very old fern which looks visually healthy and beautiful but the floor is sticky ... A: Susan, Hello to Austria! The size of your plants is why you should not keep repotting into larger ... | |
| dwarf jade plant | 6/12/2011 |
| Q: my dwarf jade plant was given to me via floral delivery. it came in a small container. I've had ... A: Christy, Yes, put it back in the small pot it came in. A jade is a succulent African plant that ... | |
| Banana plant | 6/11/2011 |
| Q: Just got a chance to see the plant over gf house. she left it outside all day and watered it. Now ... A: Bj, Was the soil dry when she watered it? She has to allow the soil to get dry before watering it. ... | |
| Banana plant | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: Now, some of the older leaves have started turning yellow and all the leaves are curling up and ... A: BJ, OK, then you may have a tap water problem so switch to bottled water. I have a dwarf banana and ... | |
| Banana plant | 6/10/2011 |
| Q: Now, some of the older leaves have started turning yellow and all the leaves are curling up and ... A: BJ, An hour of sun a day is not enough, it needs sun for at least 6 hours a day and would be best ... | |
| Broken Plant Stem | 6/8/2011 |
| Q: We have a broken plant stem. It is a Dracaena Fragrans Cane that has survived for 15 years. Can you ... A: Tonalea, I would recommend that you first go get a bottle of rooting hormone at a garden center ... | |
| Black spots | 5/30/2011 |
| Q: I have a rubber tree that is over 20 years old. It is currently outside with lots of sun light. I ... A: Diane, If it is outside in full sun and has never been out before it is probably sunburn. A ficus ... | |
| outdoor Yucca Trees damaged by wind | 5/29/2011 |
| Q: I live on east coast of Ireland and have had three tall healthy Yucca trees in my front garden for ... A: Maria, Be very patient, if the trunk has not collapsed it is not dead. The new leaves will only ... | |
| household plant giving me an infection? | 5/28/2011 |
| Q: Over the last five months I have been dealing with itchy, dry, scaling, painful skin. I feel like ... A: Samantha, The insects you are describing sounds like mealy bugs. They attack dracaenas and ... | |
| repotting | 5/25/2011 |
| Q: When re-potting flowers especially hibiscus plant do you spread the root like take a little shovel ... A: Cheryl, Yes, if you can't loosen the roots with your fingers you should cut them open on 4 sides no ... | |
| asparagus fern | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: I have repoted an asparagus fern and there are hundreds of tubers on root like strings. Can these ... A: JC, Hello - my plant wasn't looking too great so first I cut it way back to a manageable size, then ... | |
| Corn Plant | 5/22/2011 |
| Q: I need to transplant my corn plant....I read instructions on doing this but this plant is doing ... A: Carolyn, What makes you think it needs to be repotted? It is beginning to bloom. That new growth ... | |
| curly leafed plant - Jade? | 5/19/2011 |
| Q: I inherited my aunt's plant and the leaves resemble a jade but they are curly. It is so long my ... A: Marilyn, Your plant is a hoya carnosa also known as a hindu rope plant. It sounds like you are ... | |
| Corn Plant - to big | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: My Corn Plant is about ready to hit the ceiling, can I trim it back without killing it? If you, how ... A: Sherri, Yes it can be trimmed and you can use the part you cut off to start a new plant for ... | |
| neem oil | 5/16/2011 |
| Q: I read your article on neem oil as a pest repellent. I like neem, but it is too smelly for me to ... A: Gayla, That will not work. It is not a systemic insecticide or fungicide. It acts on the outside of ... | |
| Palm tree fertilozer | 5/15/2011 |
| Q: I bought a palm tree from Florida over the weekend and i live in Indiana, I am not sure what ... A: Roxanne, If you feel you must move it to a larger pot make sure that the diameter of the new pot is ... | |
| Bromlaid | 5/14/2011 |
| Q: I bought my mom a Bromeliad for mothers day this year it is yellow with red tipped flower and the ... A: Yolanda, The flower is in bloom now and it will not grow any taller. It is best to water it in the ... | |
| eggs in soil | 5/13/2011 |
| Q: I read response regarding egg-looking pellets in soil of house plants. They are added to soil and ... A: Brenda, I have spilled some on the floor and i can attest that they will bounce all over the place. ... | |
| lemon tree | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: very simple I am looking for a match pair of lemon tree for the foyer of business. Do you have or ... A: Tim, I do not have a business. I occasionally sell a bonsai tree or two. I do maintain the large ... | |
| light level | 5/9/2011 |
| Q: May I know the light level in my high-rise balcony and what kind of flowering plants is reccomended? ... A: Alfredo, You appear to have Medium to highlight. Because it ends at 3 pm I would not call it high ... | |
| Right plant name | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: Recently I bought a couple of little plants that I found at a grocery store. Both came with the tag ... A: Lindsey, The Sempervivum (Sunset is the variety name) is actually an outdoor plant that should be ... | |
| keepsake azaleas | 5/4/2011 |
| Q: I bought a keepsake azalea in Feb. 2011. It was beautiful. Within a few weeks after I bought it, ... A: Leslie, It will not come back to life unless there are still some green leaves on it. Repotting it ... | |
| How to control pest of Jasmine sambac and tulsi | 5/2/2011 |
| Q: I am from Rohini, Delhi, India. I have Jasmine sambac and tulsi in pots. They have few common pests. ... A: Rohit, I have no way of knowing what is readily available in India. You need to go to a plant or ... | |
| Banana Palm Fern Houseplant | 5/2/2011 |
| Q: I have a banana palm fern houseplant that is about 7-8 ft. tall. I travel extensively and do not ... A: Mitch, Ok, lets start from the beginning, they are banana plants (not palms or ferns),actually a ... | |
| How to control pest of Jasmine sambac and tulsi | 4/30/2011 |
| Q: I am from Rohini, Delhi, India. I have Jasmine sambac and tulsi in pots. They have few common pests. ... A: Rohit, Are you sure that the problem is an insect and not mold or a fungus? If it is an insect the ... | |
| severe pruning for diseased ficus | 4/29/2011 |
| Q: I have a ficus that has overgrown its space and has scale(my assumption, since it has rough, sticky ... A: Deb, The easiest way to get rid of scale is to go to your nearest garden center and pick up a ... | |
| Hibicus Tree | 4/27/2011 |
| Q: I have a beautiful Hibiscus tree which we have had for 5 years. We bring it in the winter and take ... A: Cathy, No, it will not survive temperatures under 40 degrees so you cannot plant it in the ground ... | |
| ponytail plant | 4/25/2011 |
| Q: HOW do you ROOT a p.t.plant from the original plant??? I have had my plant about 20 year's, it has ... A: kathy, This is the best time of year to once again try rooting babies of your beaucarnea recurvata. ... | |
| Help my bonsai | 4/23/2011 |
| Q: I bought my bonsai 3 days ago and I don't know what type of tree it is I've been spoiling it ... A: Dee, Your bonsai is a bougainvillea plant. It loves the sun and does not like to be constantly ... | |
| umbrella Tree | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: I've had an ambrella tree for a few years now and this past winter has seemed to do a number on it. ... A: Peggy, It appears in the picture that your schefflera is nothing but trunk. The only way you can ... | |
| Fichus Tree | 4/21/2011 |
| Q: I read your response to a question regarding sap on fichus leaves. You stated it was scale. My tree ... A: Tracy, It may not have scale, but it definitely has an insect problem. The insects are either ... | |
| plants that drip sticky stuff | 4/20/2011 |
| Q: I have 3 different houseplants that drip sticky residue and i would appreciate ideas on how to stop ... A: Alice, The sticky residue is not coming from the plants, it is coming from insects on the plants. ... | |
| gardenia plant | 4/19/2011 |
| Q: I have successfully over wintered for the first time ever a gardenia plant and now I notice a bright ... A: Arlene, My guess would be grass or weeds planted there by birds last summer when the plant was ... | |
| plant identity | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: I bought this plant at a local home improvement store but lost the tag and can't remember the name. ... A: Dedria, Your plant is a Lavatera, also known as Rose Mallow and they are varieties of hibiscus. I ... | |
| "Rozalea" - coral -Keepsake Azalea | 4/13/2011 |
| Q: We live in Wilmington, NC. I have just purchased two small coral color Rozaleas with braided ... A: Bonnie, For rozalea care instructions go to this page: ... | |
| foilage plant is dying | 4/12/2011 |
| Q: I have a indoor foilage for the last 5 years. All the years it was very stable in the winter but ... A: Shipra, I suspect that it may have a problem with insects. Examine the plant closely in bright ... | |
| Need Help With My Brunfelsias | 4/10/2011 |
| Q: I'm up here in Anchorage, Alaska, &, I have both a Brunfelsia Nitida & Gigantea (thinking also of ... A: Mel, No my son is a photography expert and the head of an AGE shop in the Air Force. In fact I do ... | |
| house plant | 4/10/2011 |
| Q: I purchase 2 small Anthuriums they were kinda dry so when i was re-planting them I noticed small ... A: Jackie, I suspect that the egg like substances were time release fertiliizer pellets. Or they could ... | |
| overwatered stromanthe burle marx | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: I can't believe I overwatered my beautiful and (til now) healthy plant. Now 80% of the leaves are ... A: Cynthia, Do not repot it. The roots have been damaged by the overwatering. You have some root rot. ... | |
| house plant cuttings | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: I think it is a Dracaena ( dragon tree ) other pictures I have seen may indicate it is a Ali ... A: Mathew, Yes, you can cut it off. Personally I like to cut them off and dip them in rooting hormone ... | |
| money tree | 4/8/2011 |
| Q: my guestion is my daughter has a money tree one day she noticed it was full of flying bugs so I ... A: Barb, When you change the soil you can't get all the soil off so the fungus gnats may have eggs ... | |
| overwatered stromanthe burle marx | 4/7/2011 |
| Q: I can't believe I overwatered my beautiful and (til now) healthy plant. Now 80% of the leaves are ... A: Cynthia, If it is in a pot with no drainage hole then yes, remove it from the pot immediately and ... | |
| house plant with red berries | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: Can you please identify this plant? A: Ellen, Yes, it is a Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) that has obviously bloomed and the red berries ... | |
| Need Help With My Brunfelsias | 4/4/2011 |
| Q: I'm up here in Anchorage, Alaska, &, I have both a Brunfelsia Nitida & Gigantea (thinking also of ... A: Mel, I have a son not far from you in Eagle River. He's in the Air Force and a professional Nature ... | |
| tropical plant | 4/3/2011 |
| Q: I took this picture in Mexico, the guide called it a "velvetine" but I cannot find reference to this ... A: Paul, I am not familiar with this plant and I do not beleive it is something that has ever been ... | |
| House plant with red berries? | 4/2/2011 |
| Q: I saw the most amazing indoor plant at a friend's office the other day. It had trunks (or stems?) ... A: Ellen, Sorry, it doesn't sound like anything I have ever grown. If you can get your friend to take ... | |
| hyacinth bulbs | 4/1/2011 |
| Q: I received some hyacinth bulbs (blooming) in a pot as a gift. Can I get them to bloom again. I read ... A: Penny, They will not bloom again for a year and then only with a cold treatment which can be done ... | |
| Bougainvillea | 3/30/2011 |
| Q: I have a beautiful Bougainvillea plant growing near my house. I want to take a cutting from this and ... A: Sonia. Yes, you can start bougainvillea from cuttings. It is best to use green stem cuttings if you ... | |
| Chinese Evergreen | 3/29/2011 |
| Q: My name is Monica and I have a chinese evergreen wich I really love, but unfortunately it starts to ... A: Monica, Just like outdoor plants need rain then a few days to dry out tben more rain. All plants ... | |
| Azaelea loosing leaves | 3/28/2011 |
| Q: I have an azaelea that I recently bought. It had blooms and did bloom, but after I brought it home, ... A: Antony, Indoor azaleas are hybrids grown in greenhouses. To get the longest bloom time from an ... | |
| dying peace lily | 3/27/2011 |
| Q: My name is Gloria and I have a MAJOR problem with my lily, can you help? I live in Brooklyn, NY ... A: Gloria, You are watering it too soon before the soil drys out. It needs to get very dry before you ... | |
| palm-like houseplant | 3/26/2011 |
| Q: I inherited this 'tree' from my elderly mother- she doesn't remember what this plant is. I'm ... A: Lynn, Your tree sounds like a Dracaena Marginata also known as Dragon Tree. You can look at ... | |
| Very old Jade plant | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: I inherited my grandmother's Jade, which is maybe over 100 years old. It has done very well for ... A: Judi, No hints, if the trunk is hollow and withered it was either overwatered or encountered a ... | |
| Corn plant | 3/24/2011 |
| Q: My corn plant was outside for too long and scorched the leaves, otherwise the plant is doing well. I ... A: David, I reccomend never putting it outside again unless you have a shded porch or deck. You have ... | |
| House plant identification | 3/23/2011 |
| Q: Darlene: I hate to bother you with a plant identification, but if I could have found it on the ... A: Clare, It is a Ming Aralia, Latin Name: Polyscias fruticosa. They are fairly easy but do sometimes ... | |
| Mexican Fan Palms | 3/21/2011 |
| Q: I recently planted a few 7' Mexican Fan Palms in full sun; I live in Scottsdale AZ and It's now been ... A: Bob, Following are instructions for caring for your Mexican Fan Palms that I found on the ... | |
| corn plant | 3/20/2011 |
| Q: I have a cane Dracaena (corn plant) which sits out on my patio and grows beautifully in spring and ... A: Juli, You did not tell me how tall the plant is so the best I can do is tell you to prune off the ... | |
| what kind of soil should i use for my cacti and when should i water it? | 3/19/2011 |
| Q: I have a ruby red moon cactus that is about 5" tall and I'm not sure what kind of soil I should use. ... A: Mimi, If it gets black spot it is an infection. If you see that immediately start spraying with ... | |
| Bird of Paradise leaves curling inward | 3/19/2011 |
| Q: I have just bought a 5 ft high Bird of Paradise for indoors. We live on the 23rd floor of a ... A: Joanne, Curling and browning foliage points to drying out, either in the root area or in the air ... | |
| what kind of soil should i use for my cacti and when should i water it? | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: I have a ruby red moon cactus that is about 5" tall and I'm not sure what kind of soil I should use. ... A: Mimi, Cacti are desert plants, they require porous cactus soil with good drainage in a pot with a ... | |
| Christmas cactus bloom techniques | 3/16/2011 |
| Q: So...should I cover my Zygo Cactus Mylar with a brown paper bag for 4 weeks to "encourage" it to ... A: Shay, Where did you get that idea? That's Poinsettias, not Christmas Cactus. Why do you expect it ... | |
| aloe vera ?fungi/disease | 3/15/2011 |
| Q: I have an aloe vera plant. It is fairly big, in a big pot. Using moisture control soil. Recently ... A: Becky, It appears to me to be the red tinges that appears on many succulents when they are healthy ... | |
| Peace Lily Infestation | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: I have a Peace Lily that i just repotted and after repotting noticed that the leaves and "flowers" ... A: Terri, When you repot you should only move your plant to a pot that has a diameter 2 inches larger ... | |
| Please help me identify my plant | 3/13/2011 |
| Q: I'm hoping you can help me figure out what this plant is. I've had it for about 10 years and it's ... A: Linda, Your plant is a Yucca elephantipes, also known as the spineless or soft-tipped yucca, is a ... | |
| Need to know the name of this plant/tree | 3/11/2011 |
| Q: There is a plant/tree that I want but am no longer sure of it's name. I've seen it potted and ... A: Lisa, If it is a tree it is probably a eucalyptus tree. If it is a plant it is lunaria annua. My ... | |
| Ficus Benj. | 3/8/2011 |
| Q: This is going to sound odd, most likely, but i have had my ficus tree for 30 years and I would like ... A: L.J. Whether or not you can trim it back to small enough to get in a car, van or suv to take it to ... | |
| chamaedorea cataractarum | 3/7/2011 |
| Q: I just bought a chamaedorea cataractarum (cat) palm at Costco - beautiful and healthy. The tag on ... A: Melissa, You didn't say whether you have it outdoors in filtered light or indoors under florescent ... | |
| majesty palm | 3/6/2011 |
| Q: I have an in-ground pool which I am trying to landscape around. Do majesty palms do good in East ... A: Brenda, Outdoors majesty palms can do very well in the landscape. But it has a few requirements – ... | |
| house plant identification | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: I have had this houseplant for several years now and really wish to know what its name is so I can ... A: Dani, Your plant is an Zebra Plant or the Latin name is Aphelandra. Yes, this is a plant that ... | |
| ponytail palm bulbs | 3/4/2011 |
| Q: I saw a question/answer that you gave to someone who had a similar question that I do. I just want ... A: Clare, Yes this is appropriate for your plant. It is definitely a ponytail or elephants-foot palm. ... | |
| Dracena | 3/1/2011 |
| Q: I have a Dracaena tree that is about three years old and about 3 1/2 foot tall in a 26 inch pot. A ... A: Kelly, It is the really fine meshy roots that feed the plant. Because they are so fine that is why ... | |
| What is this plant? | 2/26/2011 |
| Q: I'm from India, and recently I bough this plant from a small vendor. He said this plant can go ... A: San, I beleive that you have a Resurrection fern, it's latin nsme is Polypodium polypodioides. You ... | |
| My Lily is drooping and weakening! | 2/24/2011 |
| Q: Every time i go out of town Stanley Sensation, my giant wonderful Peace Lily, gets totally droopy. I ... A: Stuart, You repotted Stanley a bit too early. You should only repot plants between April 1st and ... | |
| Yucca tree | 2/23/2011 |
| Q: I have a Yucca tree outside in the garden about 20 feet tall. I think the crown was damaged in the ... A: Val, I would start immediately by spraying the fungus with Lysol Spray, this is an air freshener ... | |
| African violets growing straight up | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: Kittle, I have read many of your informative questions/answers about African violets, so I am hoping ... A: Jillian, Violets need strong, bright light but not direct sun. Lack of light curtails blooming and ... | |
| Holy Basil infection | 2/19/2011 |
| Q: Hey. I have Tulasi [Holy Basil] plants at home. Recently they started dying all of a sudden with ... A: Vipluv, Your picture was rather blurry so it was hard to tell but now with your description I am ... | |
| Corn Cane Plant | 2/19/2011 |
| Q: I have 2 corn cane plants that I purchase in 2006, growing very well. About 2 weeks ago I notice a ... A: Susan, It is not rare but it does require perfect conditions. If you go to Google and put in ... | |
| giant yucca | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: after flowering do you remove the flowering stem ANSWER: Pamela, When giant yucca is grown in the ... A: Pam. The freezing could be the problem. If it froze the trunk it could be soft next to the ground ... | |
| Dracena | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: A friend gave me a challenge - "Grow This" - She gave me a Dracena leaf which had grown some roots. ... A: Beryl, You probably damged the roots a bit when you pulled out the weed. It is best to pull out any ... | |
| Help with Bromeliad care and identification | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: I bought two bromeliad plats from garden centre last year and they seemed to be quite happy for ... A: Natalie, Your bromeliads appear to be varities of Aechmea. You can learn a lot more about ... | |
| Dragon tree | 2/16/2011 |
| Q: I bought a dragon tree last summer and now the tree is losing all the leaves. I have been spraying ... A: Ada, This tree grows in the desert in Egypt. Stop misting it. It must be in a pot with drain holes ... | |
| Holy Basil infection | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: Hey. I have Tulasi [Holy Basil] plants at home. Recently they started dying all of a sudden with ... A: Vipluv, They have an insect called mealy bugs which hides under the cottony looking spot. You need ... | |
| lost | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: I need help i moved into an apartment it came with a big plant that was over grown and drying out ... A: Dave, It is a philodendron selloum. It is not a bulb plant. Unless there are obviously 2 separate ... | |
| name of plant | 2/13/2011 |
| Q: I used to have a plant that had lemon-scented leaves and would trail depending on the size. I am ... A: Sabina, The only name I can find for it is the same as you have. I did find a source in Australia ... | |
| Mass Cane...not so healthy. | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: I got really involved in landscaping my yard last summer so for Valentine's Day amidst the ... A: Michelle, Buy a small bag of potting soil and a bag of perlite and mix them and fill up the pot so ... | |
| Dracena Reflexa Anita | 2/10/2011 |
| Q: I have had a 3 foot dracena Anita for a year, the plant is indoors. I have recently noticed small ... A: Stephanie, I doubt that it is mould unless the trunk has soft mushy spots. I suspect that what you ... | |
| Frosted Yucca plant | 2/9/2011 |
| Q: I have two Yuccas about 24" tall that live outside (in Dallas), they are in a sheltered area under ... A: Nicola, If the top turns totally brown and drys up you will have to cut it off bact ot the green ... | |
| 6th grade science project | 2/8/2011 |
| Q: I'm in the the grade 11 years old and I'm doing a science project about plants and vitamins. My main ... A: Tiffany, Here are several articles availabe on Google that will have the info you are looking for: ... | |
| giant yucca | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: after flowering do you remove the flowering stem ANSWER: Pamela, When giant yucca is grown in the ... A: Pam, Tell me about your weather conditions lately. Have you had severe freezing temperatures or a ... | |
| Indoor Cana Lily | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: I have a Cana Lily that I received as a gift for Mother's day in 2010 and it looks like it dieing. ... A: Savannah, Stop watering it and put it in a dark cool location and the stalks will die back ... | |
| Ivy - Grub Infestation | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: I hope someone can help me ... ten years ago, a friend gave me some flowers to celebrate the birth ... A: Yes, repot it with dry soil. Then water it with rubbing alcohol and let it sit an hour. then remove ... | |
| Ivy - Grub Infestation | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: I hope someone can help me ... ten years ago, a friend gave me some flowers to celebrate the birth ... A: Danelle, I would immediately take some cuttings from the plant and try rooting them in water. Then I ... | |
| Indoor Cana Lily | 2/6/2011 |
| Q: I have a Cana Lily that I received as a gift for Mother's day in 2010 and it looks like it dieing. ... A: Savannah, A canna lily is a tropical bulb plant like a tulip or hyacinth. Bulb plants need dormant ... | |
| indoor flowering plants who don't need sunlight? | 2/5/2011 |
| Q: Are there any plants that have flowers that can be planted inside the house in an area without ... A: Loettaa, African violets, peace lilies, azaleas, bromeliads, Streptocarpus, phaleonopsis orchids, ... | |
| PEACELILLY | 2/4/2011 |
| Q: i have a peace lilly from my aunties funeral on 11/26/2010. i keep it in low lighting almost in the ... A: Denise, A Peace Lily is not a "closet Plant". There is no plant that will survive in a location ... | |
| bugs in plants | 2/3/2011 |
| Q: I have very small silver like bugs in my plant soil, what can I do to get rid of them without ... A: Tracy, Water your plant with rubbing alcohol. It will kill the insects in the soil without harming ... | |
| Difficulty identifying insects in house plant soil | 1/31/2011 |
| Q: I have 3 different kinds of house plants: basil, cilantro, and a plant that I took out of a flower ... A: Grace, They may be the juvenile fungus gnat. It really doesn't matter. They are probably in the ... | |
| giant yukka | 1/29/2011 |
| Q: after flowering do you remove the flowering stem A: Pamela, When giant yucca is grown in the garden you should remove old flowering stems but leave ... | |
| Mass Cane Plant | 1/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a Mass Cane Plant I believe I might have been over watering it. The leaves turned yellow ... A: Stacy, Yes, yellow leaves indicate overwatering. The plant needs to dry out well between waterings ... | |
| Pony Tail Palm Plant | 1/27/2011 |
| Q: My plant as decided to "lint" its white stuff all over the leaves, and I am not sure why. Haven't ... A: Debbie, Your plant has insects. It has been attacked by mealy bugs that are hiding under those bits ... | |
| bromelia (I think) | 1/26/2011 |
| Q: We are trying to figure out why this plants looks like it is dying. When we bought it (about 6 ... A: Kimberly, This plant will not get to looking better. It is dying. It only blooms once. It will send ... | |
| Cactus | 1/25/2011 |
| Q: I just got a pot full of 4 different cactus plants (maybe a 5th one is in it as well??). They do not ... A: Jessica, Unless they appear so crowded that they are ready to break to pot they do not need ... | |
| Confused | 1/24/2011 |
| Q: I have a purpel wondering Jew that I got about a year ago. When I re-potted it I gave some of the ... A: Joey, You may not be giving it as much sun as she is, it is a sun lover. You may also be either ... | |
| Polka Dot Plant | 1/23/2011 |
| Q: I have a cute Polka Dot Plant. I think the location in my house is suitable for it (warm but not ... A: Danielle, The symptoms you are describing indicate that you are doing better but you are still ... | |
| coral cactus | 1/22/2011 |
| Q: my cactus is turning black on one side and dries up like paper, whats causing this, can I fix it? A: Debbie, If it has a section turning black then it probably has a fungus attacking it due to being ... | |
| Aglaonema | 1/21/2011 |
| Q: To whom it may concern: I have an Aglaonema in my house, unfortunately in these days, the leaves of ... A: Ladan, You are keeping it to wet. Do not water it till it is dry and feels light weight. Also give ... | |
| dracena reflexa anita | 1/20/2011 |
| Q: we just brought 2 of these plants home a few days ago and one has lost quite a few leaves. they are ... A: Lee, Generally leaf dropping is caused by too much or too little water. Also if it got too cold on ... | |
| ephorbia/ascots | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: about how tall do they usually grow? A: Lisette, Growing in the ground in the south in zone 7 where it never gets below 0 they will get 20" ... | |
| dracaena fragrans mass cane plant | 1/17/2011 |
| Q: My plant bloomed, will it bloom again, I cut off the dead flowers the plant seems to be resting ( ... A: Pattie, You can feed it beginning in March. It will probably bloom again next year about the same ... | |
| Plant Help | 1/16/2011 |
| Q: I have had my Dracaena fragrans Massangeana for 6-8 months now. The taller of the two has lost all ... A: Megan, This plant likes bright light but no direct sun. It has to have at least 6 hours a day of ... | |
| Hybiscus Tree | 1/15/2011 |
| Q: I have a Hybiscus tree that I cant seem to make happy. The leaves are droopy and I have not had a ... A: Candice, I own 3 hibiscus plants. One is tree form and the other 2 are bonsai hibiscus. These ... | |
| Ming Tree | 1/14/2011 |
| Q: OK I replanted my Ming Tree this summer. It was doing great. I brought it into my GreenHouse (my ... A: Debbie, I need more information. What are it's problems right now? From the information you have ... | |
| neglected ponytail palm | 1/13/2011 |
| Q: My cats knocked a pot of 4 ponytail palms in a 6" pot off behind my window shelf and when I ... A: Bill, Soak them immediately but then drain all excess water and do not water again until they are ... | |
| please help me | 1/12/2011 |
| Q: I got this plant from my dad's funeral 2 months ago. Hence the importance of this plant to me. I ... A: Melanie, Youe plat is commonly known as a Corn Plant or Dracaena Fragrans. The corn plant is a ... | |
| Dracaena Pleomele Reflexa Anita Plant | 1/11/2011 |
| Q: I bought this plant from a Walmart store, later in the summer of 2010. Ever since it has been ... A: Jessica, It sounds like a pill bug but I do not think the bug is the problem. Your Dracaena ... | |
| corntree (plant) | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: I've had my corn plant for about 4 months. It sits in front of a window and I open the blinds often ... A: Chris, This plant should never go outside in the sun, it sunburns easily, it should also not go out ... | |
| Yellowing Leaves | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: I have a dracaena Massangeana plant. It has been doing well up until the last 6 weeks. Some of the ... A: Mary Jean, It is overwatering. This plant needs to get veeeery dry between waterings especially ... | |
| kangaroo fern | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: when transplating fern do you cut off tails hanging over side of plant or just plant them in soil in ... A: Lorraine, This is not a good time of year to be transplanting it to a larger pot. It is better to ... | |
| Ponytail Palm | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: I have a ponytail palm that I found almost 10 years ago when moving into a house in TX. 5 years ago ... A: Michelle, The original plant is not dead. It just took it time to first grow new roots and now top ... | |
| my tropical hibiscus | 1/4/2011 |
| Q: I noticed my tropical hibiscus got a parasite: something like very little, pin point dots, red, that ... A: Gabriela, Your plant has an insect called spider mites. Getting rid of spider mites (often ... | |
| Mass Canes | 1/3/2011 |
| Q: Here is my problem. i handle maitainance for a few offices. We used to have a plant service but it ... A: Elliot, Yes, those are also dracaenas and those instructions apply to all but the marginatas. ... | |
| Janet Craig? | 1/2/2011 |
| Q: I have a Janet Craig plant that I saved from work. The plaint is about 5”6’ tall there is two stalks ... A: Bill, Your Janet Craigs are a variety of Dracaena and since you live in a city that probably has ... | |
| Mass Canes | 1/1/2011 |
| Q: Here is my problem. i handle maitainance for a few offices. We used to have a plant service but it ... A: Elliot, Your Mass Canes are a variety of Dracaena and since you are in a city that probably has ... | |
| yucca tree | 12/31/2010 |
| Q: i have a healthy 2.4metre yucca tree in a sheltered s.w,facing location. it seems to of survived the ... A: Tony, That is quite a large yucca. There are many different varieties and without a picture I ... | |
| What type of plant has been given to me? | 12/30/2010 |
| Q: and my mother and i have recieved this plant as a gift. My aunt Grace who sent it through a service ... A: Steven, The plant is a croton. It is a tropical plant. I have not been to Phoenix so I do not know ... | |
| dieffenbachia---left in cold car | 12/29/2010 |
| Q: Dieffenbachia from my mother's funeral. On the way home my son had car trouble. Plant was left in ... A: Davis, If the leaves only have black spots and the entire plant has not collapsed you are very ... | |
| Aloha lily | 12/27/2010 |
| Q: My aloha lily is droopy. It has new shoots coming out but I don't know if I am suppose to cut off ... A: Diana, This is a bulb plant like tulips. The flowers do not last forever. Clip the old ones off. To ... | |
| Jade Plant Problems | 12/26/2010 |
| Q: We have a jade plant that is sprouting little white spiky shoots, so far about 1/4" to 1/2" long. ... A: Bonnie, I suspect that the little white spiky shoots may be insects called mealy bugs if they look ... | |
| Jade plant | 12/25/2010 |
| Q: My beautiful and large Jade plant sits in the V of my kitchen window in Denver. It has grown from a ... A: Sandra, I'm sorry, I misunderstood your statement, "It has grown from a small plant to a very large ... | |
| Are my plants toxic to my dogs | 12/22/2010 |
| Q: I recently got to fairly large house plants. One a corn (cornstalk) plant and one Dragon tree. I ... A: Kate, They are very toxic to all animals but usually the animals are intelligent enough to leave ... | |
| STEPHONOTIS | 12/20/2010 |
| Q: My house stephanotis plant's leaves are turning yellow. How can I prevent this ? Thank you A: Elizabeth, Yellow leaves on a stephanotis can be caused by not enough sun, too much water, ... | |
| Indoor Plumeria has never bloomed | 12/17/2010 |
| Q: we've had our plumeria for a few years by now. We water it, but we keep forgetting to do something ... A: Samantha, Summer is the time for maximum plumeria flowering in the northern hemisphere. Plumeria ... | |
| YUCCA CANE | 12/15/2010 |
| Q: One of my yucca cane plants, which shares a 10" pot with two others has a couple leaves on the top ... A: Bob, Yes you can cut it off just below the dead growth. No yu do not have to treat the cut. You do ... | |
| Leaves | 12/14/2010 |
| Q: How do leaves repel water?? This is for my science project and I don't have any articles or anything ... A: Minny, Here are sites with the articles you are looking for: ... | |
| Curious | 12/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a potted plant that I was given by a friend. I have no idea what kind of plant it is or how ... A: Salacia, From your description I suspect it is a schefflera plant. You can see pictures here: ... | |
| My Sad Umbrella Tree | 12/12/2010 |
| Q: I have an Umbrella Tree..it has stick white almost lice/fuzz on some of the leaves and on the ... A: Ivy, The Christmas Cactus is easy, it is being kept too wet. You need to let it get dryer between ... | |
| sheffelera | 12/10/2010 |
| Q: Oopsie! I left my sheffelera out in 20* weather for 2-3 nights by mistake. Since then I brought it ... A: Kathy, A sheffelera is a tropical plant, it is not happy at temperatures below 50 degrees. If it ... | |
| Rubber tree house plants | 12/9/2010 |
| Q: I am concerned that I have developed an allergy related to latex....is the house plant known as a ... A: Cindy, You are probably correct and will need to be very careful in the future whe pruning your ... | |
| Indoor palm | 12/3/2010 |
| Q: The tree is pretty much dead. I can see the roots and some are still green. Can i do anything ... A: Tracy, It is probably dead but if you cut the top back and cut back on the water, only watering it ... | |
| redwood burl | 12/2/2010 |
| Q: i bring a piece of redwood burl as house plant. the instruction said to put it in shallow bowl with ... A: Min, Yes it needs roots before you plant it in a bonssai pot but it will grow roots as it sprouts ... | |
| zygo cactur mylar | 12/2/2010 |
| Q: what type of liquid should I feed this plant? A: Paula, You have a zygo cactus or Christmas Cactus. The Mylar just refers to the plastic cover that ... | |
| redwood burl | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: i bring a piece of redwood burl as house plant. the instruction said to put it in shallow bowl with ... A: Min, No it will not live in a bowl of water forever. Let the sprouts get to 6 inches tall then ... | |
| redwood burl | 11/30/2010 |
| Q: i bring a piece of redwood burl as house plant. the instruction said to put it in shallow bowl with ... A: Min, Where do you live? Your redwood burl is an outdoor plant that needs lots of sun and cool night ... | |
| Can you identify this one? | 11/21/2010 |
| Q: I bought this plant recently but I don't know what this one is called. It is a shrub and has no ... A: Saksham, It is nearly impossible to accurately identify a plant without a picture. There are ... | |
| pruning a Ti plant | 11/20/2010 |
| Q: What time of year should I get a bottle of rooting hormone then cut the stem well below the green ... A: Carol, To get it to root well it needs to be between April 1st and June 30th when the days are ... | |
| ends of leaves turn dark and dry | 11/19/2010 |
| Q: I recently repoted a small peace lily into a 8 " pot. Now the end 1/3 of the leaves are turning dark ... A: Paul, Brown tips mean the plant is being kept too wet and you have some root rot. It needs to get ... | |
| Anita Draceana dying | 11/18/2010 |
| Q: I have 3 Anita Draceana plants that were doing very well up until about 3 weeks ago. Then is when I ... A: There may have been a couple of eggs in the soil when you bought it that survuved the steriliztion. ... | |
| Anita Draceana dying | 11/18/2010 |
| Q: I have 3 Anita Draceana plants that were doing very well up until about 3 weeks ago. Then is when I ... A: Brown tips mean the plant is being kept too wet and you have some root rot. It needs to get nearly ... | |
| Indoor Fern Plant | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: My name is Marlee Vieth and I had bought a Fern plant at Wallaces's Garden center sometime back in ... A: Marlee, I was hoping that you had sent a picture of this white/brownish stuff speckled on a few of ... | |
| Orchids and other plants have bugs | 11/16/2010 |
| Q: Hey Darlene! I have a few plants at work that I suspect I have over watered and now we have these ... A: Jessica, #1, To prevent this from ever happening again never allow water to sit in the drain tray ... | |
| snake plant turning brown | 11/14/2010 |
| Q: I have a snake plant that I bought about 4 months ago. I repotted it right after I got it into a pot ... A: Lisa, If it were mine I would move it to a smaller pot now. In the large pot it will take too long ... | |
| Please help with my corn plant! | 11/14/2010 |
| Q: I have had my corn plant for about 18 months. It was doing wonderful until I repotted it. It was ... A: Misty, From your description I am bettig that the nicer pot has no drain hole aor drain tray under ... | |
| snake plant turning brown | 11/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a snake plant that I bought about 4 months ago. I repotted it right after I got it into a pot ... A: Lisa, This is a semi succulent plant. It does not need water unless the soil is very dry and the ... | |
| jade plants | 11/4/2010 |
| Q: I have two large jadeplants about 10 years old. They are both fading to a pale green and seem to ... A: Marilyn, I suspect that the problem is they are too wet. Get a water meter for about $10.00 at most ... | |
| house palm | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: I have a house palm plant. I have had it for about 7 weeks. I noticed worms and I was told to ... A: Michele, The worms are the larval stage of an insect that likes wet soil. Soaking it just made the ... | |
| Corn plant | 11/2/2010 |
| Q: Is it possible to get a corn plant to send off new shoots from it's wooden trunk? One died and now ... A: Mary Anne, If it is still green and the roots are healthy you need to water it only when it is very ... | |
| stephanotis seed pod | 11/1/2010 |
| Q: I'm wondering how common it is for m stephanotis house plant to flower and then make seed pods, my ... A: Maria, Good job, those fruit don't always set well. That fruit is described by some to be a smooth ... | |
| pachypodium lamerei | 10/30/2010 |
| Q: recently bought yard high pachypodium. Gave it half litre of water after 2 weeks. It is under a door ... A: Maria, This plant comes from the plains and desert of Madagascar and is commonly known as a ... | |
| Japanese Money Tree (pachira) | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: I got 2 plants in Georgia couple months ago and brought them back to Michigan. Since I've had them ... A: Vita, In Georgia it was used to getting lots of light probably outdoors. In your home it is not ... | |
| lavender pests | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: I have a lavender bought this summer (I think it has more than a year, not more than two years). I ... A: Anca, Take the plant to the kitchen sink and spray it well with a heavy spray of water from the ... | |
| Fiddle Leaf Fig | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: I recently bought a Fiddle Leaf Fig plant, it was in a small pot so I re-potted it to a pot where I ... A: Nikki, Roots coming out the bottom of the pot only means that it has a healthy root system that ... | |
| Fiddle Leaf Fig | 10/25/2010 |
| Q: I recently bought a Fiddle Leaf Fig plant, it was in a small pot so I re-potted it to a pot where I ... A: Nikki, Your self watering pot is keeping you fig too wet. I do not recommend those pots for exactly ... | |
| Peace Lily | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: Can I plant my large peace lily outside in North Carolina?? A: Beth, NO!!!! A peace lily is a tropical plant and does not do well in temperatures below 50 ... | |
| Separating Dracaenas | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a Dracaena Marginata from a local nursery. It contains 4 stems rooted together in ... A: Andy, I do not recommend it.If you separate them this time of year with the shorter days it will ... | |
| Papyrus | 10/21/2010 |
| Q: I have a Papyrus plant that I will bring into the house for the winter. My question is do I have to ... A: Amy, If it were my plant I would try both. I would take some cuttings of the top of the plants and ... | |
| ficus losing leaves | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: We have had our ficus tree for 22 years, repotted once, moving it outside each spring and back ... A: Jean, Yes, There is a chance it will recuperate. Keep it warm, give it as much sun as possible. It ... | |
| My dumb Cane rotted at stock and root base | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: My dumb Cane has rotted between its root portion and the stock but this time the plant is still ... A: Alex, Make sure the pot you are using has a large drain hole and a drain tray under it. The pot ... | |
| poor quality of purchased houseplants | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: After moving into a house with large,south-facing windows, I decided to try houseplants for the ... A: Patricia, If the store has nothing to hide they should not object to you very gingerly removing the ... | |
| Gardenia spider mites/leaves yellow | 10/17/2010 |
| Q: I have 2 Gardenia plants (potted this summer) and indoors now in my morning room. They have a deep, ... A: Chaminie, Yes, raise the pots up out of the drain trays on stones so they cannot reabsorb the water ... | |
| Identify house plant | 10/16/2010 |
| Q: I was given a plant & the women didn't know what it was. It gets real big & has babies somewhat like ... A: Dan, I have the same plant and I have had it for 20 years and I cannot identify it. I have given a ... | |
| cat palm | 10/15/2010 |
| Q: I want to buy a cat palm plant, but need to know if it is poisonous to a cat. I have looked at ... A: Lynn, No, it is not poisonous to your cat. It does need to not dry out but be lightly moist, never ... | |
| eucalyptus house plants | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: I have been reading the info on size, etc. that are most likely to survive in the home for a while - ... A: Sandy, I have no idea. I reccommend that you visit a nursery that carries them and smell for ... | |
| Janet Compacta Plant | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: A few months ago, I received my first plant, which is a Janet Compacta Plant. The leaves were a dark ... A: Arlene, Does your tap water have chlorine or flouride in it? Dracanas which includes Janet Compacta ... | |
| Anthurium and Dracaena fragans Massangeana | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: I have a Anthurium which I have recently bought and repotted and believe it is in the correct ... A: Samantha, The anthurium needs a bit more light than the dracaena. The dracaena needs to be sitting ... | |
| burning leaves of masscane | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: i have a mass cane, ibought almost months ago. now suddenly leaves have started to burning, they r ... A: Anna, Are you watering this plant with tap water that has chlorine or flouride in it? Dracanas ... | |
| plants | 10/10/2010 |
| Q: How much alcohol do you put in a plant to kill house gnats without killing the plant? I have ... A: Heidi, Your soil is holding too much water, keeping your plants too wet and it is beginning to rot ... | |
| palm tree house plant | 10/9/2010 |
| Q: i was given a palm tree house plant and it was outside till 2days ago now the stems and leaves are ... A: Lynn, I live in northern IN and I have a son in Lewisberg, PA. I suspect that it has gotten too ... | |
| palm tree house plant | 10/9/2010 |
| Q: i was given a palm tree house plant and it was outside till 2days ago now the stems and leaves are ... A: Lynn, I need more information than you gave me. Where do you live and how cold has it gotten ... | |
| ficus pumila making me sad | 10/8/2010 |
| Q: I bought a lovely little ficus in a hanging basket about a week ago. two or three days ago I woke up ... A: Jamie, Open the blinds. this plant loves the sun and needs bright sun, If the soil is wet or mushy ... | |
| Rubber Plant | 10/5/2010 |
| Q: My rubber plant leaves have all fallen off. Will you please tell me what I need to do. I keep it in ... A: Kim, If it has lost all it's leaves it may be too late. If the room is too dark for your hand to ... | |
| Black cacti | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: I own a coral cactus and one day it was fine and looked like it did the day I bought it, and then ... A: Amanda, Cactus do not have a lot of roots therefore they do not need large pots. The larger the ... | |
| Help with a plant ID | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: Ive had this plant for three years and while ive kept it alive, it hasn't been easy and more times ... A: Dave, I am sorry, I cannot ID your plant in it's current conditions. I can, however, tell you that ... | |
| Ponytail palm plant | 10/2/2010 |
| Q: I have adopted/inherited a possibly dead ponytail palm plant. It is currently in approx 2 gall pot, ... A: Vicky, I don't reccommend repotting it unless you go to a smaller pot but do carefully unpot it and ... | |
| coral cactus | 10/1/2010 |
| Q: I have a small coral cactus that is sprouting leaves from the side of the cactus. The leaves are ... A: Amy, A coral cactus is a grafted cactus. The coral cactus is the part at the top that is colered. ... | |
| pruning | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: I have 2 schefflera that need to be severely cut back or prunned. can that safely be done now... A: Toni, Yes, you can prune it now. But, it is not the best time of year. Make sure you do not prune ... | |
| indoor fig tree | 9/29/2010 |
| Q: I received a fig tree that had recently been repotted in May as a graduation gift. It's a terrific ... A: Naomi, Yes, It was repotted too soon and you have probably overwatered it. However it is also the ... | |
| House Plant ID | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: behind, I have been trying to identify it I got a bit of an idea of what it needs but Id like to ... A: Scott, It appears to be a young Rubber tree plant. The latin name would be ficus elastica. It is ... | |
| Golden Pothos turning yellow and drooping | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: About 5 months ago I transplanted a golden pothos from a plastic container to a ceramic one. The ... A: Angela, Your new office may not have as good of quality of light so it may be getting too much ... | |
| House plant | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: How do you take care of it. Thanks & God Bless Joe ANSWER: Joe, What is the real Name for what? ... A: Joe, I think they are using this name for columnea. It is in the gesneriad family. Check out the ... | |
| Peace lily | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a large peace lily, a variety with very large leaves. In the winter months it is indoors but ... A: Denise, It is very dangerous to put peace lilies outside at all. The sun and the wind can both ... | |
| Kentia leaves | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: I live in Malta, and i have a kentia that has been in my yard for more than 5 years.(It is not in ... A: I still suspect it is too dry. When it is too wet it is the leaf tips that turn brown. Lift it out ... | |
| Kentia leaves | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: I live in Malta, and i have a kentia that has been in my yard for more than 5 years.(It is not in ... A: Josette, Unless it has been raining more than 4 centimeters of rain a week and you are having ... | |
| An ill Dracaena Massangeana | 9/21/2010 |
| Q: I’ve had the massangeana for 4 years by a window with sufficient sunlight. Recently some of its ... A: Geni, A mass cane does not like any direct sun, if it was getting sun that may be what caused the ... | |
| Centipede-like insects in my plan soil | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a 5 foot tall indoor palm tree/plant. Little centipede-like insects appear on the top of the ... A: Maxine, The centipedes must be the larval form of an insect in your area that is laying eggs in the ... | |
| ferns in Michigan | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: I have two beautiful ferns hanging on my porch. Is it possible to save them for next season? I ... A: Judi, You might donate them to a church or day care or school that has lots of windows when it is ... | |
| Fica Tree Bugs | 9/14/2010 |
| Q: I have a fica tree that has these little white round balls at the underside base of the leaves and ... A: Judy, If they are flat and scaly they are probably an insect called scale. The easiest way to get ... | |
| pruning split leaf philadendron "s" type | 9/14/2010 |
| Q: Saw your answer to Doug 2007 about the "m" type of split leaf. My two are also at least 25 years old ... A: Karen, I am assuming that you mean a philodendron selloum. It is not possible to take cuttings from ... | |
| false aralia dying | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: I have three small fase aralia indoors. I have had them for months without any problems. I recently ... A: Erin, I suspect that you moved them to too large of pots. You should only move plant to pot that ... | |
| houseplants | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: I made a mistake I grabbed thew wrong bottle and sprayed lysol on my houseplants. Will this kill my ... A: Vik, Absolutely not. I use Lyssol spray on my plaants whenever I suspect they have a fungal ... | |
| cyclamen | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: I rescued 2 pink/lavender flowered cyclamen plants from a grocery store where they were almost dead. ... A: Kristi, The balls at the ends of the flower stems are seed pods. They are not ripe till they begin ... | |
| Devils Ivy | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: The leaves on my ivy are turning yellow and falling off.Why?What am I doing wrong? A: Jaynell, You are either watering it too much or it is not getting enough light. It should never sit ... | |
| "knats" in house plants | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: First I would like to know about these tiny black flying insects that have invaded a Peace Lily. ... A: Vickie, T The fungus gnats are like fruit flies that attack overripe bananas on your kitchen ... | |
| Poinsettia | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I recently re-potted a poinsettia of mine, using a bag of old potting soil that had been left out ... A: Jen, The soil you used has a lot of peat moss and it attracts fungus gnats if you leave water in ... | |
| Ficus Sickus | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: I was given two large Ficus about 9'-10' tall. They appear to be doing ok, but we are loosing some ... A: Tom, The sticky stuff is honeydew. It is the excrement of insects which may be why the trees were ... | |
| houseplant help | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: my mother passed away two years ago and being the only child i received all the plants from the ... A: Tanya, Can you email me a picture? If so end it to plantlady6@yahoo.com or send it through here ... | |
| plant id | 9/7/2010 |
| Q: i have this plant someone gave me i don't know what it is. It has a leaf like a himp plant, it has a ... A: Rexann, Can you email me a picture? If so end it to plantlady6@yahoo.com or send it through here ... | |
| False Aralia | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a False Aralia over 5 ft tall but mostly stem. I sit it outside each spring (Kansas City ... A: Jo, Move it away from the bird feeder or move the bird feeder away from it then just be patient. ... | |
| Question about Umbrella plant vs. Umbrella tree | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: I have 3 cats and I want to get a couple of large houseplants for my bedroom. I keep getting ... A: Heather, The umbrella plant that is not poisonous is not a housplant. It is a flowering plant grown ... | |
| Indoor Plants | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: I am looking for a plant for my desk at work. I would like it to grow around 2 ft. Thanks A: Val, If your desk is in a very sunny area with large windows a cactus might fit the bill. But if it ... | |
| brown leaves on palm tree | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: I bought a palm tree a year or so ago and it has not done well at all. Most of the leaves are ... A: Mary, Brown leaves on your palm tree can indicate that is not getting enough light in which case ... | |
| Peace Lily maintenance | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: I have had my Peace Lily for two years, and it had always been so hardy. Recently, it developed ... A: Ann, No, it is not the insects causing the root rot, it is the root rot that is attracting the ... | |
| Orchid help!!! | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: I dropped my orchid! I've been mothering this orchid for months. It started from a stick with some ... A: Desirai, Since I am not an Orchid expert and I do not know exactly what kind of orchid you have I ... | |
| plants turn yellow | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: i did an experiment where i kept a plant in darkness and it turned yellow. please help me ... A: Dou, This sounds like a homework question and I am not supposed to answer homework questions so my ... | |
| Identify ficus | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: We were given an indoor tree over 5' tall. The label said that it was a ficus but I know that it is ... A: HRW, That was why I gave you my personal email address so you could send me more than one picture ... | |
| Identify ficus | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: We were given an indoor tree over 5' tall. The label said that it was a ficus but I know that it is ... A: Hrw, Because of the background of the trees outside I cannot see the tree well in your picture. ... | |
| coral cactus | 8/14/2010 |
| Q: I have a coral cactus that has sprouted a green stalk with leaves from the original stalk. The new ... A: Ivy, It does happen and if you feel it ruins the looks of the cactus it is perfectly fine to take ... | |
| leaves dying on corn plant | 8/14/2010 |
| Q: I have a corn plant where the leaves are beginning to die and fall of at the bottom. Also, I've ... A: Titus, The white cottony spots pictured are the insects called mealy bugs. You need to mix rubbing ... | |
| Dying "rescued" Ficus | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: I recently "rescued" a variegated leaf ficus that was about to be thrown in the trash by a neighbor ... A: Marcie, It should not be planted in a pot that has a diameter more than 2 inches larger than the ... | |
| Mealybugs | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: I have orchids with a bad mealy problem..I have been using soap & alcohol spray. I was wondering can ... A: Helene, Yes, it can survive outside during the summer and in the winter it finds it's way deep into ... | |
| Another Ficus Question | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: Since you were so helpful with my other Ficus, perhaps you could give me some insight into the care ... A: Mandy, It shouldn't go out below 8 celsius. It could go out days and be brought back in at night. ... | |
| plant | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know what kind of plant to put upstairs in the foyer there is just the bathroom and ... A: Betty, If there is not enough light there that you will cast a light shadow most of the day ... | |
| Cronton leaves | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: my plant is outside on the porch and it is growing some smaller leaves right now. They were drooping ... A: Alisa, This plant likes to get very dry between waterings and it likes full sun to maintain it's ... | |
| gardenias | 8/11/2010 |
| Q: i failed to trim my gardenias last year and now they are way overgrown. they have finished ... A: Kathy, Prune occasionally. Unlike some bushes and shrubs, Gardenias actually don’t require pruning ... | |
| Another Ficus Question | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: Since you were so helpful with my other Ficus, perhaps you could give me some insight into the care ... A: Mandy, Yes, repot the Schefflera immediately. Use the same soil I descried earlier. Then set it ... | |
| indoor palm | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: I bought this 5 foot tall palm plant from Walmart and it has grown quite a bit since I got it. It ... A: Krystle, You are definitly overwatering it, rotting the roots and attracting fungus gnats which are ... | |
| Ficus Benjamina | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: I am told that this Ficus is almost 30 years old, I've personally owned it for about 3 years. I am ... A: Mandy, Are those stems at the bottom totally bare or do they hae a few leaves at the ends? If they ... | |
| Ficus Benjamina | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: I am told that this Ficus is almost 30 years old, I've personally owned it for about 3 years. I am ... A: Mandy, Your ficus does not appear to be 30 years old. It has had poor care over the years if it is ... | |
| indoor palm | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: I bought this 5 foot tall palm plant from Walmart and it has grown quite a bit since I got it. It ... A: Krystle, I really need to know if you have changed anything in the way you care for it. Since I ... | |
| bonsai cactus | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: how do you bonsai a rhipsalidopsis cactus from the beginning A: John, To bonsai it you have to grow it rampantly till it is large and old and has a woody trunk ... | |
| Killed My Split Leaf Philodendron While on Vacation | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: Sadly I think I have totally killed my deceased mother's 30 year old split leaf philodendron while I ... A: Elizabeth, You say you think you killed it but you do not say how you think you killed it? Did you ... | |
| White Bird of Paradise | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: Darlene, Thank you for your answer to my last question. I'm writing regarding my white bird of ... A: Juliet, Only for right now while the temps are above 85 degrees you can water it as soon as you ... | |
| bamboo plant | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: I received a potted indoor bamboo plant. How can I make my new "pal" grow better? Also should it ... A: Lorrie, No. You should not repot it for at least a year unless the roots are circling the pot. Make ... | |
| white spots on indoor palm tree | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a palm tree. a few weeks ago I started noticing these white spots about the ... A: Joyce, I suspect that your palm has mealy bugs. Put rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle mixed 50/50 ... | |
| Jade Plant | 8/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a 20 year old Jade plant, about 4 ft. tall. I have grown several plants from the original ... A: Gail, It is either not getting enough sun or it is getting too much water or both. Cut back on ... | |
| rubber tree pant | 8/5/2010 |
| Q: My rubber tree plant is fairly good size have had for 6 yrs. And would love to keep.my problem is ... A: Jeff, It appears that it is in a pot with no drain hole or drain tray under it so it probably is ... | |
| Peace Lily | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: I have a peace lily and i bought it like 3 months ago and it was beautiful but all of the sudden the ... A: Luz, If it is in a pot with no drain tray repot it immediately into a smaller pot that will fit ... | |
| need help despritly | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: I have just inherited a jade tree/plant. Anyway, some limbs fell off during transport, now a week ... A: Dave, You did not say how often you are watering it? Stop watering it totally. Do not water it at ... | |
| repotting a dracaena | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: I have an indoor dracaena, 50" tall, in a plastic pot, 11" diameter, 12" tall. For aesthetic ... A: Jenny, I am confused, the pot is the same diameter but but twice as tall? The new pot must have a ... | |
| Peace lily and sterile soil | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: I have purchased a peace lily with many blooms two weeks ago. Within days the tips of the blooms ... A: Juliet, You are watering it way too often. A peace lilly needs to be dry for a week after the top ... | |
| Little brown bugs | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: We were on vacation for a week and when we returned we noticed our potted tree was infected with ... A: Leigh Anne, The bugs are probably fungus gnats and they are there because your plants were too wet ... | |
| yellow fungus | 7/30/2010 |
| Q: I just repotted a spider plant and the dirt and roots are covered with a bright yellow fungus like ... A: Teresa, Yes, you should be worried. You have poor potting soil that seems to be growing a mold. ... | |
| Identification | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: I want to buy a house tree/plant I have seen in some apartments. I don't know its name. I saw it the ... A: Alex, A fiddle leaf ficus needs some sun and needs to be in a pot with a drainage hole and a drain ... | |
| Identification | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: I want to buy a house tree/plant I have seen in some apartments. I don't know its name. I saw it the ... A: Alex, It is relatively easy to grow indoors. It reguires some sun from an east, west or south ... | |
| small spherical object that fell off of leaves | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: There was a small ball-like object that fell off of one of my plants as I took it down to water like ... A: Lara, It sounds like a paper wasps nest. You can see pictures of them at the following site: ... | |
| bamboo leaves turning brown at the tip | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: I have a rather tall bamboo plant in soil. Should I transfer it to a vase with water. I water it ... A: Cass, If you are sure that this is a "Lucky Bamboo" then yes you can wash the soil off and put it ... | |
| Dracena plant | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: i bought a dracena indoor plant about 7-8 months ago and i was told to repot it in 6 months, so i ... A: Ripsime, It could be that you moved it to too large a pot. The new pot should have a diameter ... | |
| sun parasol | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: I purchased two parasol plants one month ago(June). They are in separate pots...both in the same ... A: Cindy, Here are some common problems with many plants including your mandevilla plants. PROBLEM ... | |
| Probagation | 7/19/2010 |
| Q: How do you propagate a ficus and is there more than one way. Thanks. A: Henry, You can propagate a ficus tree by cuttings or air layering. The following site has a ... | |
| shredding | 7/19/2010 |
| Q: the leaves on my palm tree are shredding and I do'nt know why and do'nt know what to do about it A: Donna, I know of no insect that shreds palm leaves. Is this an outdoor palm or a potted palm ... | |
| Unknown plant among rooted grape vine cuttings | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: I just have a question about some grape vine cuttings I took this early spring (twigs with buds) of ... A: Sophia, Unless you want to plant it on the side of a barn or at the base of a tree then I would get ... | |
| Palm fronds | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: Good morning I have a small palm plant not sure what it's called would appreciate if you could ... A: Carol, It is either a the Kentia palm, the botanical name is Howea Fosteriana, Or it is a Majesty ... | |
| velvet plant | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: I bought a healthy gynura in a 6" pot, in less that 1 week the leave started drooping. I watered it ... A: Linda, I suspect it was overwatered and water was allowed to stay in the drain tray until it was ... | |
| Unknown plant among rooted grape vine cuttings | 7/17/2010 |
| Q: I just have a question about some grape vine cuttings I took this early spring (twigs with buds) of ... A: Sophia, Your strange vine is Virginia Creeper. The droplets are either condensation on the plant or ... | |
| peace lily | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: i have a peace lily plant, and it stopped blooming, also the leaves are drying up turning yellow ... A: Irene, You are keeping it too wet and that may have caused the roots to rot. This plant gets ... | |
| Dolphin Plant | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: I have a beautiful Dolphin Plant, and one of the vines has what looks like a pink fruit-type round ... A: Cindy, A gall is what you are desribing, it looks like a tumor on the plant leaf or stem. There is ... | |
| Burrows Tail | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: My plant is about 27" long and branching out at bottom and has many other branches coming from ... A: Marjorie, I love my Burrow Tail cactus. I have seen Burrow Tail cacti that have grown to the floor. ... | |
| white jasmine | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: I have a white jasmine plant in a 5inch pot which was fully in flower when I bought it from the ... A: Kathy, Jasmine can be a difficult plant. To get it to rebloom you need to follow specific ... | |
| Dolphin Plant | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: I have a beautiful Dolphin Plant, and one of the vines has what looks like a pink fruit-type round ... A: Cindy, I don't know of a Dalphin plant. I think it must be a variety of a Goldfish plant, ... | |
| my house plaant ( its a tree) | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: I have this very tall house plant-tree and it has dark green curly leaves and the trunk is not that ... A: Lillian, The most common house plant tree is a Ficus Benjamina. You can go to Google or your ... | |
| African violets | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I am growing African violets under grow lights in my home due to limited window light. I have ... A: Tricia, I would question if you are using a fertilizer that is labeleed for African Violets? They ... | |
| Identifying a plant I have | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a plant which has lavender and white flowers...it is kind of lanky...tall branches and kind ... A: Kathy, The only plants I can think of this morning is Duranta Repens also known as Golden dewdrop, ... | |
| Ficus Plant | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: What causes the leaves of a Ficus plant to turn brown? The plant is sitting next to a window. I ... A: Judy, I suspect that the spots you are are talking about are actually an insect called scale. It ... | |
| what is this flower | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: What kind of lily is this and can I grow it? by growing, can I somehow take cuttings off of it and ... A: Desirai, Your picture is of white tiger lilies. No, you cannot root a cutting but you can get a ... | |
| amerus | 7/7/2010 |
| Q: I'm not sure about the spelling,so here goes'I have an amerus,after flowering,sould I cut back the ... A: Gary, I believe that you are talking about an Amaryllis. No you should not cut back the leaves. ... | |
| something keeping plant from growing? Black dots? | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: I've had this house plant for over 5 yrs. It has grown alot over the years, but I noticed that the ... A: Kathleen, I suspect that the spots you are are talking about are actually an insect called scale. ... | |
| plants that won't attract bees | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: I would like to plant some flowers and plants outside of my living room window. The only thing that ... A: Elsa, Anything not blooming will not attract bees. Bees are only attracted to flowers. Houseplants ... | |
| Ponytail Palm Concerns | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: A couple of months ago, I purchased a ponytail palm plant. After I brought it home, the new growth ... A: Emily, I suspect that it simply needs some fertilizer and more sun. I recommend a water soluable ... | |
| Pink Quill (Tillandsia cyanea) | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: I recently adopted a pink quill from Ikea and was wondering what type of soil to use and if I should ... A: Becky, You really don't need to repot it as it will not get a lot larger. It does not take any ... | |
| Benjamina ficus | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: I've had my benjamina ficus 35 years ... I have moved it numerous times and it has done really well. ... A: Linda, Ok, in that case you need to closely examine your plant for insects. The two that could be ... | |
| Benjamina ficus | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: I've had my benjamina ficus 35 years ... I have moved it numerous times and it has done really well. ... A: Linda, Your ficus needs more sun. Give it a hair cut and move it to in front of the sunniest window ... | |
| kangaroo plant | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: transplanted my kangaroo plant to a bigger pot and now the leaves are turning a silvery color and ... A: Greg, Most plants really prefer to be a bit rootbound. In a large pot it has problems using up all ... | |
| Aloe in trouble | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I have a colleague who's aloe has sticky white goo spots all over it. I am not seeing any bugs. Do ... A: Jill, It is definitely mealy bugs. Mix rubbing alcohol with water 50/50 and add 2 teaspoons of dish ... | |
| Aloe in trouble | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I have a colleague who's aloe has sticky white goo spots all over it. I am not seeing any bugs. Do ... A: Jill, If the spots look like bits of cotton you should use the rubbing alcohol and dish soap ... | |
| mini orange tree | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: mini orange tree outside has insects eating the leaves. What should I do? A: Anthony, The insects may be butterfly or moth larva. To kill any insects on your tree mix rubbing ... | |
| Unknown plant | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: I'm thinking about feeding the bird and I've read that slow release fertilizers work better. I'd ... A: Juliet, I prefer a water soluable fertilizer such as Miracle Grow. I actually use a generic version ... | |
| asparagas fern | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: i want to get rid of this plant, it is taking over, the first one i cut down and then removed all ... A: Debbie, If you are not in a hurry you can keep cutting off the top and gradually the roots will ... | |
| canela tree dropping leaves | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: Most of the plant looks healthy and the longest branch has sprouted new leaves at the tip. However, ... A: Alyssa, Having no direct sun for a canela tree is wrong. It,like the ficus tree,will do much better ... | |
| Dieffenbachia | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a Dieffenbachia about a year old. started with 2 shoots which are now quite big but I also ... A: Lorraine, They are all attached under the soil surface. You are better offleaving them alone untill ... | |
| white sticky stuff on palm pot plant | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: I have had this indoors and growing well for well over a year. Now it has white spots on the stems ... A: Laverne, White sticky stuff is very vague. We have to first determine what it is and it could be ... | |
| all of the leaves on my plant have fallen off | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: my name is Tasha and I have had my plant now for about 3 years. When I first bought it from ... A: Tasha, If there is not enough light where it is sitting for your hand to cast a shadow there is not ... | |
| white bugs inside palm leaves | 6/26/2010 |
| Q: Our Palm trees we have in the front yards leaves started to turn brown, when trimming them off I ... A: Kelli, Your palms have spider mites. Since they are outside I would go to my nearest garden center ... | |
| overheated gardenia | 6/25/2010 |
| Q: I have a gardenia plant in a 9" pot which I bought a few months ago. It was a little dried out when ... A: Janice, They don't like above 90 but they can survive that better than no sun. They don't want to ... | |
| Persian Shield Soil | 6/25/2010 |
| Q: I just bought two Persian Shields, and when i bought them I just assumed that "all-purpose" potting ... A: Miranda, When you take cuttings and grow them in water they grow very crisp succulent roots. When ... | |
| overheated gardenia | 6/25/2010 |
| Q: I have a gardenia plant in a 9" pot which I bought a few months ago. It was a little dried out when ... A: Janice, Put it outside in the sun. Full sun would be better, not just morning sun. It cannotget too ... | |
| Yucca Palm Trouble | 6/25/2010 |
| Q: I have had my Yucca Palm for approximately two and a half years and when I purchased it I lived in ... A: Crystle, A yucca is a desert plant. It likes dry air and it likes sunshine, not indirect light. ... | |
| gardenia plant | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: I got a Gardenia plant from my mom. I been reading that they like humidity/ I live in colorado my ... A: Debbie, Lack of humidity is your problem. You can get a large clear plastic bag and keep over the ... | |
| Philodendron - the non climbing one! | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: Help, this indoor plant is beautiful, but there are too many plant stems with leaves sticking into ... A: Yolande, Absolutely! You can prune it back to shape it to please you as long as you don't cut ... | |
| Persian Shield Soil | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: I just bought two Persian Shields, and when i bought them I just assumed that "all-purpose" potting ... A: Miranda, You should mist it at least 3 timees a day, in the morning, if you work as soon as you get ... | |
| indoor plant disease | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: I am developing a problem with my house plants. More than one variety of plants are affected. They ... A: Edie, You have mealy bugs attacking all your plants. If you cannot take them outdoors you can you ... | |
| Bugs in houseplant | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: I have a palm that is currently planted in a 16" pot and the tree itself it about 3 1/2 feet tall. I ... A: Jen, You are keeping your palm too wet. The yellow and white patches are mold on top of the soil. ... | |
| Persian Shield Soil | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: I just bought two Persian Shields, and when i bought them I just assumed that "all-purpose" potting ... A: Miranda, This is a difficult plant to raise because it needs very high humidity. Strobilanthes ... | |
| Can Calla Lillies survive as indoor plants? | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: I have a calla lily plant in my office at work. It was purchased about a month ago, and was thriving ... A: Lindsay, It should only be planted in the ground in a sunny location if you are in an area that ... | |
| Mass Cane Question | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: I just bought a mass cane from Lowe's today. It looks pretty healthy. However, I noticed a few ... A: Mitchell, After looking at the picture that came separately I think it may be the Phyllosticta ... | |
| Name of the indoor plant | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: One of my friends gifted me this beautiful indoor plant with pink flowers but the name and the ... A: Roopa, Your plant is a kalanchoe blossinfeldiana. The flowers do not last forever but then you can ... | |
| Brown patches on bird of paradise | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: It was very helpful. I've recently discovered some brown patches on its leaves. They are not sticky ... A: Juliet, Bird of paradise leaves can get sunburned or easily bruised by hands touching or bumping. ... | |
| Pollinating Dracaena fragrans? | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: I have had this Dracaena Fragrans for about 10 years. It did not do well outdoors when I got, it so ... A: Mike, An interiorscape consultant sheds a little more light on flowering Dracaeanas. She says they ... | |
| Ponytail palm | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: I cant seem to find an answer about my ponytail palms having cut trunks. So forgive me for the long ... A: Jennifer, The trunk of the plant that has a cut trunk will not grow any longer but if you allow it ... | |
| yucca elephantipes | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: i bought a yucca elephantipes from ikea and its large green and healthy..but the stocks all seem ... A: arin D, Hello! Yes it will grow taller from the side shoots that are or will grow out of those ... | |
| curling leaves on diffenbachia | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: all leaves on our 8 foot diffenbachia have curled under slightly in the last 2 weeks. It's in a ... A: Carrie, A diffenbachia plant does not like the sun. Move them away from the windows and sky lights. ... | |
| masscaneplant | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: i have a mass cane and i have it in my livingroom near the window.will this plant grow inside/ an ... A: Valerie, A mass cane should not be in sunlight. Too much sun is a problem for this plant, it needs ... | |
| pineapple plant | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: I have aquired a pineapple plant that has three large sprouts or shoots and one small one. There are ... A: Elizabeth, It is rare for a pineapple to actually droduce pineapples. I would not move it, it will ... | |
| what kind of plant do i have? | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: A friend of mine gave me a bunch of clippings from her huge plant. I do not know what kind it is. It ... A: Dionne, Yes, it is definitely a Pothos vine. I was just given one that is huge like this one. As I ... | |
| sensitive plant | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: I have been growing a sensitive plant for a while but the leaves keep drying out and falling off. I ... A: Kirstin, Bright indirect sunlight with some early or late day direct sun wouldd be better. Keep ... | |
| New home for white bird of paradise | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: I have purchased a white bird of paradise yesterday from Ikea. I live in New York with a balcony ... A: Juliet, There is no way to tell how old it is by the number of leaves or the size of the plant. ... | |
| spathiphyllum | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: The flowers are now gone. How often should I water it, When will I need to repot it, and how much ... A: Vicki, You should only water it when it has been dry for 3 days. It needs to dry out well between ... | |
| Care | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: Darlene I have had my Massangeana Cane for a year now It is in a 12inch pot thats the pot that it ... A: Helen, Do not move the Massangeana Cane to any larger pot, find a decorative one that you like that ... | |
| Request identification | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: I just bought this houseplant. Can you identify it for me? The largest leaves are 5-6", a bit ... A: Marilyn, Two common names for your plant are Flame Violet or Chocolate Soldier. The latin name is ... | |
| calamondil orange tree | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: About ten yrs ago we bought a Calamondil mini orange tree in a box for a souvenier from florida it's ... A: Holly, I believe that your plant was a Calamondin Orange tree. The following site has them for ... | |
| Guzmania Bromeliad | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: I found an answer you gave in 2006 about a Bromelia (Guzmania Bromeliad). You said that by putting ... A: Laurence, I don't beleive that I am the expert that made the previous reccomendation because it is ... | |
| mealy bugs on palm tree | 6/11/2010 |
| Q: how do you get rid of mealy bugs? A: Gayle, If you are talking about a small potted palm in your home I would put 16 ounces of rubbing ... | |
| Jade Plant rooting into the air? | 6/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a jade plant which I rescued from a negligent roommate 3 years ago. Two years ago, another ... A: Abby, They are aerial roots. Jades only grwo aerial roots when they are stressed. Usually the ... | |
| house plants | 6/10/2010 |
| Q: i have centipede like worms in my yucca like plant soil. What do i do to get ride of them and is it ... A: Deanna, Water your plant with rubbing alcohol mixed with water 50/50 or you can use it straight. ... | |
| Spathyphyllum Not Flowering | 6/10/2010 |
| Q: My Spath is healthy but it isn't flowering. It had sported up to 12 blooms at once for a while then ... A: Chris, It does go dormant when it runs out of nutrients to produce blooms. You need to be ... | |
| is dieffenbachia plant extremely dangerous? | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: I have a cordyline ti plant that is SICK...it's leaves are wilting.I recently brought this plant(1 ... A: Sami, Dieffenbachia plants have a somewhat poisonous sap. Just touching the plant and touching your ... | |
| terrarium contents | 6/9/2010 |
| Q: I bought a box of "ammo-carb" at the pet store instead of only activated carbon for a layer in my ... A: Susan, It is possible that it will bind up the nitrogen although I am not familiar with the product ... | |
| Clivia Plant Propagation | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a Clivia plant that is about 2-3 yrs old & in good health. It looks like it has put out a ... A: Judy, It is not necessarilly age that matters in blooming. It must be a mature plant that is root ... | |
| Peace Lily - black fly pest | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: Our peace lily has an infestation of small black flies. We previously had a peace lily die. Its ... A: Stuart, You are keeping your peace lily too wet and the roots begin to rot. This attracts fungus ... | |
| plant family elephant ear | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: bought house plant at home depot. it did not have plastic pic to tell about name or sunlight or ... A: Elsa, It sounds like a Canna lily. When caring for the beautiful Canna lily you can enjoy full year ... | |
| Clivia Plant Propagation | 6/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a Clivia plant that is about 2-3 yrs old & in good health. It looks like it has put out a ... A: Judy, Let the baby grow to be at least a year old so it is large enough to survive on it's own and ... | |
| peace lilly systemic fungicide - help | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: I have lived with a peace lilly named percival for approx 11 years. We recently babysat a friends ... A: Amanda, Yes, it is quite possible that the guest peace lily being overwatered started it all. If it ... | |
| pests on hibiscus | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: What are the little smooth oval brown bugs on my hibiscus plants stems and branches called? The ... A: Florence, It is probably scale. I would need a picture to be absolutely sure. You can spray the ... | |
| coleus problems | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: I had a coleus plant which was about to die so since there was nothing I could do to save it I took ... A: Mary, I mix my own soil. You can buy compost, peat moss in the square cube type bags, and perlite ... | |
| peace lilly systemic fungicide - help | 6/5/2010 |
| Q: I have lived with a peace lilly named percival for approx 11 years. We recently babysat a friends ... A: Amanda, A systemic fungicide is what you need to treat a fungal infection. However if you anve used ... | |
| trying to save a gardenia bonsai | 6/5/2010 |
| Q: my nextdoor neighbor was given a gardenia bonsai as a gf and she doesn't do well with any plant. ... A: Amy, The problem is she was trying to grow it as an indoor plant and it is not. Get it outdoors in ... | |
| Brown tips on leaves | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: I received for Mothers Day an Azalea Bonsai tree. I am now finding after watering it once since I've ... A: Teri, As long as there are good drain holes in the bonsai pot and you are not leaving it with any ... | |
| broadleaf plant problems | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: I've had a broadleaf tropical plant for several years that's always done well. It stands about 7 ... A: Greg, You didn't say what your plant is but your problem is an insect called scale. The raised ... | |
| benjamina lost all leaves | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: well, as you could guess from the subject my benjamina got pests and has lost ALL its leaves. I ... A: Fari, If there are no green sprouts or buds and it has had none for more than a week or 2 it is ... | |
| Want to ask about plants names...ASAP..please.... | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: I want to know about the plants names...scientific and common....Thank you.... A: Master25, I believe that this flower is a Spider Lily or Crinum lily is the scientific name. There ... | |
| Brown tips on leaves | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: I received for Mothers Day an Azalea Bonsai tree. I am now finding after watering it once since I've ... A: Teri, Only watering it once since Mother's Day is a major problem. No single watering schedule can ... | |
| bonsai | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: my bonsai has been left outside in the winter. it just has stems and there is no new growth. what to ... A: Ida, Were you advised to leave it outdoors all winter? I need to know what type of bonsai tree you ... | |
| keaf drop on ficus ben. | 5/31/2010 |
| Q: This plant has been in its "spot" for years. Has also been in the same pot for years (clay with no ... A: Pam, If you have thoroughly examined the top of the plant and found nothing to cause this problem ... | |
| Rope Plant care | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: Greetings - I was reading a posting that advised not to use nitrogen fertilizer on a rope plant. I ... A: Jen, It will grow mostly green and will not bloom if you give it a high nitrogen fertilizer. If ... | |
| mexican hat | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: it seems to be growing well with big broad leaves on the top, and smaller leaves on the bottom what ... A: Rich, It is normal for a Kalanchoe diagremontiana . If you would like to shorten the plant you can ... | |
| Yukka plants | 5/29/2010 |
| Q: I have 2 stem indoor yukka plant,its about 3ft+2ft,its leaves have brown in the middle+tips how do ... A: Ellen, Simply use hevy garden pruners and cut them off below the brown. The stalks will send out ... | |
| tree that folds leaves | 5/29/2010 |
| Q: I have a tree that just popped up in a rose clipping I had planted. It is now 5 feet high. This tree ... A: Angie, You have a Mimosa or Silk Tree. The Scientific Name: Albizia julibrissin. It likes Full Sun ... | |
| croton problems | 5/28/2010 |
| Q: I received a Croton plant about a month ago as a gift. Ever since I've been searching for its needs ... A: Maryam, Yes sunlight is very important to Crotons and it needs full sun, not indirect sun for at ... | |
| Lucky Bean | 5/28/2010 |
| Q: Darlene, Hi, I have a lucky bean that has doubled in size since I brought it home. Very healthy. Not ... A: Candace, Only move it to a pot with a diameter no more than 2 inches larger than the diameter of ... | |
| umbrella plant | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: I have umbrella plant which hasn't grown that well and now I want to cut and re root it how do I do ... A: Shari, An umbrella plant does not reroot easily. It is easier to get this one healty first. Start ... | |
| sun exposure | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: I recently purchased a large, broad leafed tropical that i thought was a Moses in the Bullrushes. ... A: Diane, Your description fits if the leaves have a purplish cast. The plant will love it outside in ... | |
| dracaena massangeana cane | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: I wanted to re-pot my dracaena massangeana cane into a slightly bigger pot. What kind of soil should ... A: Elaine, I reccommend that you use 2 parts of cheap potting soil mixed with 1 part of perlite to ... | |
| Hibiscus - spider mites gone? | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I bought a hibiscus plant last summer and have it indoors in my apartment (unfortunately I don't ... A: Emma, Sounds like as the plant died out the spider mites also died away. They no longer had ... | |
| yucca cane | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a yucca cane plant and I have noticed since winter that the leaves on my plant feel real ... A: Patty, This is a desert plant and it prefers desert conditions. Low humidty and only watered when ... | |
| Rozalea | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: I live in Central Texas, zone 8, and have been given a Rozalea houssplant (?) for Mothers Day. How ... A: Mildred, Rozalea is the variety name, not the type of plant it is. Ohio-based ... | |
| azalea tree | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: i recently bought an azalea tree in full bloom.. i live in central alberta (edmonton area) canada ... A: Lesley, Azaleas love cool temps and fresh air. They do best outside in the warmer months. Indoors ... | |
| bonsai lighting | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: i put my bonsai uner a 75 watt light bulb {regular} bout 2ft away, can it talke that kinda of light ... A: Tonyalyn, I think you mean a juniper. I like those too and I have a couple. Of course I have a lot ... | |
| rubber plant too big for pot | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: i have had this rubber plant for almost 15 years and have pruned it many times. now, it is about 8 ... A: bhavani, What you need to do to accomplish what you want is to air layer all the branches off that ... | |
| bonsai lighting | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: i put my bonsai uner a 75 watt light bulb {regular} bout 2ft away, can it talke that kinda of light ... A: Tonalyn, Incandescent light bulbs do not have the full spectrum of sun that your plant needs. ... | |
| Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (DROOPY) | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: I have what I believe to be a Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (2 trees). The tall tree is the ... A: Marc, Growing a plant from a leaf without a piece of stem will work for begonias and african ... | |
| Kentia Palm | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: My kentia palm was leaning and I discovered from an answer to one of your questions that this was ... A: Helen, Are you sure it is the newest leaves that are turning brown? The Newest leaves would be the ... | |
| Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (DROOPY) | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: I have what I believe to be a Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (2 trees). The tall tree is the ... A: Marc, The lower leaves on your plant do not look that "droopy" to me in your picture. They do hang ... | |
| Black leaves | 4/29/2010 |
| Q: I have a peace lilly (Spathiphyllum) that seems to have a fungus of some sort. Every time it ... A: Susan, Black margins and tips on foliage plants usually suggests the the plants are suffering from ... | |
| Jade Plant is twist tied | 4/29/2010 |
| Q: I have recently started growing potted plants in my apartment. I purchased a small Jade plant that ... A: Alexandra, You need to very carefully cut it off. If you can clip it on 2 or 3 sides of the tie ... | |
| Leaves droping off on plant | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: Why is my umbrella plant keep droping leaves and the new growth is also not growing well. A: Frank, You have not told me anything about how you are growing it, how old it is or how often you ... | |
| potted hydrangeas | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: I am getting married in July and hydrangeas are my flower for the wedding. I decided I wanted to ... A: Sarah, I am con fused by your statement, "I am not looking to replant my plants into a pots". Have ... | |
| Peace lily blooms/flowers Browning | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: I read a post that said when the flowering blooms turn brown you should cut them off, am I cutting ... A: Nicole, First I want to get things straight, the bloom includes the white petal and the yellow ... | |
| False Aralia | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: All the leaves have fallen off. The top of the stems are dried. What should I do? A: Gail, There is very little chance that your aralia is savable at this time. The leaves probably ... | |
| Pathos | 4/25/2010 |
| Q: I recently bought a couple of Pathos (green leaves with trailing habbit). They looked a little dirty ... A: Utir, It sounds like some sort of fungal infection. Can't tell what type unless you have it tested ... | |
| house plants | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if it is to early to put my house plants outside under a breeze way. I think I have ... A: Tina, Yes, it is. Your tropical houseplants should not go outdoors all night until the temperatures ... | |
| sorry zebra plant | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: In October 2008, I received a zebra plant as a gift. As a rank amateur plant owner, I watered it ... A: Dave, I am copying our private exchange here so others who regularly read my answers can read it. ... | |
| sorry zebra plant | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: In October 2008, I received a zebra plant as a gift. As a rank amateur plant owner, I watered it ... A: Dave, If you hope to have the cutting survive you need to cut off 3/4ths of each leaf and then set ... | |
| Cutting off the pod. | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: My plant ( Tillandsia Cyanea) bloomed very well. Then the pod ( which was purple) stopped and ... A: Trish, Twist or cut the old pod off and that will encourage the old plant to send out a new pup ... | |
| Peace Lily | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: My plant is about 7 years old, and has always been lovely and healthy. It is in a shady position, ... A: Angela, The plant actually likes being rootbound so it will take it a bit of time while it is ... | |
| Jade plant | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: I recently potted my baby Jade plant and walked into my bedroom the other night and I had broken off ... A: Nicole, No, it will not root in water, it will turn to mush in water because it is a desert plant. ... | |
| money plant | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: I have a money plant that is infected with some sort of disease that causes it's leaves to finaly ... A: Anita, I'm very sorry, you are saying money plant and I am thinking lucky bamboo. When you say ... | |
| Indoor Palm leaves with orange spots | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: I have a indoor palm that is has been doing well, i water it once a week and plant feed every two ... A: Ashley, Your problem could be a fungal infection but it could also be a simple pottasium ... | |
| bonsai | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: What bonsai trees are alright to keep inside? With little sunlight. Thank You A: Terry, None. Seriously bonsai is a technique, not a type of tree. Any plant that gets a woody trunk ... | |
| a stephanotis | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: I got a stephanotis in a pot as a present 3 weeks ago.it didnt bloom yet and it started fading and ... A: NO! Now is not the time to repot it, that will make it loose all of it's blooms. Move it to a ... | |
| money plant | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a money plant that is infected with some sort of disease that causes it's leaves to finaly ... A: Anita, Usually black spotting on money plants are caused by not enough light and not changing the ... | |
| coral cactus | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: i just got a coral cactus and i need to know how much light it has to have and how much water it ... A: BJ, A cactus is a desert plant. It needs full sun all day long sitting in a south window with the ... | |
| Bannana Trees | 4/18/2010 |
| Q: We have a potted banana tree that we brought in last fall, (actually the baby of the original plant ... A: Jan, I am not clear on what you are saying. No, I would not cut this new shoot off, it is probably ... | |
| fictus elastica decora ,rubber plant | 4/18/2010 |
| Q: can a cutting be taken from this specie %26 how is it done?? A: Brenda, No, it will not root quickly enough from a cutting. You can however root it by air layering ... | |
| peace lilly | 4/17/2010 |
| Q: CAN I repot my peace lily while it is flowering It is 29 years old as far as I can remember ... A: Maureen, Yes, but only move it to a pot with a diameter 2 inches larger than the diameter of the ... | |
| Corn Tree (4' high) | 4/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a corn tree for about three years and lately I find the leaves are turning brown a lot...I ... A: Dorothy, If you are watering it weekly and keeping a water globe in it also it is constantly wet. ... | |
| Umbrella Plant care | 4/16/2010 |
| Q: A friend has asked me for help with an umbrella plant that has two branches coming out of the soil. ... A: Maria, Scheffleras (umbrella plants) are difficult to root. If you have plenty of cuttings you can ... | |
| No roots on my lucky bamboo/yellowing leaves | 4/16/2010 |
| Q: The leaves on my bamboo are turning a yellow/brown color on the tips. Today rinsed the rocks and ... A: Morgan, I believe that the lack of roots on your plant was caused by not changing the water ... | |
| houseplant trouble | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: i have several house plants on my windowsill, this morning when i watered them i noticed lots of ... A: Tracy, They are the larva of fungus gnats and they are eating the rotted roots that are happening ... | |
| coral cactus | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: Can the coral cactus be planted outdoors in Southwest Florida? A: Kathy, As long as the night time temperatures do not get below 50 degrees you should be able to ... | |
| Boston fern question | 4/14/2010 |
| Q: I have several Boston ferns that I hung on my porch last summer. I live in WV so took them to the ... A: Deborah, You should have hung a 4 foot flourescent light fixture above them on a timer keeping the ... | |
| dividing bulbs on pony tail palms | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: a friend has 2 8" pots with pony tails palms in them. 1 pot has 3 bulbs that the fronds grow from, ... A: Becky, The 3 bulbs can be separated into 3 separate pots but they should be 3 4 inch pots to start ... | |
| crossandra | 4/12/2010 |
| Q: I have a crossandra that has lived happily on the same windowsill for 2 years but over the last ... A: Alison, It may well need repotted and this is the best time of year to do it. The best time to ... | |
| wilted leaves of cordyline-ti plant | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a cordyline ti plant that is SICK...it's leaves are wilting.I recently brought this plant(1 ... A: Sami, It sounds like you are giving the plant too much water and the roots are rotting. It also is ... | |
| crossandra | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a crossandra that has lived happily on the same windowsill for 2 years but over the last ... A: Alison, Look at the plant very closely in bright light for signs of insects. Fine webbing over the ... | |
| Corkscrew Rush | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: I found this as a house plant at Lowe's, and want to keep it as a house plant because I live in ... A: Lynne, Yes, this is a plant that in nature grows in tropical areas at the edge of swamps where it ... | |
| bromeliads | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: I don't have a green thumb i was given a Bromeliads it has a red top What is the best care for it ? ... A: Christine, There are many Bromeliads with red tops and they do not all have the same care ... | |
| Unknown Plant | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I had a plant that loved sunlight and didn't require me to water it. It sat outside everyday until ... A: Genese, You might take them to your County Extension Office, it should be listed in the phone book ... | |
| yucca plant | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: We have a yucca indoor plant which is doing very well however it continues to get a white power ... A: Don, Yes, I would like to know how that works for you. Consistencey is the key to making it work. ... | |
| schefflera plant | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: We have a huge one at work (about 10 feet tall.) It is the variety that stems from one trunk. It ... A: Ann, It is only growing from one trunk because it has never been pruned. If you top it then it will ... | |
| Ponytail Plant | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a 4 yr. old ponytail plant that was doing great! This winter I forgot it outside on the ... A: Cindy, No, do not remove them. One or 2 of them will become the new top of the plant. The old top ... | |
| house plant | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: My house plant has droopy leaves what shoud Ido? What do droopy leaves mean? A: Lynda, Droopy leaves either mean the plant is dry and needs watered or it means that you have ... | |
| no buds or seed | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I received a lucky bean plant about a year and 1/2 ago. It has grown in height and leaves very ... A: Sara, It needs at least four hours of full sun in the morning or evening in an east or west window ... | |
| what type of indoor plant is best suited for my house | 3/28/2010 |
| Q: i have a townhouse that has forced air heating and my available sunlight is from a double sliding ... A: Olga, A new plant should not be moved to a larger pot unles it is severely rootbound. In other ... | |
| corn plant that appears to be dying | 3/28/2010 |
| Q: I bought a beautiful, large corn plant back in November. It was actually four different canes at ... A: Katrina, Immediately make sure that no sun is shining on this plant. It likes a bright location but ... | |
| sheflera leaf problem | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: The leaves on my sheflera plant have a shiny sticky substance that does not feel wet, yet the floor ... A: Miriam, Your shefflera most likely has scale. It is an insect that ataches itself to a leaf, ... | |
| Croton first aid | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: I have a Croton that is about 3 ft. tall and was doing really well until it got left out in the cold ... A: Elizabeth, Keep it in a warm and very sunny location. Do not leave it outsid if the temperature us ... | |
| dracaena massangeana | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: i work at home depot and being the time of year that it is, we have TONS of plants. i just ... A: Stephanie, Keep her in a bright location where she will make a shadow on a sunny day. No you should ... | |
| My Majesty Palm Tree | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: Recently I purchased a Majesty Palm Tree from Walmart. I don't know if I am caring for it properly, ... A: Angel, You are watering too often. You should never leave water in the drain tray but when you ... | |
| Coffee Plant Pest | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: I have a hedge of 6 to 7 foot 4 year old Coffee Plants. Last year I found a white afid or mealy bug ... A: Anne, Your problem is mealy bugs. If your plants were indoors I would reccommend that you mix ... | |
| Mother Daughter Plant | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: This I am sure is not its proper name but that is what was told to me. How do I care for it. It has ... A: Debra, Could your plant be what I know of as Piggy Back plant? You can see pictures of it at: ... | |
| Umbrella Plant (arboricola) | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: My Umbrella Plant's stalks are beginning to droop, what could possibly cause this? I have it in ... A: Heather, Water it well then empty the drain tray that is under the pot. If that perks it up you are ... | |
| creeping fig..ficus pumila | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: I purchased this plant 4 days ago, I transplanted it into 2 containers because it was too big for ... A: Christine, Ficus pumila hates to be divided. When the roots are damaged it reacts exactly like it ... | |
| palm like plants under attack1 | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: My daughter moved to North Carolina and gave me her plants. 2 of them are like thin striated darker ... A: Pamela, I do not know of any insects that shred leaves. It sounds like human damage. To identify it ... | |
| Palm Plant browning | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: I noticed a question you answered previously about a house Palm tree that is beginning to shrivel. ... A: Mary Ann, No no, it is fine to mist the fronds of a palm anytime, just don't constantly water it. ... | |
| ponytail palm | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: I have a ponytail palm I am trying to raise and keep healthy. I recently repotted it, but wanted to ... A: Jennifer, I prefer Miracle Grow or one of the generic versions of it that are water soluable. For a ... | |
| corn plant | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: I was given a corn plant- about 2 ft. high last summer that was healthy with upper and lower growth. ... A: Jill, That was fine. Keep it indoors in a very bright sunny location just out of the sun so it is ... | |
| Palm Plant browning | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: I noticed a question you answered previously about a house Palm tree that is beginning to shrivel. ... A: Mary Ann, Do not leave any water in the drain tray. Use a turkey baster to empty it if you can't ... | |
| WHY MY HOUSE Pants die | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: I HAVE NUMEROUS HOUSE PLANT THAT REQUIRE EITHER SOME INDIRECT SUN OR INDOOR LIGHT AND THEY STILL ... A: Angela, The most common reasons for houseplants dying is too much water and not enough light. ... | |
| Grape vines health declining? | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: I recently repotted my grape vines to a larger pot. These are vines I took as babies with their ... A: Sophia, You would be better off if each twig was in an individual pot. If all these twigs survive ... | |
| ponytail palm | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a ponytail palm I am trying to raise and keep healthy. I recently repotted it, but wanted to ... A: jennifer, It should be in very sandy cactus tuype soil. Yes, it should be outside in full sun. It ... | |
| outdoor table fern pests in Los Angeles | 3/19/2010 |
| Q: I have about 40 six-inch pot table ferns which were planted in a shady area. They are watered ... A: Jeanne, Either visit the garden center where you purchased the plants or a good garden center that ... | |
| patio plants | 3/19/2010 |
| Q: My husband and I recently built a wood planter for our front patio. Its about 6 inches deep and 4 ... A: Tom, Watering them every other day is keeping them wet constantly. I believe that you may be ... | |
| Majesty Palm Growth | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: Hey! I have a majesty palm that I keep indoors that is approximately 4'5" high. About a year after I ... A: Natalia, Majesty palms are very touchy plants. They need high humidity and they like moist soil but ... | |
| Miniature Orange Tree | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: I've had a miniature orange tree for approx. 5 yrs. I put it outside on a deck that gets a lot of ... A: Sherin, Congratulations, It looks beautiful and very healthy. It is fine to leave them on. In ... | |
| Jade Plant Problem | 3/17/2010 |
| Q: I have two fairly old Jade Plants with fairly thick branches. Both were doing great until very ... A: Fran, Frequently that problem is caused by keeping the plant too wet over the short days of winter ... | |
| Norfolk pine branches curling under | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: My Norfolk pine's branches are dry and curling under. The soil is moist so I know its not under ... A: Jena, You were a little drastic with your repotting. All you really needed to do was change the ... | |
| Norfolk pine branches curling under | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: My Norfolk pine's branches are dry and curling under. The soil is moist so I know its not under ... A: Jena, The branches curling under and the fact that it had fungus gnats indicates that you have been ... | |
| frangipani | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: I live in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. My husband and I were given a frangipani as wedding gift 5 ... A: Ruth, If you truly got all the roots and they were not badly disturbed it may. At worst it might ... | |
| taking a stalk and rooting it, to have a new plant | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: how do you take a long corn stalk with very few leaves and replant it , i cant seem to get the ... A: Scott, You want to know how to take cuttings from your draceana and get them to root. The best way ... | |
| Bromeliads | 3/14/2010 |
| Q: I bought a 6 inch diameter pot with 4 plants in it from home depot. do I need to separate them or ... A: Susan, No, you should not separate them or put in a little bit larger pot. Bromeliads are air ... | |
| Houseplant presentation | 3/14/2010 |
| Q: I would like find a DVD about houseplant. I am a Master Gardner myself but I am lacking wievable ... A: KOPPANY, I am sorry but I do not know of a dvd on houseplant care. When I am asked to give a ... | |
| Sunflower help! URGENT! | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: I just went to Target and I saw this $1 pot (2 inches wide 1 1/2 inches tall) that came with a soil ... A: Giana, You will need to move them each to a 4 inch clay pot to a saucer under it. They need to be ... | |
| My cactus is dying | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: about three years ago I bought a pot full of assorted cacti. Two of them died, and three were left ... A: Sarah, When the center of a cactus is mushy it is too late. That is usually a symptom of too much ... | |
| Ficus Tree with Sticky Leaf Bugs | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: I read your report on the sticky leaf and have ordered Brand X Foliage Cleaner as suggested. I have ... A: Lorie, He is okay down to 50 degrees and I am surprised if you keeep it colder than that in the ... | |
| ponytail palms | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: now it looks fine, but now what do I do? what kind of soil do i buy? I keep seeing videos of ... A: Tonyalyn, Ponytail palms should be palnted in pots not a lot bigger around than the bulbousbase of ... | |
| Peace Lilly | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I have had a large peace lilly for ten years. It blooms frequently. In the last year (or a little ... A: Winifred, Use a long wooden skewer, dowell rod or oriental chop stick and push it into the soil as ... | |
| Unknown houseplant | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I received a plant as a gift, but have no idea what it is or how to properly care for it. It has ... A: Morgan, Your plant is a Guzmania Bromeliad, a very beautiful and exotic plant that is very easy to ... | |
| Peace Lilly | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I have had a large peace lilly for ten years. It blooms frequently. In the last year (or a little ... A: Winifred, You need to correct what is causing those blackish, broken leaf ends. You are ... | |
| Hippeastrum | 3/8/2010 |
| Q: I've grown these for years with good luck, but never planted the seeds. Last year I bought a new ... A: Tony, The answer is maybe but probably not. The reason is the Hippeastrum 'Charisma' is a Hybrid ... | |
| Mass Cane Houseplant | 3/8/2010 |
| Q: Yes ma'am, I was wondering if you could offer help with my new MASS CANE, my brother asked you ... A: Ronald, Mass canes are pretty tender plants. Wind can really damage them quickly and they do not ... | |
| dwarf alberta spruce | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: I HAVE A DWARF PLANT AT CHRISTMAS REMOVED FROM BAG AND PUT IN A PLANTER CAUSE I LIVE IN BOSTON MA. ... A: Michael, Keep it very dry & very sunny. Just give it enough water so it is not quite dry but ... | |
| ponytail palm | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: iwant to root a piece off friends pt.palm -what kind of soil do i use? can i use african violet soil ... A: Joy, For the Ponytail palm you should use a very sandy cactus soil and treat the plant like a ... | |
| lucky bamboo | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: i recently bought 2 tall lucky bamboo witch was nice and green but a week later the stalks are ... A: Sandra, Water can also be heavy in salts, in other words it can be very hard water. Too much ... | |
| guzmania and thin leaved bromeliads | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: I want to plant guzmania and other thin leafed bromeliads. The area gets no direct sunlight and is ... A: Julie, Guzmania's do not like alot of sun so it sounds like this would be fine. They prefer a well ... | |
| houseplant/insect | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: I have a large rice paper plant that I purchased at a nursery 2 summers ago. It was small at the ... A: Richard, Your insect could be any kind of catepiller of a moth or even a vole (a different kind of ... | |
| Unknown Plant | 2/27/2010 |
| Q: I was given a plant totake over by a coworker. She didn't know what is except she said to keep it ... A: Aisha, Your picture is too close up, I cannot see the whole plant but I believe that it is a ... | |
| Very little light | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: I'm moving in one month. My new tiny one-bedroom apartment has a large window in the bedroom; ... A: Marie, I just sent you my response before I read this after reading your feedback. As I said most ... | |
| Very little light | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: I'm moving in one month. My new tiny one-bedroom apartment has a large window in the bedroom; ... A: Marie, I'm sorry you think that I am inhumane. Actually most cats are very intelligent and ... | |
| care of indoor house palm plants | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: I have an indoor palm plant that has a white powder like substance on the leaves, stems, etc. Is ... A: Lori, Spider mites you would see fine webs all over the plant, aphids are black or brown, mealy ... | |
| Philodendron | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: I have a 15 year old philodendron staked (3') in a pot. I started wrapping it around years ago and ... A: Amy, These old vines are very difficult to untangle and it is rare to end up with a satisfactory ... | |
| madagascar | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: i have a madagascar dragon tree and all the leaves turned yellow and i pulled them all of will they ... A: Anthony, If there are absolutely no leaves, not even tiny ones on the growing tip of the plant they ... | |
| Can a pothos die while its still green? | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: My mother gave me a plant that she's had for about 8 years now. We carried it with us where ever we ... A: Lynda, You are one of the rare people that too little water is the problem. You really need to get ... | |
| Can a pothos die while its still green? | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: My mother gave me a plant that she's had for about 8 years now. We carried it with us where ever we ... A: Lynda, From what you have said I suspect that you have the pothos in a pot without a drainage hole ... | |
| Polyscias Aralia (Fabian) | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: . I have a Polyscias Fabian Aralia which I purchased last November. It has been doing very well and ... A: Sandra, You might try opening the sheers and moving at least the smaller one closer to the window ... | |
| Schefflera | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: Yes Maam; I purchased a very nice 2ft. tall schefflera plant about a month ago and I kept it on my ... A: David, You repotted your schefflera a bit early. The roots are not growing yet because the days are ... | |
| I have a staghorn Fern | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: I need to know if it needs to be restrung and some of the leaves have back spots on them is that ... A: Kathy, Without seeing it close up I cannot give you explicit instructions on how to restring it. I ... | |
| Polyscias Aralia (Fabian) | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: . I have a Polyscias Fabian Aralia which I purchased last November. It has been doing very well and ... A: Sandara, Yes, I believe that surgical spirits are isopropyl alcohol. It should say on the bottle ... | |
| Jade House Plants | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: My husband gave me this Jade Plant for Mother's Day about 5 years ago. I have pruned it several ... A: Beverly, Your neighbor may have had a different plant and thought it was a jade or she is having a ... | |
| Unidentifiable House Plant! | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: Its colorings and shape of the leaves resemble a jew, dark green, somewhat varigated, cream color ... A: Christine, The common names for your plant are Brown Spiderwort or Bear Ears. The Scientific Name ... | |
| Polyscias Aralia (Fabian) | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: . I have a Polyscias Fabian Aralia which I purchased last November. It has been doing very well and ... A: Sandra, From what your are saying I suspect that you have a Polyscias fruticosa - Ming rather than ... | |
| jasmine plant | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: Please help me i dont want to loose my plant i grew for that long,please tell me what to do any ... A: Arisha, Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) will kill any insect or worm and not harm the plant. ... | |
| anthurium | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: My plant lives in a large south facing window looking over the Monterey Bay. The temperature range ... A: Pam, No, you should not bury the plant any deeper than it is now.The crown should remain on the ... | |
| restoring tropical houseplant leaves after frostbite | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: What can I use to restore my tropical houseplant leaves after being frostbitten. My plant is a ... A: Neekie, Epsom salts will trigger a blooming plant to bloom when it hasn't bloomed in awhile. It ... | |
| Money Tree | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a money tree that is about 7 1/2 foot tall, it is rather spindly, and does not have alot of ... A: Theresa, You need to open the blinds, drapes or shears and get it more sun. Your money tree needs ... | |
| Identify Tropical Plant | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: I bought a plant at a store, it had no title other than "Tropical Plant." It is about 12" high with ... A: Erin, Although you have given me a very good description of your plant it is not tripping anything ... | |
| Schefflera | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: I saw your response to a lady with an old schefflera. I have one that is about 30 years old and ... A: Jim, As the days are starting to get longer you can go ahead and try to air layer it. It the ... | |
| Papyrusm plant is dying since being moved indoors | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: We have a coi pond in our backyard in which papyrus plant flourished in the summer. I brought the ... A: Mary Rose, Allow it to dry out more and lower the temperature. Put it in a room where it will be ... | |
| pachira aquatica limb broke, help | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: I have a 6 year old pachira aquatica plant that has been striving and grew to a height of 5ft. One ... A: Michael, Unless you can keep it very humid and very bright it is highly doubtful that you will be ... | |
| Mystery Plant | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: I bought a succulent at a greenhouse and there was no name tag with it. I have a plant card my mom ... A: Amy, Your plant is a Gasteria bicolor. It is a succulent that should be treated similar to a ... | |
| Schefflera | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: I saw your response to a lady with an old schefflera. I have one that is about 30 years old and ... A: Jim, Schefflera are very hardy plants. How long ago did this happen? Where do you live? Did the ... | |
| Umbrella tree/plant | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: I have a tree/plant about 7 feet tall. some of the limbs or branches are starting to lean. Should i ... A: Priscilla, You just look at the plant and take a pair of pruning shears and decide where it would ... | |
| umbrella tree | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: I have been offered an unbrella tree for $20.00 I swould like to own one but I do not wantr it in ... A: Zylla, I assume that you are talking about a schefflera plant. If you want to keep that outdoors it ... | |
| How can I save my Corn Plant | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: I purchased a corn plan (a Dracaena fragrans massangeana i believe) a little less than a week ago. ... A: Hollie, I suspect that you are watering you dracaena with water that has chlorine and flouride in ... | |
| Potted Palm | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: I'll start off by saying I know very little about the palm tree. My boyfriend brought it home & it ... A: Lisa, Your palm may be a Majestic or Majesty palm. The Latin name is Ravina Rivularis. This is ... | |
| Draceana massangea too much water! | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: I bought a draceana massangea and it was doing great -- I never watered it too much ... until I ... A: J, If it has drain holes they must be blocked or it would be draining out the excess water when it ... | |
| White Fungus on Plants | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: I too have had some difficulty with white fungus on plants. I live in the high desert, and ... A: Sharon, Tell me more about this fungus. Does it look like mold all over the plant or does it look ... | |
| Draceana massangea too much water! | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: I bought a draceana massangea and it was doing great -- I never watered it too much ... until I ... A: Jennifer, Overpotting into a pot that is much larger than the original pot is very dangerous to the ... | |
| Jasmine | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: i have a jasmine plant which is growing in a pot and is creeping up on the window grill. It gets ... A: Divya, Jasmine is not an easy indoor plant; so don't get discouraged if you don't have immediate ... | |
| Cronton | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: I received a fairly large cronton during the summer. brought it into the house. Put it in a s. ... A: Alisa, If you are transplanting them out of pots that have no drainage holes into pots that do then ... | |
| Draceana massangea too much water! | 1/31/2010 |
| Q: I bought a draceana massangea and it was doing great -- I never watered it too much ... until I ... A: Jennifer, Remove the drain tray and set the plant in the sink or the tub overninght so it can drain ... | |
| massangeana cane | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: I just got a Massangeana Cane as a gift and it is in the pot from the store which looks way to ... A: Amy, It may look way to small but it probably isn't. If you carefully remove it from the pot and ... | |
| Name this plant | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: Can you identify this plant (attached pic). I want to research more on the proper care for it. It ... A: Charley, Where did you get it? How long have you had it? Does it bloom? It is a succulent ... | |
| cape jasmine grown from seed | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: I live in Scotland and have always loved having house plants in my home but have never been terribly ... A: Karen, The seed must be fresh and must be planted immediately for good germination. Just slightly ... | |
| Umbrella Plant | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: I have owned the above plant for over 10 years and it is now over 3 metres high but the first metre ... A: Jeanette, There are 2 different types of umbrella plants so I could better answer your question if ... | |
| Identification | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: What the heck is this plant? Its awfully cute and I took it from my workplace because it wasn't ... A: Dawn, Your plants are whats left of a planter that was sent to someone for a brithday or ... | |
| Lucky Bamboo Plant With Yellow Leaves & Orange Roots | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a lucky bamboo plant that is not so lucky lately. I have had the plant for about two years ... A: Thelma, Orange roots on lucky bamboo are not a problem. Actually healthy, established lucky bamboo ... | |
| Please Id my new palm plant | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: I recently bought this 5+ foot palm plant. It had no name label. Im not sure how to take care of it. ... A: It doesn't have the trunk of a Christmas Palm (Adonidia merrillii) and unless you live in south ... | |
| Indoors trees | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: I'm Live in Ontario Canada. I'm looking for an inside tree or anything that grow tall ( 5' to 7') ... A: Yacely, Plants are predominantly green. You can get variegated ficus trees which are green and ... | |
| Please Id my new palm plant | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: I recently bought this 5+ foot palm plant. It had no name label. Im not sure how to take care of it. ... A: Mychele, I believe that your palm is a Majestic or Majesty palm. The Latin name is Ravina ... | |
| palms | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I care for several large palm tree plants 4/5 ft.high in my local church. How often should they be ... A: Lydia, It depends on what type of palms they are. You have not said how often you are watering them ... | |
| Dracaena | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: My problem is similar to Matt's-the difference is that I set our plant out in the garage for about ... A: Clara, There are several types of dracaenas. It would help me a lot to know which type we are ... | |
| palm | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: I would like to fill a 18" dia container with at least 3 ( or more if you recommend more) indoor ... A: Elizabeth, This is definitely one of the more difficult palms to grow. Yes, 12 feet from the ... | |
| Peace Lily problems | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: Two questions in one. My plant is a peace lily. I have one of those bulbs that water the plants for ... A: Jen, Yes, you have rotting roots and the fungus gnats are feeding on the rotting roots. Thos ... | |
| Plant Identification | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: Hey, I just got this plant for my dorm room and have no idea what it is. For scale, the red-orange ... A: Ken, I believe that your plant is a night blooming cereus, the Latin name is . It is difficult to ... | |
| split leaf philodendron sick | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: I live in New Orleans and we just went through some extreme cold for this region. I have two very ... A: Nola, Just cut each leaf off. Do not cut the stalk off unless it colappses, then just cut it back ... | |
| multi plant indoor basket | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: I would like to fill a 18" dia container with at least 3 ( or more if you recommend more) indoor ... A: Elizabeth, Yes, an aloe is a succulent and could be grown under a yucca. Just be sure to let those ... | |
| multi plant indoor basket | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: I would like to fill a 18" dia container with at least 3 ( or more if you recommend more) indoor ... A: Elizabeth, It is very important that your container has a drainage hole in the bottom and a drain ... | |
| calcium on house plants | 1/14/2010 |
| Q: in the summer I have a watering system that I put out side and sit my plants under. When I came back ... A: Maxine, Wiping the plants leaves with milk is also not good for the plant. It will leave a film of ... | |
| Croton | 1/14/2010 |
| Q: I received a croton about 4 months ago. I repotted it in Miracle Grow Moisture Control potting soil ... A: Behany, It is not the alcohol spray that is the problem, you did the right thing there. It is the ... | |
| yellow blisters on Janet craig | 1/13/2010 |
| Q: what is causing yellow blisters on a Janet Craig? the blisters are appearing on the top side of the ... A: Heather, You did not say how long you have had this plant. Are they actual blisters with water in ... | |
| queen ann fern | 1/13/2010 |
| Q: I have my fern inside the house for the winter and I been finding samll flys or nats around the ... A: Tom, That's because you are looking at the plant and the gnats are in the soil. The bugs are fungus ... | |
| Yellow Mushrooms | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: this morning i noticed a little yellow mushroom growing up through the join in my carpet that leads ... A: Kelly, Yes & No! Not specicically but I have heard of bad plywood coming out of China. How new is ... | |
| pony tail palm bottom leaves turning brown | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: why are the leaves on the pony tail palm turning brown on the bottom A: Kathy, It is not getting enough sun in the house during the winter months. If you can move it to a ... | |
| leaves are falling after repotting | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: i just got an anita plant, when i came home i put it in a bigger pot, two weeks later a lot of ... A: Yana, You are watering it too much and you repotted it into too large a pot at the wrong time of ... | |
| My 20 yr old cactus | 1/10/2010 |
| Q: My 5 foot 20 year old cactus sits in an enclosed screened porch in Florida. It has been freezing ... A: Aja, I assume you mean you are afaraid to move it. You might put a blanket over it at night. Since ... | |
| Question on my plant | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: I received a plant on my birth date, almost 33 years ago, and no one has ever been able to identify ... A: Ted, Your plant is a philodendron vine sometimes called a heartleaf philodendron. Go to google and ... | |
| Majestic palm | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: I have 3 Majestic palms planted in-ground as part of the landscape around my backyard pool. They ... A: Mike, Cut away the outermost dead fronds. Then don't do anything until we are relatively sure that ... | |
| Rubber Plant | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: I have two very tall rubber plants (almost 3 meters high) growing together in the same pot. Well I ... A: Amy, The first thing you need to do is examine the sick one for insects such as mealy bug and ... | |
| my 2 most important house plants are now dying ! | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: my house plants are dying. I live in NJ and it has been cold...but the 2 that mean the most to me ... A: Heather, This is the wrong time of year to repot and divide the peace lily because of the short ... | |
| Peace lily | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: I've had my pl for 8mths now, and i really wont to save it because i got it when my mother passed ... A: Lyric, Every time you water it you need to empty the drain tray an hour later. You need to make ... | |
| Can I save my Schefflera | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a schefflera plant that I purchased from a flower shop about 2 1/2 years ago. It's probably ... A: Shana, Get the water globes out of it! He was just trying to sell you water globes. The sheff needs ... | |
| Peperomia | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: One of my peperomia plants just died. It was fairly quick - it had just begun dropping green ... A: Melissa, Peperomias are succulent plants and need to dry out totally between waterings. They can ... | |
| Corn Plant Cane Cuttings | 1/4/2010 |
| Q: A friend of mine gave me two cane cuttings from her corn plant (after reading through a few of your ... A: Christine, Quite the opposite, the black sounds like there could be some root rot from too much ... | |
| Marble Queen Pothos | 1/4/2010 |
| Q: I just adopted a marble queen pothos and from what i've read, i should trim back some of her leggy ... A: Mandi, You cut the stem just past the leaf node so there is very little stem left past the leaf. ... | |
| dying sheflera | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: I have a very old sheflera. It was always a big plant and when I inherited it from my brother and ... A: Jeanette, The only thing that I have ever seen kill a schefflera is not enough sun or too much ... | |
| trimming down Dracenea | 1/2/2010 |
| Q: My Dracenea has grown to the ceiling and I am wanting to know if I can cut it down a bit and will it ... A: Kenneth, Yes, you can cut it down an and it will sproout out new shoots at exactly the point you ... | |
| eucalyptus plant | 1/2/2010 |
| Q: I successfully planted a small cutting last spring and it grew very well and quickly out on my ... A: Judith, Because it is getting a lot less sun indoors and the shorter days your plant is semi ... | |
| Purple oxalis | 1/1/2010 |
| Q: My purple oxalis has been looking feeble over the last couple of months.....it used to be full of ... A: Karla, Yes, it is going dormant. Stop watering. I am surprised that it has never went dormant ... | |
| Corn Plant | 1/1/2010 |
| Q: OMG my husband and I dine out on the screened-in porch (behind our home) every night. We live in ... A: Deborah, Happy New Year! Yes! They do bloom, usually at night, only when they are rootbound and at ... | |
| jade plant repotting | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: I have had a jade plant for many years, and have never repotted it (as far as I can recall). It is ... A: Marcy, The answer to all of your questions is yes. You should only move it to a pot that has a ... | |
| dying palm plant? | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: I have an indoor palm plant about 3 feet high. I've had it 2 years and has been doing well until ... A: Richard, Florescent lighting would be better for the plant. Even the new florescent bulbs in the ... | |
| Asparagus Fern Bugs | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: I read some other questions regarding bugs on asparagus ferns, but they all pertained to an orb ... A: Jackie, You should water it with as much rubbing alcohol as you would water. If you give it a cup ... | |
| dividing a Radermachera sinica | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10yr old plant that we planted into the garden 2yr ago. We have tried to propagate it using ... A: Carmel, You can buy the KLN at this site: ... | |
| dividing a Radermachera sinica | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10yr old plant that we planted into the garden 2yr ago. We have tried to propagate it using ... A: Carmel, If the mother plant is healthy and and soil around it is healthy you should not have a ... | |
| dividing a Radermachera sinica | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10yr old plant that we planted into the garden 2yr ago. We have tried to propagate it using ... A: Carmel, My answer is maybe. What you may find if you dig down a bit is that all 4 trunks join a bit ... | |
| massangeana | 12/29/2009 |
| Q: I have enjoyed my corn plant for almost 20 years. When I brought it in for winter this year, IT ... A: Kelly, Yes, I have heard of them blooming and they do have very strongly scented flowers especially ... | |
| white sticky substance | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I have noticed white sticky lumpy substance on my potted plant around the stems and leaves. On the ... A: Dee, The sticky substance is called honeydew. Honeydew is a liquid sugar that aphids and some ... | |
| wool like ??? stuff on the underside of house plants | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I brought few night blossoming jasmine plants from nursery. They gradually developed fine white ... A: Ijaz, You have mealy bugs. You need to spray the infested plants with rubbing alcohol in a spray ... | |
| Coconut Plant | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: A friend gave me a coconut plant this summer. I live in Michigan and put it out side during the ... A: Barb, If I am using it on a small pot I pour it on full strength. It will not hurt the plant and it ... | |
| mass cane plant | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: i just got a mass cane plant. should i re-pot it? i have a grow light should i use it or not? and i ... A: Tony, NO! Do not repot it! This is not the right time of year to repot any plant. Keep it in the ... | |
| Ornamental Orange Tree | 12/25/2009 |
| Q: Help!! Hi Darlene. I am caring for someones home over the winter %26 up until a few weeks ago, their ... A: Laurie, Most likely you have either watered it too much or too little. I suspect the problem is too ... | |
| fern | 12/25/2009 |
| Q: I left a fern hanging plant outside when the frost hit. Is there anything I can do to help it, ... A: Kimberly, All you can do is trim off the parts that do not look healthy then hang the fern in a ... | |
| plants | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: I'm doing a science fair prodject and i was looking for information on how to stop scale from acting ... A: Katelyn, My first tip is learn to use spell check or you will not succeed at all. Scale is an ... | |
| Ficus | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: Greetings of the season. I have five ficus trees about six feet tall, and notice scales and white ... A: Worrel, The best thing for you to use is Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Systemic ... | |
| Christmas cactus | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a Christmas cactus from a local greenhouse. It was covered in buds and a few ... A: Donna, Moving the plant from a florist or greenhouse environment to a home environment in winter ... | |
| Coconut Plant | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: A friend gave me a coconut plant this summer. I live in Michigan and put it out side during the ... A: Barbara, Do you realize that this tree gets 30-40 feet tall before it will produce coconuts? If you ... | |
| dracaena massangeana | 12/22/2009 |
| Q: I live in Connecticut,my Dracaena Massangeana Cane leaves are brown half way down and few leaves ... A: Saya, When you water it is it dry? Not just look dry, the surface can look dry and the plant can ... | |
| Cronton | 12/22/2009 |
| Q: I received a fairly large cronton during the summer. brought it into the house. Put it in a s. ... A: Alisa, Yes, do not water until there is not more than 1 inch that is wet. Yes, they will grow new ... | |
| Cronton | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: I received a fairly large cronton during the summer. brought it into the house. Put it in a s. ... A: Alisa, Water globes generally keep plants too wet. Plants need to be wet then dry in cycles. Roots ... | |
| Asian Money Tree | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: Bought a money tree plant (from WM) in a 6" ceramic pot with small pebbles that are "glued?" in ... A: Connie, You have overwatered your plant. It should not be so wet that you can hear water sloshing ... | |
| Indoor Fruit Trees | 12/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a Gold Dust Croton who's leaves are starting to yellow on the bottom and at the very top. ... A: Dee, Yes, citrus trees make wonderful indoor trees during the winter in Indiana. I do reccommend ... | |
| brown leaves on peace lily | 12/20/2009 |
| Q: Now that I know why my peace lily has brown leaves, do I cut these leaves back, or how do I ... A: Tina, That's an easy one, if they are totally brown cut them off at the base of the stem. Fertilize ... | |
| Anthurium leaves turning brown | 12/20/2009 |
| Q: I need help! I own 2 Anthurium plants which I purchased in Oct 09 from Home Depot. I replanted them ... A: Eva, For starters, you should never buy a plant and immediately repot it, especially not in the ... | |
| Ivy Problems | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: this is Tamika again. I have an Ivy that is over 3 yrs old. As you can tell by the pic it is large ... A: Tamika, In that location it is very pretty but it probably is not getting enough light. it must be ... | |
| Gold Dust Croton | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a Gold Dust Croton who's leaves are starting to yellow on the bottom and at the very top. ... A: Dee, I'm about 115 miles north of you just north of Fort Wayne, IN. This time of year with the ... | |
| Ficus Tree | 12/18/2009 |
| Q: I have had a ficus tree that was given to me 21 years ago. It is about 6 ft. tall and up until 1 ... A: Brenda, I suspect your ficus tree has spider mites. Look at it very closely when the sun is shining ... | |
| How to Propagate this Palm | 12/18/2009 |
| Q: Not sure what type of palm this is. I rescued it from the Walmart markdown for a $1 about five years ... A: Rosie, It is not a palm, it is a yucca plant. Yuccas come from the desert. Yucca plants are ... | |
| Dwarf Banana Plant | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: How often and when should I re-pot my dwarf banana plant - it is indoors always as I don't have a ... A: Dawn, Repot it once a year in the spring. Move it to a 14 inch pot and make sure it is a pot with a ... | |
| zebra plant | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: I was reading an answer someone offered about a zebra plant and was wondering if i could get a ... A: Nick, The more sun it gets the more likely it is to send out side shoots but probably not until ... | |
| Identification | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: I was recently given a 4 foot tall houseplant with very dark green, broad leaves that are very ... A: Sarah, It sounds like a rubber tree plant or ficus elastica. Go to Google.com and type in ficus ... | |
| plant | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: me and my sister were curious as to what kind of plant we have adopted. it has two separate thick ... A: Kira & Ronna, I believe your plants are dracaena marginata plants although it is very hard to tell ... | |
| How often should I water my Dracaena? | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: I just purchased my first Dracena plant from Home Depot about two weeks ago. I've tried doing a ... A: Christina, For starters your city water probably has flouride and chlorine in it and that will burn ... | |
| odour absorbing house plants | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: good morning i hope i have a straight forward question! what is the best indoor house plant for ... A: Michael, For starters all houseplants are tropical plants. There are no plants that will survive ... | |
| Plant Identification | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: I have 3 plants I would be putting in a science fair project. Plant 2 is a very long plant that goes ... A: Casey, Plant # 2, the vine is definiteoy Golden Pothos Vine (it's latin name is Epipremnum ... | |
| guzmania pup | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: My guzmania pup has a long thin hole in the middle of a brown spot on one of its leaves. It's still ... A: Susan, No, I do not believe that you have a disease or fungus. I think the pup just got scraped or ... | |
| large banana houseplant | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: I just (yesterday)adopted a very big, potted banana. It is in a 10" pot, and there are actually 3 ... A: Diana, Your banana should only be watered when it has been dry for a few days. I have a smaller one ... | |
| Grape Ivy... | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: .. I love house plants %26 have many that I have very little trouble with. My grape ivy is a ... A: Pam, Grape ivy is a plant that can get a fungal disease called powdery mildew. It kind of looks ... | |
| queen anne ferns | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: I have two large beautiful queen anne ferns that were on my terrace in Cleveland, Ohio. I have ... A: David, Every plant has an official Latin name that nurseries should use but many don't bother. ... | |
| Spore Forming Parasite on Mint Herb | 12/7/2009 |
| Q: I've been having problems with my mint, there has been a frequent infestation of these thick brown ... A: Kyle, It won't hurt the plant as long as you keep the can 12 inches from the plant. You want the ... | |
| Christmas Cactus | 12/7/2009 |
| Q: My mother started a Christmas Cactus for me about 7 years ago and i have somehow kept it alive. (I ... A: Marcia, Yes, It doesn't sound like it removes flouride though and draceanas and a few other plants ... | |
| Spore Forming Parasite on Mint Herb | 12/7/2009 |
| Q: I've been having problems with my mint, there has been a frequent infestation of these thick brown ... A: Kyle, I am not a mushroom or fungus expert but that is what it is. I reccommend that your try to ... | |
| Potted rose bush from a cut rose | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: Background: In spring of 2009 I received a bouquet of "Black beauty" roses. They looked okay when ... A: Heidi, I did some research and my information says Black Beauty Roses are Hybrid Tea Roses that ... | |
| mold | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: Darlene, I have mold in the soil of several of my houseplants, so I know I am doing something ... A: Diane, You may be overwatering or you may just have potting soil with too much vegetative stuff in ... | |
| Christmas Cactus | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: My mother started a Christmas Cactus for me about 7 years ago and i have somehow kept it alive. (I ... A: Marcia, When you are at Walmart or Lowes pick up a bottle of rooting hormone. When you hav apice ... | |
| Repotting house plants in winter | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help me. I just repotted all my house plants and gave them a good watering. I have ... A: Esther, Whoever advised you it was a mistake was correct. Plants are semi dormant now when the days ... | |
| Intruiging object found on surface of houseplant soil. | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: I finally decided to directly communicate with someone after trying to find websites and forums that ... A: Mike, Are you sure that these are not a time release form of fertilizer that you or someone else in ... | |
| RUBBER TREE PLANT TRIMMING | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: I HAVE A RUBBER TREE IN MY HOUSE NOW ABOUT 12 FEET TALL AND RUNNING OUT OF CEILING HEIGHT. WONDERING ... A: WM, You can safely prune it now and the tree will regrow. What you probably can't do now is root ... | |
| Esrog(Etrog,Citrus Medica) | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if there was something i could feed the plants (Citrus Medica) to make them grow ... A: Marc, I have the following suggestions: 1.Recycle your coffee grounds. Your citrus tree likes ... | |
| Pachira Plant | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a Pachira plant which is very nice and healthy. What i need to know is when can I prune the ... A: Freddie, The best time to get cuttings to root is in the spring of the year when the days are ... | |
| Palm tree care | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: We have a palm tree plant that does not get alot of light. The leaves are turning brown at the tips. ... A: Maureen, It sounds like too much water with possible root rot. Do not water it if it feels really ... | |
| white growth on indoor orange tree | 12/1/2009 |
| Q: I have an indoor orange tree that has developed some sort of white cottony looking stuff on it. It ... A: Melissa, It is mealy bugs, an insect. It can move to other plants. I would immediately inspect the ... | |
| Indoor plants | 12/1/2009 |
| Q: Live in apt with no sills for plants and have cats that with eat/play with anything!Would love herb ... A: Pat, A pothos vine or philodendron vine hanging near a window with the drapes or blinds open all ... | |
| Schefflera | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: I have such a schefflera for at least 14 years. I only figured out the name of this plant lately. ... A: Anny, Absolutely do not repot it! This is the wrong time of year to repot any plant or to try to ... | |
| Indoor Yucca | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: please can you help? I have had my indoor yucca for 12/13 years from a 12" plant. It has been ... A: Marion, I am not sure what you mean by, " both of the shoots got "top heavy" and have drooped right ... | |
| Schefflera | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: I have such a schefflera for at least 14 years. I only figured out the name of this plant lately. ... A: Anny, The stem that has no leaves, if it is still green there is a chance it is alive. If it is ... | |
| mass cane harmful for cats? | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: My question is, are these plants pet friendly? We have a cat at home and the plant indoors. ... A: Katherine, Mass Cane is in the Dracaena family and it is not considered safe for cats. Generally ... | |
| planting Ficus pumila in pots. | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: We have huge sections of cinderblock wall that we are attempting to cover with Ficus pumila.(with ... A: Eden, I have grown them in pots. They do better in pots if they are in smaller pots or pot bound. ... | |
| Plant concerns | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: I have two plants one in each of two different rooms. One I think is a philodendron (resembles a ... A: Pat, In my experience any residue on the outside of pots is the residue of hard water. Just how it ... | |
| mexican dagger /yucca plant | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: We have three of these plants in our garden one at 10feet one at 13 feet one at 15 feet tall . the ... A: Graham, I would suspect it is old age or maybe even some frost.I do not believe that it is a ... | |
| Portulacaria | 11/27/2009 |
| Q: I bought 2 Portulacarias in a Bonsai exhibition, both were in small pots in clay soil. They measure ... A: Wanda, Portulacaria needs to be in almost pure gravel so the water will drain through quickly. ... | |
| low maintenence indoor plants | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: I am doing a project at my school to make my school more Green, and one of the ideas we had was to ... A: Kaylee, i'm sorry, I do not know of any plants that will grow all summer without water. Plants have ... | |
| Indoor plants | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: Live in apt with no sills for plants and have cats that with eat/play with anything!Would love herb ... A: Pat, I am not sure what you mean by no sunlight. All plants require light bright enough that your ... | |
| Pothos | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: I live in washington state and now I'm living in a 1 bedroom apartment. I have had a golden pothos ... A: Heather, Yes, I would put the new one back in it's original pot or go get another 6 inch marble ... | |
| wood sorel sick! | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I have had a wood sorel plant for 16 years. It has been transplanted a few times, into bigger pots ... A: Liz, I need to know more about these white spots. There are white spots that can be caused by ... | |
| Zygo Christmas Cactus | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: I have been given a 25 to 30 years old Zygo cactus, only 50% of the plant blooms at one time, my ... A: Jean, The first thing you must do is fill the pot with soil to within an inch of the rim. The soil ... | |
| Azaleas | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a red azalea plant potted indoor. I live in UAE (dry and hot climate), so have potted it ... A: Monica, Step1. Put your azalea in the coolest room available where it will get good light but ... | |
| Song of India Plant | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I bought a Song of India Plant several months ago from Home depot I water it every 10 days and it ... A: Sharon, For the ones around the bottom of the pot I would pour rubbing alcohol directly on them ... | |
| small white worms | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I have self watering plant pots and today I noticed some very small white worms in the water as I ... A: Sheila, They are most likey the larva of fungus gnats. Overwatering is causing root rot that is ... | |
| cat palm | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: i bought a cat palm for my wife last spring and it was not doing so well, so we put it outside and ... A: Kevin, Build a greenhouse around it or beg a greenhouse to keep it for you for the winter. Or hire ... | |
| Song of India Plant | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I bought a Song of India Plant several months ago from Home depot I water it every 10 days and it ... A: Sharon, No, but the overwatering that is causing the root rot that is attracting the fungus gnats ... | |
| cactus houseplant do not know type | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: the plant is about one foot high with a flat main stem and several medium sized flat sections and ... A: Doris, You can try rooting a still green section of this plant. Cut or break it off of the main ... | |
| Song of India Plant | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I bought a Song of India Plant several months ago from Home depot I water it every 10 days and it ... A: Sharon, After you water it you should wait an hour and empty the drain tray so the plant is not ... | |
| pothos | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I have two of these plants & one hangs in a large picture window that faces east & gets the direct ... A: Linda, Rest assured this is not uncommon. Let’s look at those - crying leaves - and try to stay ... | |
| Plant ID | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: Could you tell me what kind of plant this is and what kind of care it needs? A: R, A little difficult with just the picture of the flower especially when this plant is not ... | |
| Fica tree | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: I know they loose their leaves when moved. My tree is almost bare. Some of the leaves are turning ... A: Tina, You are watering it too much and the roots are rotting and the soil is molding. You should ... | |
| Pony Tail Palm (has out grown ceiling ht) | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: How to trim or graft palm back so that I can keep it in the house over the winter months, without ... A: Dean, I agree, if you can possibly wait I would also wait until you can put it outside and follow ... | |
| problem with my jade plants | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: I own two jade plants that seem to be dying. The leaves are shriveling up and then fall off. The ... A: Bev, Root rot will not be resolved by stopping watering for a couple of days. It will take 6 months ... | |
| Mass cane plant | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: It was a clearance plant so I am trying to whip it back into shape. The leaves are green but have ... A: Ashlee, The 2' planter sounds very large for 1 plant. The pot should not be much bigger around than ... | |
| what kind of house plant? | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: It didnt have a name on the tag. Could you help me identify it? It has several long main stems and ... A: Jamey, Your plant is a yellow flower one is a Dizygotheca elegantissima or commonly known as False ... | |
| whats the name of my plants? | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: so i dont know the name of it also. Thank you so much ,Jamey A: Jamey, It is a Ficus palmeri or a Ficus petiolaris. They are almost the same and their care is the ... | |
| trimming a night blooming cereus | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a night blooming cirrus which has some brown leaves and is a bit leggy. How do I safely cut ... A: Dibs, Simply take sharp scissors or pruners and cut of the brown parts. You can also cut back ... | |
| arborea | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: I have five 7' tall Arborea's in my home. They are planted in non draining ceramic pots. Over the ... A: David, There are at least 2 plants known as Arboreas so I am not sure which one you are talking ... | |
| weak flowers on peace lily? | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: My peace lily is growing like mad at the moment (springtime); recently it's grown a few blooms! My ... A: Kay, I think the flowers are weak because the plant is crowded and needs repotted and needs ... | |
| weak flowers on peace lily? | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: My peace lily is growing like mad at the moment (springtime); recently it's grown a few blooms! My ... A: Kay, Spring is the best time to repot, it will only encourage more and stronger blooms. You should ... | |
| Goldfish Plants | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: I have had a Goldfish plant for about six months now. It seemed to be doing well. Recently, the ... A: Ally, The symptoms sound like it is dying from being too wet. Does the container it is in have a ... | |
| Identification please | 11/14/2009 |
| Q: Can you help me identify the plant in the attached photo? I have forgotten what it is, but from my ... A: Laura, I beleive that you have a Dracaena deremensis ‘Warneckii’. It is more commonly called a corn ... | |
| chocolate plant (pseuderanthemum) | 11/14/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought this lovely plant at our local Orchard's Supply. It is beautiful, and I want to ... A: Reina, There are many varieties of pseuderanthemum but I suspect yours is pseuderanthemum altum ... | |
| African Violet | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: I just planted a violet that was a clipping from another one I have. I rooted it in water (in a ... A: April, I'm not sure exactly what a violet pot is. Maybe you need to talk to whereever you got the ... | |
| pruning a palm tree | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: someone recently gave me a tall palm tree. I don't know what kind it is. It has 3 seperate cream ... A: Carol, I cannot answer your questions without knowing exactly what kind of plant you are talking ... | |
| corn plants | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: I read your answer regarding a corn plant flowering. I just noticed today that ours is also ready to ... A: Amalie, It is happening because your plant is mature enough for it to happen. It never happens ... | |
| Repottig mistake | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: I just repotted my cactus (it is a flowering one; bright pink in November) but the pot is three ... A: Sheilagh, That is just fine. Just keep it in a very sunny location and it should be fine. Be ... | |
| Repottig mistake | 11/10/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Rose problems | 11/9/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| False Aralia | 11/8/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Root Rot in Desert Rose. | 11/8/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Overgrown umbrella plant | 11/7/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Sad Purple Passion | 11/7/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| papyrus plant | 11/6/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Root Rot in Desert Rose. | 11/6/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Overgrown umbrella plant | 11/5/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Mass Cane | 11/5/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| house plant | 11/4/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Money Tree pruning | 11/3/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| brown spots on aloe plant | 11/3/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Ornamental orange tree | 11/2/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Basil Plant | 11/1/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Chinese Evergreens | 11/1/2009 |
| 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. ... | |
| Scale treatment | 11/1/2009 |
| 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: ... | |
| Basil Plant | 10/31/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| I think my plant has chicken pox! | 10/30/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| plam tree | 10/30/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Dracaena cane | 10/29/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| christmas cactus & atomic grow | 10/29/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Peace Lily | 10/28/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Philodendron | 10/28/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Mass Cane? | 10/26/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Ficus Benjamina | 10/25/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| House Plant Identification | 10/23/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| Houseplant Lighting | 10/22/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| type of house plants that need none or mininal sun | 10/21/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| ???sugarcane plant | 10/20/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| sensitive plan prunning | 10/19/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| 3-Season Room Plants | 10/18/2009 |
| 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 ... | |
| yellowing of bougainvilla leaves | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: My 6 plants are potted outside in Houston,Texas. They are well drained in non-black containers. I ... A: Melissa, I too raise bougainvilleas in northern IN and I love them dearly. I have learned that youu ... | |
| Potting a plant after rooting in water | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a Schfelerra cutting that I rooted in water. I know its not the preferred way. My question is ... A: Carol, I use potting soil with extra perlite mixed in for all my plants. It puts more air in the ... | |
| propagating dumbcane | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: i have a dumb cane that has grown tall and the steam is becoming to thin at the bottom to hold it ... A: Mohammad, It is rooting hormone and you could buy it online from ebay or another mail order ... | |
| Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron scandens) | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I live in southern Louisiana (Zone 8 borderline 9). I recently purchased a home, and the previous ... A: Paul, I know of know short cuts for you other than a bull dozer. Maybe concentrated Roundup and ... | |
| purple/burgundy mini calla lilly | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: My question is because the roots still look good will my flowers and leaves grow back? I watered it ... A: As I explained, the Calla lilly is not dead, it is a bulb and it is dormant, it will come back to ... | |
| scales on houseplants | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a sunroom with three plants/trees. I brought a ficus into the house last summer and I think ... A: Michele, The little worms had nothing to do with the scale now. They were probably from fungus ... | |
| Dracaena fragrans mass. help | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: One of them looks top dead and is growing new leaves from the bottom. Should I cut off the top ? I ... A: Esha, That answers the whole question. Your pot killed your plant and I recommend that you move the ... | |
| yellow peace lily | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: I've been given care of a peace lily with a lot of big leaves which look scorched and yellow. It ... A: Miranda, Yes, if it has been overwatered so long that it is all yellow the roots may be nearly all ... | |
| Dracaena fragrans mass. help | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: One of them looks top dead and is growing new leaves from the bottom. Should I cut off the top ? I ... A: Eshra, If the cane is brown and not green it is dead. A living cane will be green. Should you cut ... | |
| substitute for sphagum | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: Darlene.....I live in a country which has no sphagum, and I need to cut back my diffenbacchia as ... A: Carol, My guess would be to try half soil and half shredded paper. The paper will act as a binding ... | |
| zebra ornamental grass | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: We purchased a new home this year and there was a zebra grass already planted. We figure that the ... A: Barbara, My specialty is houseplants. However I have a zebra grass and it has been wet here lately ... | |
| purple/burgundy mini calla lilly | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: My question is because the roots still look good will my flowers and leaves grow back? I watered it ... A: Jabulile, Calla lilly plants are bulbs that must go dormant and rest in the winter. Allow it a 3 ... | |
| detect indoor plants | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: i want to grow indoor plants that require low sunlight. is there any way to detect fully indoor ... A: Sabrina, There are no plants that will grow if the light is not bright enough for your hand to make ... | |
| antifungal plants | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: i want to buy indoor antifungal plants. what is the best house plant which could reduce the fungi ... A: Kelvin, Neem oil from the tropical neem tree is an antifungl as is lavender oil but the plant by ... | |
| Repotting my antherium | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a great red antherium. I have had it about a year, and it is still in the original plastic 6 ... A: Rick, No, if you just change to a nicer 6 inch pot just run a butter knife around the outside edge ... | |
| Fruit on a Christmas Cactus | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: I have enjoyed my Christmas Cactus plants for many years, one of which came from my mother and is ... A: Susanne, You had the plants hanging outside and the flowers wer polinated by insects. The "fruit" ... | |
| Repotting my antherium | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a great red antherium. I have had it about a year, and it is still in the original plastic 6 ... A: Rick, Antheriums actually don't mind being root bound and your plant would be quite happy in a 6 ... | |
| Sick ficus tree | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I am very new to the world of plants! We recently bought a ficus tree (I don't know what type). ... A: Heather, Don't worry about the eaten leaves, that probably happened in the nursery long before you ... | |
| minature pepper plant | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: i have a minature pepper plant that has red, green, purple and yellow peppers on it. can i put it ... A: Norma, Yes, your pepper would love it outside for the summer in the sunniest location possible. ... | |
| spathiphyllum | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: This plant is about 3 feet tall in a ten in pot. The soil has moss on it. The plant gets indirect ... A: Shirley, No, it is not time to repot. The fact that the soil has moss on it and the leaves are ... | |
| Propogation of Dwarf Umbrella Tree. | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a Dwarf Umbrella Tree that I got from a co worker about a year ago. She had it amongst her ... A: Emily, If you do cut them off and dip them in rooting hormone and replant them you have a 50/50 ... | |
| Identifying Plants! | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: I just purchased a pot of assorted plants. I although I was able to identify some of them online,I ... A: Susan, The blooming one is a kalanchoe. Pronounced “collin-co-wee,” this plant genus from ... | |
| Aloe Vera | 8/15/2009 |
| Q: I keep getting white crystals on my Aloe Vera plant, what is it? ANSWER: Billie, Are you watering ... A: Billie, OK, after more research at the sites below it seems that some aloes just do this. It is the ... | |
| sick dieffenbachia | 8/15/2009 |
| Q: I hope you will be able to offer me some advice for my sick dieffenbachia. Some of the leaves look ... A: Theresa, The moisture control miracle grow potting mix and the aqua globe are keeping the plant ... | |
| bugs on ficus tree | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: I work in a garden center & have noticed a bug on the leaves of our ficus tree..also, a customer has ... A: Peggy, On an indoor plant I do not like using pesticides in my home becaus I have severe allergies. ... | |
| Indoor Plants | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning- I have a basement apartment so not only do I have problems with low sunlight but it is ... A: Michael, As you can see from the 2 charts below only Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) is on ... | |
| What kind of plant do I have? | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: I need to know what kind of plant I have. It is in real close resemblence of an Aphelandra Zebra, ... A: Stephanie, Your plant is Aphelandra squarrosa variety "Red Apollo". There are many hybrid varieties ... | |
| Mandevilla | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: My mom has 2 Mandevillas planted outside in Central Florida. They are against the house on the ... A: Robin, Since her plants are in the ground I would apply a cup of Epsom salts on top of the soil ... | |
| Umberella Plant?? | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: I have what I believe is an umberella plant although there are only 5 leaves to a stem and they hang ... A: Diane, Umberella Plants or Scheffleras are usually very resilient. It should be fine if you move it ... | |
| mandeville pink flower | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: My mandeville is planted in a pot located on my patio.I had a problem with mealy worms but have ... A: Jean, Does your plant get full sun? It loves and needs the sun all day if possible. It also sounds ... | |
| problem with houseplant | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: I was recently given a house plant (a small tree like plant). I noticed one day when I was watering ... A: Kim, I find it interesting that you are telling me what the insects are not but you have no idea ... | |
| Dracaena Janet Craig | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: My dracaena is over 6 feet tall and I was wondering if I can top it off and replant the top in ... A: Lindsey, Yes, pick up a bottle of Rooting Hormone at a garden center and when you cut the top off ... | |
| Zebra plant | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a beautiful, thickly-curled zebra plant with huge and brightly-contrasted leaves several ... A: Ms. T, You have it in very low light. In its native Brazil, Aphelandra is a woody shrub in full ... | |
| Grafting a Dracaena Fragrans Massangeana | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: Due to an upcoming office move, I brought my Dracaena Fragrans Massangeana home. Recently, this ... A: Calvin, I have never seen one successfully put back together. What you can do is root the top and ... | |
| germinating seeds | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: what is the best way to germinate prickly pear cactus seeds and how long to germination. Any help ... A: Michael, Opuntias may be started from seeds, and will sprout readily if they are simply scattered ... | |
| Schefflera dropping leaves | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: I have had my schefflera for a year and have never had a problem. It was a beautiful houseplant that ... A: Barbara, You did mention leaves (some with whitish spots). If these whitish spots look like little ... | |
| ants on plants | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: I outside plants that have bloom on them but they get infested with ants. We live in southwest ... A: Vickie, Ants on your plants outdoors indicates that they most likely have aphids and need to be ... | |
| Cane Yucca plantlet question | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I have an Ikea bought cane Yucca plant like Chini has with a tall and short trunks. It's been 5 or ... A: Peter, A yucca is a desert plant so do not put a plastic bag over it, too much humidity will ... | |
| Schefflera dropping leaves | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I have had my schefflera for a year and have never had a problem. It was a beautiful houseplant that ... A: Barbara, If at all possible move this plant outside immediately into a full sun loocation. It loves ... | |
| Cane Yucca plantlet question | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: I have an Ikea bought cane Yucca plant like Chini has with a tall and short trunks. It's been 5 or ... A: Peter, Go to a garden center like at Lowes or Home Depot and pick up a bottle of Rooting Hormone. ... | |
| Banana Tree Care | 7/26/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a dwarf cavendish banana tree. Can I keep it in a sunny, unheated south-facing ... A: Alexandra, Yes you can keep you banana tree in the sun-porch as long as the sun porch is above 40 ... | |
| too much rain: mold on plants | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I live in SW CT near too far from the shore-and closer to a river. This June it rained 26 days out ... A: Peggy, I answer houseplant questions, your questions would be better submitted to a person who ... | |
| Spathiphyllum clevelandii (peace plant) | 7/24/2009 |
| Q: Help! My wife has had a peace plant for the past ten years and it sucked. Her brother died ten ... A: Daniel, Keep it in the shady location and devise a wire basket of some type to cover it. It was ... | |
| Plant Identification | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a plant that's tall, cactus-like, long leaves about 2 inches wide with pricks on the edges, ... A: Diana, I will need a picture to identify it. You can attach it here or email it to ... | |
| Sap on palm | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I'm having a similar problem as the person with the yucca. I have an indoor 6' palm that gets ... A: Diane, Yes,they can spread to other plants however most insects have certain plants they favor and ... | |
| Mass Cane | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I was reading your help for others that have browning or root rot on their plant. I on the other ... A: Kyle, Water the plant with rubbing alcohol. Do not dilute it with water. It will kill the worms on ... | |
| Sap on palm | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: I'm having a similar problem as the person with the yucca. I have an indoor 6' palm that gets ... A: Diane, There are 3 palms that are consistantly good as house plants. They are: Howea forsteriana ... | |
| White Mould on China Doll Plant | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a china doll plant for our reception desk at work. The plant has been in the ... A: Jeannette, The mould and leaf dropping indicates that the plant is being overwatered and needs to ... | |
| Spathiphyllum blooms/flowers | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: When I purchased my plant it always had white blooms/flowers. In the last few months, many of the ... A: Kay, Then you have or had 2 plants in the pot, they look nearly the same, a spathiphyllum and a ... | |
| Spathiphyllum blooms/flowers | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: When I purchased my plant it always had white blooms/flowers. In the last few months, many of the ... A: Kay, They turn green as they are fading. You are better off clipping them off at the base of the ... | |
| house plants | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: how should I leave my plants without water while I am on vacation for 10 days A: Strasko, It would be best to have a friend or neighbor water them well for you while you are gone. ... | |
| worms in plant soil | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: I bought a lovely anthurium about 1 month ago from a flower shop with very healthy looking plants. I ... A: Kirsten, You can kill the worms by watering the plant with a bottle of rubbing alcohol. It will not ... | |
| Ficus Figs | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: We have a large ficus tree (about 20' - 25' tall) that I recently noticed was producing a yellowish ... A: John, Your ficus is in the Microcarpa family, probably a benjamina unless it has a lot of aerial ... | |
| Soil Mold | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a terrible mold problem. I get the common mold that grows on the top of the soil. This I can ... A: Melina, Do your pots all have drain holes and a drain tray under the pot? An hour after you water ... | |
| love or parlour palm care | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a love palm for indoor but now the leaves are turning a pale green. It is in a ... A: Susi, I would do it outside but not inside. Outside I do not think they foster insects. They do ... | |
| plant ID | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: A friend bought a plant at a grocery store & I've never seen anything like it. It's an indoor plant, ... A: Beth, Without a picture I cannot identify it for you. You can email a picture to me at ... | |
| love or parlour palm care | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a love palm for indoor but now the leaves are turning a pale green. It is in a ... A: Susi, Take it back inside. Pale leaves indicate it's suffering from iron deficiency. You can revive ... | |
| china doll | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: do china doll's have an invasive root system when planted in the ground because i am wanting to ... A: Belinda, The plant is a tropical tree and can become as tall as 40-50 feet. The roots will spread ... | |
| Indoor Fern | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: What am I doing wrong and how can I fix it? My fern has leaves are turning brown at the end, dying ... A: Joanne, You are running your air conditioner and it is keeping the humidity too low for your fern. ... | |
| plant ID and shorten height | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: Age- 25years, pot diameter 12inches. Watered twice weekly. I think window faces south. City ... A: Susan, Your plant is commonly known as a Corn plant or Dracaena Massangeana. The Corn plant ... | |
| Outdoor yucca very sick | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: I've had an outdoor yucca for nearly 14 years, and as of late it seems to have been infected with a ... A: Lisa, Fungal infections can be very frustrating. Try to keep your yucca as dry as possible and ... | |
| 35 year old money plant dying. | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I think I might of given my 35 year old money plant to much baby bio. All the leaves have dropped ... A: Annette, You can try to take a cutting and get it to root but the chances of it rooting are very ... | |
| Yucca Tree | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a large and very healthy Yucca tree in the back garden, please see the photo. I am a bit ... A: Michael, It appears to me that there are 4 trunks above the split. Start by removing the one you ... | |
| My plant has a disease...please HELP!!! | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: I had a plant (palm tree like)for the past 8 months and it had not been watered for over the past ... A: Keisha, Both of your plants must be in pots with holes in the bottom for drainage. An hour after ... | |
| Huge Christmas Palm Tree- indoor- help | 7/4/2009 |
| Q: WEhave a very large indoor pa;m that we purchased form the nursery. They said not over water it but ... A: TJ, A palm tree does not use 5 gallons of water a week. You are overwatering it. Does the pot it is ... | |
| Identification | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to figure out what kind of plant this is. A friend gave it to me and Im not sure I am ... A: Marsha, It's common name is Prayer plant because it folds up it's leaves at night. The Latin name ... | |
| hi. | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: Greetings from Norway. I "adopted" a bonsai tree a couple of months back, which I managed to nurse ... A: William, If you were a cat you would love that strong smell and it would cause you to go a little ... | |
| Transplanting Date Palm | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: I have some date palm trees that are from about 12 inches to 3 feet high, growing in a pot. I ... A: Walter, It is best to transplant it now. Spring and summer is the best time to transplant any ... | |
| dieffenbachia - spontaneous water droplets | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I just purchased a Dieffenbachia - placed it under a north window - next to a floor register with ... A: Pamela, It is a normal occurence in the summer with high humidity. It should not be next to the ... | |
| apentia hearts and flowers | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: While helping a friend in her garden, a long piece of the ground cover, apentia, hearts and flowers ... A: Uma, Yes, you can root it in the ground. You can cut it in 3 or 4 pieces but you need to make sure ... | |
| may have burned new growth-- how do I save my plant-- and what is it? :) | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: I bought a plant because honestly I thought it looked cool, but it didn't have an identifier in it. ... A: Erica, It should only go out in the morning or evening for 2-3 hours. It would love to be out 24 ... | |
| may have burned new growth-- how do I save my plant-- and what is it? :) | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: I bought a plant because honestly I thought it looked cool, but it didn't have an identifier in it. ... A: Erica, Your plant is an Zamia integrifolia, it is in the cycad family. The following site hasmore ... | |
| indoor lighting for houseplants | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: I have houseplants placed in front of an east window that faces alot of trees which block the sun. ... A: Susanne, Your plants need the additional light during the day time hours. The lights should not be ... | |
| identify house plant please | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: I had a house plant given to me a few years ago and don't know what it is called. Since it has been ... A: Angie, It took me awhile but it is Haemanthus albiflos or 'White Blood Lily'. The following ... | |
| SPIDER MITES | 6/25/2009 |
| Q: WE HAVE NEVER HAD SPIDERS IN OUR HOME HOWEVER NOW THAT WE HAVE PLANTS I HAVE WEBS ALL OVER AND HAVE ... A: Doris, I would sray the begonia with a light stream of water so it is not damaged. You will have to ... | |
| SPIDER MITES | 6/25/2009 |
| Q: WE HAVE NEVER HAD SPIDERS IN OUR HOME HOWEVER NOW THAT WE HAVE PLANTS I HAVE WEBS ALL OVER AND HAVE ... A: Doris, For starters literally hose them off. Take your plants outside and use the hose with a ... | |
| pleomela, Song of India plant | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a pleomela that is 5 ft tall, 6lst many years old and have rooted numerous plants from it's ... A: Amy, You are not letting it get dry enough between waterings. It likes to get very dry before you ... | |
| false aralia | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: The plant wants to grow and shoots out new leaves rapidly. These small tender leaves cannot open ... A: Samantha, Yes, the sticky stuff is caused by the bugs. What you see in the soil is the immature ... | |
| Peace Lily | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a Peace Lily in a very huge pot. I wanted to plant another plant or flower with it in the ... A: Jill, You want to look for another plant that doesn't need a lot of sun so it would need the same ... | |
| corn plant | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: My plant's window faces north north west. I'm not sure how old it is, I water it once a week, ... A: Therese, You should not be watering your ficus plant once a week, it should only be watered when it ... | |
| new leaves of wax malphigia are turning black | 6/20/2009 |
| Q: My wax malphigia was v much healthy, but recently it lost all its leaves and new leaves are also ... A: I'm sorry, I am assuming that your plant is in a flower pot and has a round tray under it that is ... | |
| jade | 6/20/2009 |
| Q: I've had a jade plant for 5 years and it has done well even though it was in a plastic pot with ... A: Lee, How much larger is the diameter of the new pot than the old pot? If it is 2 inches or less ... | |
| new leaves of wax malphigia are turning black | 6/19/2009 |
| Q: My wax malphigia was v much healthy, but recently it lost all its leaves and new leaves are also ... A: Priyanshi, Your plant needs to be misted or sitting on a humidity tray if the air is very dry in ... | |
| plant pots | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: I'm a total newbie and was wondering the proper size of <a ... A: Josh, Those pots are a whole system for growing plants in water and a fiberglass media. You need to ... | |
| Marginata drooping | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: My son brought home a marginata plant from college - it sat in the car for two full days (warm) and ... A: Kathy, Just set it in front of an east facing window and water it when it gets dry. The leaves ... | |
| beefsteak begonia | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: I received a cutting from my grandmother's hearty beefsteak begonia plant in January and have been ... A: Maisie, The SUCCESS WITH HOUSE PLANTS by Reader's Digest Editors..., ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ... | |
| Sheffelera | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: Our sheffelera leaves are turning white and becoming paper thin. It is spreading to all the plants. ... A: Kim, Neither have I and I could not find anything on it on the web. Unless you recently moved all ... | |
| Gardenia-spider mites (?) | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: In the last month, I have lost over 7 buds. They just fall off. I have recently gotten about 4 new ... A: Kim, If you see more Pam try adding 1/2 cup 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to the Dawn and ... | |
| Peace Lilly | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: While moving a very large peace lilly it broke at the soil line removing it from the root. Is there ... A: Todd, If it is just a flower that broke off no, you cannot root a flower. If the entire plant broke ... | |
| money tree care | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: I received a money tree a few years ago and the tree is growing pretty good ... A: David, I have never seen a money tree in just water. I would not leave it that way. I would plant ... | |
| angel wing | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: The leaves on my angel wing have become light green and the edges are bright red. What causes this ... A: Renate, Move it to a shadier area. That is what happens when it is growing in a bright sunny ... | |
| banana palm brown edges | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: My indoor banana palm sprouts every new leaf with brown edges even before they open. I water it ... A: Diana, If the soil is moist and the pot is heavy for it's size when you water it you are ... | |
| azalea tree | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: I have received an azalea tree which is full of flower buds, but the buds, instead of opening, are ... A: Diane, Do not keep the soil moist or wet just keep it not dry. Never allow any water to be sitting ... | |
| beefsteak begonia | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I received a cutting from my grandmother's hearty beefsteak begonia plant in January and have been ... A: Maisie, The gnats are fungus gnats, they are like fruit flys. They have attacked your plant because ... | |
| Kentia Palm | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I've had a 5-6ft Kentia Palm for a about 18 months, and the leaf tips always seem to be brown. The ... A: Zach, Kentia (Sentry, Thatch Leaf) Palms are not tolerable to severe dryness or continual over ... | |
| Gardenia-spider mites (?) | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: In the last month, I have lost over 7 buds. They just fall off. I have recently gotten about 4 new ... A: Kimberly, Yes, a cool mist humidifier will help. Dry air is a huge problem. With out a humidifier ... | |
| Clivia, soil insects | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a young Clivia. When watered today, we saw many tiny white insects. They are very thin and ... A: Cob, Without having a picture of the insects or seing them it is impossible for me to identify ... | |
| Magic bean plant soil/gravel | 5/31/2009 |
| Q: I bought a magic bean plant and the soil has a layer of gravel on the top, the kind that is glued ... A: Landra, Take a screw driver and very carefully pry the gravel out while holding on to the base of ... | |
| Wilting,withering corn plant | 5/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a corn plant( I think) that I have had for about 6 years. It is in the same pot that it ... A: Kristee, Are you sure that no one else is giving it any water between you watering it? It sounds ... | |
| Hibiscus leaf problems | 5/25/2009 |
| Q: I have had a Hibiscus 'Holiday' houseplant for about 15 years. It has always flowered well and I ... A: Anne, I looked up Phostrogen on line as we don't have it here in Indiana and found there are ... | |
| Anthurium Red Hot | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: I have an anthurium red hot in the bathroom window sill. It bloomed and blossomed wondefully for ... A: Neal, Is it in a pot with a drain hole in the bottom and a drain tray under it? Yes, you can repot ... | |
| palm tree not growing well | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help me. For absolutely years, I have had a palm tree, very slow growing. It has ... A: Philomena, You can feed it every 2 months but not during the winter months with an acidic water ... | |
| Name my houseplant?! | 5/23/2009 |
| Q: I bought a houseplant, but there was no tag in it and I have no idea what it is or how to best care ... A: Gillian, I believe it is a young Cordyline, either terminalis, fruiticosa or compacta. The ... | |
| palm tree not growing well | 5/23/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can help me. For absolutely years, I have had a palm tree, very slow growing. It has ... A: Philomena, I have a couple of questions for you that I think will get you on the right track. Palms ... | |
| peace lilly | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: can i put the plant outdoors for the summer? A: Jan, Not unless you have a place that gets no direct sun but is bright and gets no wind what so ... | |
| dumb cane | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: My plane is about 8 feet tall, touching the ceiling and starting ot lean over and the leaves are ... A: Dawn, I would get another pot that is about 12 inches wide and fill it with a mix of 2 parts of ... | |
| ficus tree | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: The leaves are falling off. Some are yellow and some look healthy. Maybe underwatering, but this ... A: Mary Jane, Ficus trees can loose leaves because they are too dry, or because they are too wet, or ... | |
| Ponytail problems | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a pony tail that has developed a brown rusty color ring on the edge of the plant where it ... A: Marilyn, A self watering pot is not good for a beaucarnea recurvata or ponytail palm. It keeps the ... | |
| what is this flowers name? | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: i have a plant that i grow at home, which i don't know what the name is. so would you please look at ... A: Munkhtselmeg, I beleive that your plant is a vining Hoya carnosa that is usually grown as a hanging ... | |
| Cat palms | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: I very recently purchased 2 cat palms from a Lowes. I planted them in the ground and they get ... A: Gale, Cat palms do not like full sun and they like lots of water and high humidity. You did not ... | |
| plant identification assistance - ok for kitties to nibble? | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: Today I received a full flat of "palm grass" left over from a local garden store's Mother's Day ... A: Andrea, Your palm grass is I suspect, a Dwarf Egyptian Paper Plant Latin Name: Cyperus papyrus ... | |
| noah's ark houseplant | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: I was searching on the net to find Noah's Ark houseplant. I came across this posting by Shelly on ... A: Janna, I tried to contact Shelly and she has not answered, she may have changed her email address. ... | |
| house coconut palm plant | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: Help! My mother has bought me a cocnut palm plant, the only problem is it has come with no ... A: Gemma, The best care instructions I can give you are move to Miami and plant it in your yard in ... | |
| mass cane floor plant | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: I live in Dayton, Ohio and I put my mass cane outside during the summer on my front porch which is ... A: Angie, Are you saying that you want to put it in the ground for the summer with other plants? Yes ... | |
| umbrella tree | 5/16/2009 |
| Q: a branch has broken off the plant and it is just sitting in water. How do I save these branches and ... A: Donna, You can leave them in the water and you have a 50/50 chance that they will root. You can ... | |
| Indoor Elephant Ear (Brown Leaves) | 5/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a beautiful elephant ear indoor grown from a small plant, now large. I water it regularly, ... A: Jonathon, This plant likes lots of sun. There are several things that could be causing your brown ... | |
| massangeana cane | 5/15/2009 |
| Q: I received massangeana cane was sent to me as a gift. I recently noticed worms in the pot at the ... A: Kathy, You don't say what size of worms. I suspect they are the larva of fungus gnats and that your ... | |
| Plant ID and Facts | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: I purchased this plant a few months ago and it has been doing fine. Recently, however, the edges of ... A: Rebecca, Your plant is a Beaucarnea Recurvata also known as a Ponytail Palm. It loves the sun and ... | |
| Yucca Plant Agony | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: I bought a Yucca almost a month ago. It was in a small pot, had 3 biggish trunks and two other ... A: Chinni, Yuccas are desert plants. They love the sun. They hate being wet. Put it back in front of ... | |
| Indoor Azalea Tree | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: Portland Oregon: New Azalea Tree that I need to put in a pot. How would I determine size and shape ... A: Dee, I checked the winter temperatures in Portland and the lows do fall below 32 degrees. In ... | |
| Indoor Azalea Tree | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: Portland Oregon: New Azalea Tree that I need to put in a pot. How would I determine size and shape ... A: Dee, What makes you think that you need to repot it immediately? If it is in bloom now is ... | |
| peace lily | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a peace lily that got way to much sun and now it just droops. I made sure it has enough water ... A: Tammy, Drain as much water as possible off as quickly as possible. If it is drooping it is probably ... | |
| planting a baby aloe plant | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: i recieved a baby aloe leaf with the root attached im planting it in new soil and pot. Should i put ... A: Angela, Since it is a baby start it in a small pot with not more than a 3 inch diameter. Aloes do ... | |
| Hen & Chickens | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: Can this plant be kept in the house by a window or should it be kept outside in the sun? A: Katherine, It depends, where did you get these hen & chicks? There is a tropical variety that you ... | |
| Yucca plant | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a home that has numerous yucca plants. I'm not sure what type they are. They were ... A: Deb, You did not ruin them. From your original question I was assuming the trunks were 2 feet to 5 ... | |
| Saw dust | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: Pls be so kind as to explain what the following Ailment could be :: My Yucca is potted and indoors, ... A: Sean, You have a yucca cane borer that is a butterfly or a moth that has laid an egg on your yucca ... | |
| Yucca plant | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a home that has numerous yucca plants. I'm not sure what type they are. They were ... A: Debbie, If you send me a digital picture of your yuccas I will figure out exactly what type of ... | |
| Yucca plant | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a home that has numerous yucca plants. I'm not sure what type they are. They were ... A: Debbie, Yucca leaves do not grow a second time. They grow out from the top as the plant grows then ... | |
| Rozalea | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: I just received a Rozalea today as a memorial. It is important for me to keep this alive, being ... A: Jay, Rozalea is the variety name, not the type of plant it is. Ohio-based ... | |
| Ming Aralia | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a small tree in a 4 inch pot I purchased at a nursery back in winter. I used to water it once ... A: Gail, You need to move it to where it will get direct sun. A lack of sun can cause the leaf drop ... | |
| Plant I.D. | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: I need help I.D.ing a houseplant. When I bought it last year, it had 3 nice stalks, the leaves are ... A: Millie, I believe that your plant may be a Purple Passion Plant (Gynura aurantiaca). At the ... | |
| Yucca Cane Plant Troubles | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 Yucca Cane Plants. Both of them are approximately 5' tall. They have not been repotted in ... A: Hope, Unless the night temperatures are below 50 degrees keep them outside in full sun. If it is ... | |
| dracaena fragrans flower | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: My draceana fragrans to my surprise has just flowered what shold i do when the flowers die off? A: Terry, Cut off the flower stalk and keep doing exactly what you have been doing. You must be doing ... | |
| plant | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: i am trying to figure out what i can do to help this plant. it wont stand up straight and i dont ... A: Tiffany, Yes, it is a fiddle leaf fig. You have 3 trunks there and it is in a fairly small pot. I ... | |
| hibiscus | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: hai, i stay in southern part of India. i have many plants at home. i have got hibiscus also at ... A: Usha, Your problem is either scale or mealy bugs, they are very similar insects and the same ... | |
| Bright Screen that will withstand cold/shade | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: Howdy, we recently lost some cedar trees that were providing privacy from our neighbours. We are ... A: Mike, My expertise is in house plants and I don't think they would help you much. Go back to ... | |
| Ponytail Palm | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a pony tail palm that I bought from Canadain Tire, I have discovered that is has some wormy ... A: Christie, Actually cenitpedes are good insects. They are predators that eat bad insects. The ... | |
| nats/larvae killing my plants | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: there is gnat like insect invading all of my potted plants, ornamental and vegetable alike. upon ... A: Sherry, The gnats are fungus gnats, they are like fruit flys. They have attacked your plants ... | |
| yellow mushrooms in my houseplants | 5/4/2009 |
| Q: ive read several websites on these mushrooms that have all of a sudden appeared in my avacado tree ... A: Christie, Whether it is a mushroom that is edible or a toadstool that is not it is a fungus. I ... | |
| rooting hormone and herbs | 5/4/2009 |
| Q: I recently was advised by an employee at a garden center to use a little rooting hormone powder in ... A: Mary, Rooting hormone is a chemical that has an effect on plants but is not a true hormone that ... | |
| diplandia | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: Mine have quit blooming. How do I get them to produce flowers again? ANSWER: Ellen, You have not ... A: Ellen, Cutting them back will prevent them from blooming but lack of sun while they are indoors ... | |
| plam tree plant | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: i was giving a plam tree plant, in the move to my house, we had the plant in the back of the truck, ... A: Brenda, For starters next time you move a plant in an open pick up truck you have to wrap it with ... | |
| Madagascar Dragon Tree | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a Dragon Tree. I'm in the process of re-potting it, but need to know what type ... A: Barbara, You can use the pelletized timed released fertilizer on it or you can give it regular ... | |
| Jade Update | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can advise me about my plant. My jade has developed some kind of disease- I thought it ... A: Polina, As long as the stems are firm and green I would repot it. Use a soil mix of half cheap ... | |
| Lucky Bean | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: I was given a Lucky Bean plant on Mothers day two yrs ago. I had transplanted it over the winter and ... A: Mellissa, Chances are when you transplanted it in the winter you put it into too large an pot and ... | |
| Poinsettia plants | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a poinsettia from Christmas which I put in a corner after it lost most of it's red flowers. ... A: Harriet, It sounds like this one really wants to live if you haven't watered it and it is still ... | |
| Jade plant is sick | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: I hope you can advise me about my plant. My jade has developed some kind of disease- I thought it ... A: Polina, STOP IMMEDIATELY WITH THE INSECTICIDAL SOAP! That can kill a jade as it clogs the leaf ... | |
| Schefflera arboricola leaf drop | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I bought a schefflera arboricola from a local B&Q store about 9 months ago to put in my south ... A: Sue, Stop moving it around, all the moving and experimanting stresses it. It needs sun for as many ... | |
| china doll | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: Would it be okay to place small pebbles or decorative stones of some sort atop the soil in the pot ... A: Malisa, It is fine to put pebbles atop the soil. You might want to put cayenne pepper on the soil ... | |
| Yucca Repotting | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: I acquired a 7ft tall, 27 year old Yucca plant some months ago. I was advised by the previous owner ... A: Dave, It looks like you have an inside pot and an outside pot. I am assuming that it is tne outside ... | |
| small plants starting in pot - not attached to aloe verra | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: I'm using store bought soil with a bit of sand that has sat for the winter without anything in the ... A: Kathyn, Sorry to tell you they are weeds. Probably seeds that floated in on air currents. Your aloe ... | |
| Fica Plant | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: Can Fica plants be moved outside for spring and summer? If so, what exposure is optimum for them? ... A: Gloria, Yes, you can transplant it into a clay pot with a drainage csaucer, that would be best but ... | |
| blooming or flowering palm plant? | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: has even sprouted new shoots from the base of the trunk, up from the soil. It stands in a very ... A: Tanya, Your plant is not a palm, it is a Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig'. The shoots you have are ... | |
| Sick yucca cane | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: I bought my yucca cane about one year ago from Home Depot. There are two stalks, a taller and one ... A: Shanti, I suspect that at times your yucca has been overwatered and other times underwatered which ... | |
| burros tail (donkey) | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: my burros tail seems to be wilting in places. Some of the tips are turning light green or a pale ... A: Willie, I suspect someone else may be giving your burros tail a drink when you are not looking. ... | |
| plant identification | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: i have had this plant growing in the house for years. i think it is a "W" but can not say for sure. ... A: Sue, I believe that your plant is a Tolmiea menziesii, commonly known as a Piggyback plant. Your ... | |
| over fertlized potted tomatoes | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: I mixed 4 parts potting soil to 1 part deodorized manure for my patio tomatoes, now the leaves are ... A: Clarissa, The only other things I can think of would be to remove some of the soil in the pot and ... | |
| yucca gloriosa | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a spanish dagger. Do I need to cut the nice center growth in order for the outer shoots to ... A: Gary, No, You just have to be patient. It is a slow growing plant and those outer shoots grow best ... | |
| ZZ plant | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: I rescued a ZZ plant from a house where renters had left it. I know nothing about them but have ... A: Terri, I am growing my first ZZ plant now so I am not an expert on it but I would probably remove ... | |
| ZZ plant | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: I rescued a ZZ plant from a house where renters had left it. I know nothing about them but have ... A: Terri, No you should not repot your ZZ but I would encourage you to keep it in that original pot ... | |
| Fertilising Houseplants | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: i have just bought a peace lily and a flamingo flower from a shop, both are in full bloom at the ... A: Yes, I reccommend that you fertilize the plants while they are flowering. I would use Miracle Grow ... | |
| pruning | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: would like to know how to prune and shape established hard wooded dracena plants, and if cuttings ... A: Lorraine, You simply take either a sharp knife or sharp pruning shears and cut the stem you want to ... | |
| Light conditions for plants | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: I have two newly acquired plants - an anthurium andreaneum and a croton. Both appear to need ... A: Haldee, Your anthurium is from Hawaii and loves the humidity of tropical islands. It would also ... | |
| Prayer Plant Roots | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: Regarding the roots of a prayer plant. I dug a prayer plant from the pot. I noticed that there are ... A: Brenda, No, it is not normal and I suspect that your plant has Meloidogyne incognita — Southern ... | |
| Mother in Law's togue fell over | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a Mother in Law's Tongue that I keep on my desk at work. It has been growing quite well, ... A: Natasha, Usually sansevieria plants are connected to each other with their roots connected in a ... | |
| banana trees | 4/17/2009 |
| Q: i received a gift of 2 trees in 10 inch pots last week. Will they grow well if i repot them in ... A: Phyllis, They will grow just fine in large pots. I reccommend that you use potting soil with some ... | |
| mass cane plant | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: I just purchased a corn plant and it's staring to get brown and yellow tips on the leaves. I have ... A: They require being in a room that is bright enough that your hand will make a shadow without having ... | |
| White circles | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a few grape vines that I am trying to grow. They are currently still inside since it is a ... A: Stephanie, Young grape vines are very touchy. Over watering can cause then to become droopy or ... | |
| White circles | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a few grape vines that I am trying to grow. They are currently still inside since it is a ... A: Stephanie, Where did these grape vines come from? How long have you been growing them indoors? It ... | |
| diplandia | 4/14/2009 |
| Q: Mine have quit blooming. How do I get them to produce flowers again? A: Ellen, You have not said how long you have had them or where you are located. I am going to assume ... | |
| Schflerra Dwarf | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 21 year old Schflerra that used to be full and beautiful. It is dropping leaves daily and ... A: Denise, Let it get dryer between waterings and move it to where it will get direct sun. ... | |
| white calla lilly indoor | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: I have an indoor white calla lilly that I bought a grocery store. It was doing great, but the leaves ... A: Jen, Is your plant a calla lily or a peace lily? If it is a peace lily you should be careful not to ... | |
| Anthurium - Dark Edges | 4/11/2009 |
| Q: You described "fertilizer burn" on an Anthurium. I am wondering if that is what I have on mine. My ... A: Ann, That burn could come from fertilizer or from over watering or from too much sun. So if you ... | |
| Palm houseplant | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a palm houseplant from the local grocery store (i am not sure to which variety it ... A: Julia, Watering every other day is too often. You cannot keep the plant that wet or the roots willl ... | |
| deifinbaccia, dumb cane | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: dumbI have a huge diefenbachhia/dumb cane, I have been growing from a stem, for about 3 years now. ... A: Dawn, Air layering is the safest way to take the top off the plant if you want to guarantee you can ... | |
| Asparagus Fern | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: How do you propagate Asparagus Fern? A: Steven, If it is very large you can divide it but it usually doesn't like that. Otherwise growing ... | |
| SCHEFFELARA | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a root bound scheffelara in a pot under my patio. I would like to plant it in my flower bed ... A: Lou, I have no idea where you live so I can't come help you. You don't have a question here. Remove ... | |
| old aloe plant | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: I live in NC and received an aloe plant from my granddaddy today that he brought back from Florida ... A: Christie, Treat it like a cactus. Indoors give it lots of sun. Mine sits in the corner of an ... | |
| Lilly Plant | 4/4/2009 |
| Q: I have a peace lilly and I would like to know if I can sit it outside in the sun. And if so how long ... A: Anette, The only way a peace lily should be outside is if the lowest temperature at night is above ... | |
| Dying Guzmania Grand Prix | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: I really want to save my Guzmania Grand Prix plant (I think its this species, tall green leaves ... A: Samantha, I assume that it was in bloom when you bought it and that it bloomed for some time after ... | |
| amaryllis bulbs | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 amaryllis bulbs that are starting to grow again, after wintering in the basement. Both are ... A: Irene, You need to feed them more than just bone meal. Amaryllis are heavy feeders and the bulbs ... | |
| indoor yucca plant from ikea | 4/1/2009 |
| Q: I bought a yucca plant from ikea last weekend and make the mistake of already watering it. I looked ... A: Stephanie, It appears to be some type of toadstools growing in very acidic heavy soil. Yuccas ... | |
| Houseplants and kids | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: I am getting ready to move into a new house, and was planning on getting an air purifier because I ... A: Julia, The first list of air filtering plants was compiled by NASA as part of the NASA Clean Air ... | |
| aloe plant in house | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: I have an aloe plant and the root is curved , and the pot is 6 " ! I can't seem to get it to plant ... A: Jennifer, Aloes do not like to be repotted. It should be groing in a sandy cactus soil. If you ... | |
| Should I repot my dracaena lisa? | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: I bought a new dracaena lisa today and don't know if I should repot it. It is in a 3 gallon ... A: Angela, No, I would not repot it unless I thought it had really bad soil for some reason. If the ... | |
| worms in the dirt of my Cat Palms | 3/28/2009 |
| Q: I have three small Cat Palms. I bought them in the spring of 08, all summer they were outside. In ... A: Cindy, You are overwater and keeping them too wet so the roots are rotting which is causing the ... | |
| majestic palm | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: I live in the Panhandle of Florida. My majestic palm leaves are covered with a black sticky ... A: Brigette, You have an insect attacking your majestic palms. The black sticky residue is their ... | |
| Olive Trees | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: Good Day, I was recently at a nursery in the UK and noticed olive trees (olea europea) for sale. I ... A: Arthur, I have a bonsai olive tree here in northern Indiana and it is very happy outdoors in the ... | |
| Pothos | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: I went through the answers you have given for Pothos but my question is about drying or wilting of ... A: Jerry, The usual reason that new leaves on pothos dries is because it is getting too much water. ... | |
| air plant | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: i have a question about a blooming air plant. Right now it is in its blooming stage, but i dont no ... A: Danny, Actually I had a friend that brought me one from Florida and gave it to me as a gift. It ... | |
| air plant | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: i have a question about a blooming air plant. Right now it is in its blooming stage, but i dont no ... A: Danny, In nature these plants would get watered by the rain. You did not say if the plant is ... | |
| rabbits foot fern | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: my fern has the rabbits foot on the outside of the container and it has broken out of the bottom of ... A: Deb, If you mean roots are coming out of the bottom of the container I wouldn't worry about it. I ... | |
| Peace Lily | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: I received this last July when our daughter passed away. I was 6-8 inches in a larger pot that did ... A: Patricia, I am sure that your original plant was a peace lily. It is very common to send peace ... | |
| Peace Lily | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: I received this last July when our daughter passed away. I was 6-8 inches in a larger pot that did ... A: Patricia, In Hawaii I would keep a peace lily outdoors in a shady location on a lanai or under ... | |
| Frost Bitten House plants | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a few different types of house plants and thought they needed some fresh air and sun. well i ... A: Sean, Houseplants are tropical plants. They should never go outside until night time temperatures ... | |
| Can I save my corn plant? | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a corn plant and it was doing excellent until it was left outside on a cold winter night. The ... A: Ravan, If the stubs that are sticking up out of the soil are green then you can keep the pot in a ... | |
| question on house plants | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I have geraniums that are indoor and I have a problem with a white colored moss or bacteria that ... A: Frank, It is mold. It is from the soil or fertilizer that you are using or could even just be from ... | |
| jasmine plants | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: how do you prune a jasmine plant. I'm completely new to plants so use uneducated plant language ... A: Jasmine, Do not prune your jasmine plants until just after they have stopped blooming then cut them ... | |
| cocoa palm house plant | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: I have been given a coco palm (with large 'nut' in a pot) I placed it in my bedroom which is quite ... A: Jayne, A cocoa (coconut) palm tree's natural environment is outdoors in Florida in full sun in ... | |
| Helpless case of the fungus nats | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: I have been trying the potato trick and although it must be working to some degree I am going ... A: Angela, To start with empty the water out of the drain trays of all of your house plants ... | |
| about my umbrella tree | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: It's one of those you find in any store for $5. They say they're perfect beginner plants because you ... A: No just use wire clippers or toenail clippers and clip the skewer off just above the surface of the ... | |
| about my umbrella tree | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: It's one of those you find in any store for $5. They say they're perfect beginner plants because you ... A: Michael, Your umbrella tree loves and needs the sun. Move it to a south facing window with window ... | |
| cat palm plant | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: It looked real good when we bought the cat palm plant, now I put it in a different pot and the ... A: LENNY, Yellow leaves on a repotted cat palm indicates it may have spider mites. shine a very bright ... | |
| Peace Lily | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I've got some other questions on maintaining my peace lily: When a leaf or flower dies / turns ... A: Kyle, You should cut flowers or leaves off at the base of the stem with sharp scissors where the ... | |
| Florida Red Scale | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: Please help me!This is urgent!I am from Malta, a little island in the middle of the Meditterenean.I ... A: Vanessa, 70% Isopropyl alcohol known here as rubbing alcohol, usually sold in a drug store or ... | |
| Florida Red Scale | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: Please help me!This is urgent!I am from Malta, a little island in the middle of the Meditterenean.I ... A: Vanessa, FRS is an insect, not a disease and it is not dangerous to humans. Under that hard scale ... | |
| Scale on Palm | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a major scale problem on my palm. I've heard that one shouldn't use insecticidal soap sprays ... A: Andrew, You can also use rubbing alcohol mixed with water 50/50 and put it in a spray bottle. Spray ... | |
| Need to find out what kind of house plant that I have | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: Good Evening, I was given an indoor house plant today and I have a concern. First I do not know what ... A: Candace, I beleive that it is a variety of a zamia or a cardboard palm. Yes, it is poisonous to ... | |
| Gold Capella Schefflera | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: I believe it is the umbrella kind. It has one trunk which is nearly 2 ft. tall between the soil and ... A: Jennifer, You should never repot a plant until it has been in your home for at least a few months ... | |
| Dying peace lily? | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: I've recently inherited a peace lily, which doesn't seem to be doing too well. It's leaves have ... A: Kaylee, Your peace lily can sit near an east or north window but no other windows. It will not do ... | |
| LOTS of Yellow leaves | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: I have a Dracaena Marginata, green variety. She is producing an insane number of yellow leaves on a ... A: Emily, How new is it? If you have just had it for less than 2 weeks then I suspect something ... | |
| Ming Afralia | 3/3/2009 |
| Q: Darlene, My husband used to have a Ming Aralia and we lost it in our move from west to east. For ... A: Dorothe, If you are anywhere near north eastern Indiana I know where there is one in a Meijers ... | |
| plant question (ID) | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: My plant lost 2 leaves by accident (I knocked into it :( ). I don't know what its called but know ... A: Lori, It appears to be a ficus elastica or variegated rubber tree but it is difficult to tell for ... | |
| Amarylis | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: My partner had an amarylis bulb given her for christmas and it grew rapidly with six leaves and ... A: Brian, You do not cut the leaves off to make the flower last longer. The reason the plants in the ... | |
| cat palm | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I just bought a cat palm a couple weeks ago and it has leaves turning yellow and kind of curling up. ... A: Jennifer, Your problem could either be watering too much or too little. You may not be watering it ... | |
| Need to find the name of this plant | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: I need your help in knowing the name of this flower. I was given to me as a gift 4 years ago and it ... A: Enrique, It is an Allium bulb or a flowering onion. I cannot tell you exactly which variety and I ... | |
| lighting | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: I asked this question to another expert but they didn't know the answer. I'm trying to get some ... A: Brandon, The bulbs that came with the lights are designed to be grow lights with light that is ... | |
| cataractarum palm | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: Is the cataractarum palm poisonous to cats? I have bought two palms and would like to have them in ... A: Karen, It is safe for cats. Most house plants are safe for cats except for lilies. So you can rest ... | |
| is a corn plant poisinous to a iguana | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: i have a iguana who loves to climb. so i decided to get a corn plant tree and he climbs on it all ... A: Christina, Most websites I consulted said no it is not but one said the following regarding cats ... | |
| indoor azela plant | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: i got an azela plant. for valentines day. can i repot and keep inside? does it need a certian ... A: Janie, NO! You should not repot it until it is done blooming and not until after April 1st when the ... | |
| massangeana-flies | 2/15/2009 |
| Q: i have noticed lately little fruit fly type flies. i noticed today that the trunk has little flies. ... A: Linda, The flies are fungus gnats because the plant is being overwatered and the roos are beginning ... | |
| Repotting | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: Okay, I have 2 questions. First, is it possible to repot a Pothos in the middle of February without ... A: Summer, Yes but you need to slip it out of the pot without the drainage hole and put it into a pot ... | |
| cut corn plant trunks | 2/13/2009 |
| Q: My potted indoor corn corn plant came with four trunks in one pot. I cut 2 of the trunks close to ... A: Stella, The roots of the 2 trunks you cut will probably send out new shoots and grow whole new ... | |
| Chilly Plants | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: I prefer keeping my house cool in the winter time (around 50 degrees). Am having problems finding ... A: Gwen, You don't mention the sun but you did mention cactus so I assume that you have plenty of ... | |
| yucca cane plant | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: we recently bought a yucca cane plant, it was so healthy when we got it and it is now not looking so ... A: Dee, You are either giving it too much water or not enough sun. A yuccca plant should be treated ... | |
| CARE OF YUCCA PLANT | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: my plant is as shown in photo given at i59.photobucket.com/.../ g317/JEAE/Botani009.jpg. my plant ... A: Vicky, Your plant is not a yucca, it is a corn plant or Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig'. This ... | |
| Kimberly Queen fern | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a Kimberly Queen fern that I brought inside last fall and placed near a south-facing window. ... A: Neil, The sap like substance you describe is the excrement from insects. It is called honeydew. It ... | |
| CARE OF YUCCA PLANT | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: my plant is as shown in photo given at i59.photobucket.com/.../ g317/JEAE/Botani009.jpg. my plant ... A: Vicky, The link to your picture didn't work but a yucca is a desert plant. It is to be grown in a ... | |
| peace lily | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: I repotted a peace lily, when i repotted it i cut the roots to loosen them thinking this would help ... A: Katrina, For starters you repotted it at the wrong time of year. The days are too short so the ... | |
| triming a selluam | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a large selluam. My guess it is ft by ft. there are leaves sprouting from the bottom side of ... A: James, The tenacles are aerial roots. If the plant has 2 separate crowns or central points with ... | |
| Peace Lilly | 2/5/2009 |
| Q: I have had my plant for several years. It is on my dinning room table. There is no windows in the ... A: Ann, Your garden soil is too heavy and holds too much water for your plants so it's roots are ... | |
| getting a hoya to flower | 2/4/2009 |
| Q: I have tried every piece of advice given me on making a hoya produce flowers. I keep it dry in the ... A: Dorothy, Is it rootbound? This and many other plants bloom luxuriously when they are kept in small ... | |
| Zizi plant | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: I transplanted it to dry out the soil and since it was rootbound I thought that was the problem. I ... A: Celeste, If the stalks were soggy you were keeping it too wet. This plant needs to be kept dry like ... | |
| Jasmine house plant | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: Would you please give me some simple steps in caring for my Jasmine house plant? I have no idea ... A: Phillis, You should keep it in the sunniest window available with the drapes and miniblinds open ... | |
| Areca Palm | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: I have an indoor areca palm and I've noticed that some of the leaf tips are brown and also some of ... A: Sharon, You could be overwatering. The soil cannot be constantly wet. You should get some bamboo ... | |
| 'mass cane' | 1/31/2009 |
| Q: I have just purchased two 'mass plants for my home. One is placed in the corner of my livingroom, ... A: Norman, Yes, It does not like the drying heat, it needs humidity. It also needs bright light but no ... | |
| yukka house plant | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: do yukka trees in a pot in the house shed their leaves in the winter A: Colin, Only if they are not getting enough sun and they are getting too much water. They need full ... | |
| propagating a prince of orange phildendron | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I have what I believe is a prince of orange phildendron. At least it looks like this picture from ... A: Jesse, I find plants root much easier in soil. Get a bottle of rooting hormone at your nearest ... | |
| Pachira aquatica | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: I have this lovely bonsai money tree and it has about 12 leaves on it. I just noticed two baby ... A: Danielle, Pachira aquatica is a tree and cannot be rooted from cuttings in water. It may be able to ... | |
| ficus losing leaves | 1/26/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 ficus plants which I've had for about 3 years. They were both doing great but about 6 ... A: Neli, Move them both to a location where they get as much actual sun as possible all day long and ... | |
| outdoor jade plant | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: My large jade 5" diameter trunk and about 3.5 feet tall is outside under a very small covered porch ... A: Mary, That would be wise, it neeeds protection from too much rain and definitely from frost but it ... | |
| corn plants | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: 14 years ago my little cousin planted a corn plant from a corn kernel in pre-school. Now it is a ... A: Khalliah, You should not do anything until after April 1st when the days are longer then it will be ... | |
| outdoor jade plant | 1/24/2009 |
| Q: My large jade 5" diameter trunk and about 3.5 feet tall is outside under a very small covered porch ... A: Mary, Great, it is good that there is no scale or mealy bugs. The spots are coming from the frost ... | |
| outdoor jade plant | 1/24/2009 |
| Q: My large jade 5" diameter trunk and about 3.5 feet tall is outside under a very small covered porch ... A: Mary, It cannot be transplanted right now, it should wait until after April 1st when the days are ... | |
| hibiscus tree | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: We have a hibiscus tree, about 5' tall. Was outside all summer, grew well, lots of flowers. We ... A: Kris, You are probably not far from me. I live near Fort Wayne, IN. Hibiscus can be difficult to ... | |
| azaleas | 1/22/2009 |
| Q: I love outdoor gardening, but am horrific with houseplants. I asked another expert here how to ... A: Sara, They need very bright light but they don't need to sit in hot direct sun. You said you water ... | |
| peace lily woes | 1/21/2009 |
| Q: I've been the green thumb on indoor plants in our family for some 15 years. Last year I was given a ... A: You are welcome. I use it on all my plants. It costs about $20.00 for a bottle but you only use 2 ... | |
| peace lily woes | 1/21/2009 |
| Q: I've been the green thumb on indoor plants in our family for some 15 years. Last year I was given a ... A: Tammy, It can hitch hike in on fruit you bring in or in soil or on clothing from another plant. The ... | |
| peace lily woes | 1/20/2009 |
| Q: I've been the green thumb on indoor plants in our family for some 15 years. Last year I was given a ... A: Tammy, The spots are most likely scale, also an insect. Scale can attack a wide range of plants and ... | |
| Potted palm | 1/19/2009 |
| Q: When is a good time to buy a potted palm tree? I live in NJ. What is the kind of care it requires, ... A: Maya, Most potted palms are very difficult plants to keep alive. I have killed several myself even ... | |
| House Plants are dying in the winter. | 1/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a palm and it was doing really well during the summer. I would put it outside when it rained ... A: Ann, Whether or not it is getting enough light depends on what kind of palm it is. It could also be ... | |
| Philodendron care | 1/16/2009 |
| Q: I got a philodendron plant (with 7-8 leaves) from a friend who grew these in a pot very ... A: Maya, If this plant was already growing in soil you should not remove it from the soil and put it ... | |
| my plants dying :( | 1/15/2009 |
| Q: Okay so i have a dracaena plant and i love it so much.I keep it in my house and it was doing really ... A: Briana, Draceana plants do not like direct sun. You should not set it in the sun on a sunny day. ... | |
| jade plant | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: I have ajade plant that i have had for many many years. I have started others from this plant as ... A: Gaile, Does the new window face the same direction so the plant gets as much light as it did ... | |
| poney tail palm | 1/13/2009 |
| Q: we have a pony tail palm at work that is about 25 Ayers old. It is growing a new frond just above ... A: Roseanna, It is strictly a matter of taste. If you do not like the look with the new frond cut it ... | |
| help | 1/12/2009 |
| Q: What is the pollinator for the heliconia? A: Joshua, Hummingbirds. Reference: http://cloudbridge.org/heliconia_pollination.pdf ... | |
| diffenbachia | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: my diffenbachia has outgrown the pot, but also is bent way over. will it root in water if I cut it ... A: Amber, This is not the right time to repot it yet or start it from cuttings. After April 1st to ... | |
| Cactus gardens in SW Florida | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: I live in Punta Gorda and have had some surprising luck in growing beautiful cacti and succulents ... A: Sharyn, Sorry, I live in northern Indiana. It's 21 degrees here, I envy you. Actually I am only ... | |
| ming plants | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm relatively new at house plants. I received a beautiful Ming aralia and I've read about putting ... A: Vera, These plants need high humidity. Therefore unless you have 200 plants in your home that keep ... | |
| Light question | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I am a little bit confused with the light needs of the plants. I am planning to buy some plants as I ... A: Maria, With those screens I would keep low light plants within 3 feet of the east or west windows, ... | |
| Pruning fig indoor fig tree | 1/5/2009 |
| Q: My tree is in a pot approx. 12"x10". It has become pot bound and I am wondering if I can prune back ... A: Jim, Yes,you can prune off about 30% of the top and 30% of the roots each year. Never put the tree ... | |
| Schefflera tree | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: I bought a beautiful variegated schefflera tree (about eight feet tall) a couple of months ago. It ... A: Stan, The nursery gave you incorrect instructions. This tree loves the sun. It needs to be moved to ... | |
| Norfolk Island Pine | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: My wife bought me a Norfolk Island pine tree for christmas. It is about thirty inches tall. The tree ... A: Paul, It's a little early to be repotting plants yet. Yes, it would be good to separate them but it ... | |
| coconut plant | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: i repotted my plant as it had black fly in soil, it was looking wonderful, but now leaves going ... A: Christine, A coconut palm is very difficult to grow indoors in a pot without a greenhouse. It ... | |
| Norfolk pine | 12/31/2008 |
| Q: Good Evening Darlene, I have a Norfolk pine that the so-called-leaves are turning brown on the end ... A: Julia, Your plant is suffering from too little humidity and too little or too much water. Brown ... | |
| Coffee + plants | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: I am in the tenth grade and was getting worried about my science fair project; I was watering four ... A: Jennifer, You may have planted your seeds too deep. They should be planted just barely under the ... | |
| what to plant at base of palm | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: I have a palm that is potted inside in a corner that gets bright light. It is doing very well. Can ... A: Bethany, Tradescantia (Wandering Jew), Cyclaman, Agave, Aloe, Kalanchoe, most Bromeliads, cactus, ... | |
| Yucca | 12/28/2008 |
| Q: Both my multi headed yucca trees in the lounge have brown dying tips to their leaves. My lily is the ... A: Des, You are watering them too often. Both plants need to be very dry for several days before ... | |
| fiddle leaf fig with a sunburn | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: Last summer I put my six-foot fiddle leaf fig, which is normally indoors, outside on an east-facing ... A: Carolyn, You will need to wait till spring when you can put it back outside to do anything. At that ... | |
| Dracaena Janet Craig plant | 12/26/2008 |
| Q: I believe I have a Dracaena Janet Craig plant, actually 3 in all. They all came from the same pot ... A: Steve, Dracaena Janet Craig plants do not like water with fluoride and chlorine in it. Many cities ... | |
| What is the name of this house plant? | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: I got an adorable young succulent (I think) from my aunt last spring. She had no idea what its name ... A: Cara, I love succulents and have a lot of them. I am pretty sure I can figure out what it is but I ... | |
| House Plant | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: I received a house plant from a friend. I don know what it is called but The older leaves are about ... A: Asia, Your plant is a Dieffenbachia seguine. That leaf will not heal. You are best off removing ... | |
| aloe | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: I have an aloe plant and it is so heavy that the bottom is falling out ! How deep should i bury it ... A: Jennifer, I am not sure what you mean by it is so heavy that the bottom is falling out? The bottom ... | |
| Leatherleaf Fern | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I believe I have a leatherleaf fern, but I'm not 100% sure. It's growing well, but just this past ... A: Kevin, It sounds like sand or fertilizer to me. I don't think it is anything to worry about. The ... | |
| 30 year old pothos needs help | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a 30 year plus old pothos that has been amazing up until a month or so ago. It's a massive ... A: Mike, It sound like your pothos vine is in a pot without a drainage hole and a drain tray under it. ... | |
| Frozen Peace Lily | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: I know its winter time but i decided to take out my mothers peace lily outside for some fresh air ... A: Anais, Peace lilies do not like the sun. They get sunburned easily. In 10-15 hours the roots would ... | |
| Jade tea? | 12/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a Crassula ovata plant that is of medium size and I was wondering if this plant can be made ... A: Wanda, I have heard it called jade tree but not tea. It is not poisonous. If you want to try it in ... | |
| peace lily | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: My peace lily has small leaves in the middle and longer bigger leaves growing as well. I didn't know ... A: Charlene, No, they are just the older mature leaves. Actually the flowers are more likely to grow ... | |
| Dirt | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a few plant, and the dirt smells strong all the time and when I water them it get even ... A: Wenona, Are you using potting soil that you have purchased in a store? It sounds like you may be ... | |
| indoor Yucca plant | 12/10/2008 |
| Q: my question is regarding my indoor yucca plants. I have 3 of them and they were doing great when i ... A: Ginger, It appears that your yucca may have a fungal infection that I have never seen on yucca ... | |
| rubber plant possibly dying?? | 12/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a rubber plant that I am concerned about. It appears to be losing normal looking leaves and ... A: Shelly, Is it in a pot with a drainage hole in the bottom and a drain tray under it? It must be. ... | |
| Slug in new houseplant | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: I just brought a large heart leaf philodendron home from a garden center and while it was sitting on ... A: Melissa, DON'T USE BLEACH!!!!!!! Use rubbing alcohol mixed with water 50/50 to water the plant. ... | |
| Dracaena Massangeana Cane | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: I plan to cut one of the canes in my plant to attempt to get new leave growth. I noticed that the ... A: Sandy, The only time canes are dipped in wax is when the are canes that are totally detached from ... | |
| Yucca and/or Dracaenas trees | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: I have a 12' or so tall, what I call a palm tree that is growing taller and taller. It is in a 14" ... A: Barbara, If you cannot send me a picture go to Google.co and put in yucca then click on images and ... | |
| over watered plant | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I accidently over watered one of my plants and gnats started showing up inside. How can I help dry ... A: Nea, Remove the drain tray under the plant and set it in the sink overnight so as much water as ... | |
| Aglaonema Root Pruning | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: do we need to prune the Aglaonema's root when it's already fully root bound ? I live in tropical ... A: Ari, You did not say if you are north or south of the equator. I would not do anything unless you ... | |
| Pruning "trunks" of Monstera | 12/1/2008 |
| Q: I have pruned my Monstera Delicosa quite effectively for years but have never seen an answer to this ... A: Carroll, You must be living in a very tropical area to have hard, gnarly "trunks." The answer is ... | |
| caterpillar eggs? | 12/1/2008 |
| Q: Recently, I bought a Dieffenbacchia at a nursery. For a while, something was voraciously eating the ... A: Sandra, The balls may also be slow releas fertilizer. Caterpillar eggs usually in clumps. The ... | |
| plant question | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: I am taking (trying to) take care of a shefflera, but the leaves are falling off and turning yellow. ... A: Vicki, The sticky leaves mean it has insects attacking it. You need to mix a pint of rubbing ... | |
| frozen crown of thorns plant | 11/29/2008 |
| Q: My crown of thorns plant was left out and we had a freeze. How can I revive it? Thanks A: Carol, Probably not. Depending how long it was out in freezing temps it could send new growth up ... | |
| potted orange tree | 11/29/2008 |
| Q: I have inherited a potted orange tree it bears lots of fruit. Pot 8" dia. & 16" deep clay. Tree 24" ... A: Mary, Bend the bare branches,if they break easily they are dead and you can trim off the broken ... | |
| indoor plants | 11/28/2008 |
| Q: i have two plants in my room it could be dangerous for my health? A: Claudia, Absolutely not! Plants breath in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygon. They help clean ... | |
| zebra plant | 11/27/2008 |
| Q: zebra plant dropped leaves. Iwas wondering if the leaves will grow back in spring. A: Elle, It depends on why it dropped it's leaves. If it was overwatered and the roots have rotted it ... | |
| cut yukka stems??? | 11/27/2008 |
| Q: i work at a florist and we have made some gorgeous vase arrangement with cut yukka tops, rock and ... A: Kate, Yucca are desert plants so I would not put water in the vases constantly. If I were doing no ... | |
| Need Name of plant | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a small ivy plant with soft almost fuzzy leaves. It has small purple blooms. I have been told ... A: Kathryn, It is tradescantia sillamontana. http://www.gardentia.net/commelina_008.htm Scientific ... | |
| Alocasia | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: How do you get the best out of Alocsia grown indoors? We have forced air heating and large windows ... A: Christopher, These are typically outdoor plants that grow in full sun and prefer rain on a weekly ... | |
| Plant is losing leaves | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: My 6 yr old talked me into getting an India Rubber Plant. I have no experience with them at all. ... A: Deb, The most common causes for this plant to loose leaves is not enough sun and too much water. ... | |
| fuzzy white bugs | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: I had a jade plant and during the summer I had to take it outside and wash it. It was covered with ... A: Carol, They are called mealy bugs and I have problems with them myself. They attack some plants ... | |
| braided money tree plant | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: I sure hope you can help me. My mother( the plant killer ) has this braided money tree plant that ... A: Debbie, The dead trees in the braid will not come back to life. Tell your mother( the plant killer ... | |
| Prayer Plant | 11/23/2008 |
| Q: I hope all is well. I have a Prayer Plant, the pretty red-and purple kind. It has been doing ... A: Tamika, Prayer plants have root that are rhizomes ant in winter with the cooler temps and shorter ... | |
| hope philodendron plant | 11/23/2008 |
| Q: I purchased a hope philodendron 1this past summer, it's been outside in a pot. The temperature has ... A: Melissa, I assume that you live in a warmer climate if it is just now getting cool enough to take ... | |
| thinning dracanea | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: My 3 year old Dracaena fragrans, which is kept in indirect light outside, has recently stopped ... A: Eva, You can cut it back but you have to figure out what the problem is first. It may be a watering ... | |
| ficus tree | 11/15/2008 |
| Q: picked this up and it's almost dead, the woman had it outside until it got cold here in minnesota. ... A: Lissa, You don't have to cut anything back yet. Give it a couple of months and let it go. Once it ... | |
| stephanotis | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: In a resent letter you idenified that Stephaotis has a seed or fruit pod. Can you tell me; can you ... A: Ree, Stephanotis, or Madagascan jasmine has the most wonderful starry white blooms and an ... | |
| house plant | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: i have a plant that has jagged edges and it curls as it grows. It also grows little ones on the ... A: Lisa, The only plant I know that has babies on the edges of it's leaves is kalanchoe ... | |
| Kumquat tree | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: I brought back from california to the washington state a kumquat tree and had it inside for over a 1 ... A: Tad, The stickiness indicates it has insects, either scale, mealybugs or spider mites. These ... | |
| identification | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: I don't at the moment have a photo but if you don't know from my description I'll try to get one. ... A: Martha, The plant that comes to mind when reading yur description is Hoya carnosa, also known as ... | |
| Maid of Orleans Jasmine | 11/7/2008 |
| Q: My jasmine plant became heavily infected with scales. In order to try to save my plant I cut off ... A: Maria, If you cut off all of the green off of the plant it will probably not regrow. Most of the ... | |
| Yucca | 11/7/2008 |
| Q: I have had yucca as house plants for years in London, England. Now in CA they are thriving in the ... A: Jeannine, The sticy sap is callled honey dew and it is the excrement of insects that are attacking ... | |
| calla lily | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: i have a calla lily and the leaves keep going yellow the soil is only moist not wet,i keep cutting ... A: Mark, Calla lilies are bulbs. It may have been blooming for some time before it was purchased for ... | |
| Orange Tree's | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: This is the second time I am attemting to have these tree's and they appear to be doing the same ... A: Tammy, It sounds like the trees are getting too much water and not enough sun. To help you better I ... | |
| Prune Desert Rose | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: I live in tropical country, Indonesia, and planted Adenium Obesum seeds two weeks ago. After a week, ... A: Ari, As long as the seedlings are growing in full sun no pruning should be needed. The plants ... | |
| kalanchoe plants | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: What type of potting soil is the best to use when I replant my plant? I also have bad luck with ... A: Maggie, Do not repot your kalanchoe until after April 1st when the days are getting longer. This ... | |
| plant identification | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: I got a plant from my grandmother who has ahlzeimer's and would like to know what it is. It is ... A: Chris, I have the same plant and have had it for 15 years and have not been able to identify it. I ... | |
| dracaena ID and care | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: I have a plant that I bought at an outdoor nursery that I believe is in the Dracaena family. It ... A: Janice, Your plant is Common name: "Spikes" Latin name: Dracaena indivisa - synonym Cordyline ... | |
| Jade Tree Fertilizer | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: I have read all this information on jade trees. Everyone says use a general "Fertilizer". Is Miracle ... A: Jeff, Miracle Grow is fine for Jade plants. It is a good general fertilizer. I use it on a monthly ... | |
| sweet potatoe house plant | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: After growing these beautiful plants all summer, I was cleaning out the containers and found these ... A: Catherine, I wondered the same thing and when I checked on it I was told the taste lousy. Of ... | |
| Ponytail Palm | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: This was once a beautiful plant with a "full head of hair." We had to leave in the care of my DD ... A: Kathy, I hope that window it is sitting next to faces south and the window covering is open all ... | |
| Dracaena | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: I was told that you can keep dracaena through the winter by 'sticking them in a pot and bringing ... A: Barbara, Dracaena are normally house plants that do not go outside. I need to know what type of ... | |
| Ponytail Palm | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: About 4 months ago , I bought a small Ponytail Palm plant. The plastic pot it was in was broken so ... A: Carol, It will be fine until spring. If you want you can trim those roots that are coming out the ... | |
| rhynchospermum jasminoides | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: I live in St louis missouri, and I just purchased the above plant from a local chain store. They ... A: Jane, There are many varieties of jasmine and they are often confused. It could be that you have 2 ... | |
| Ponytail Palm | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a ponytail palm and just re-poted it. within 1 week all the leaves had 'rotted?' off! there ... A: Melissa, You should never repot any houseplant in the fall when the days are getting shorter. You ... | |
| majestic palms | 10/29/2008 |
| Q: We bought three majestic palms and are not doing so well indoors. I wanted to know if we planted ... A: Liseth, Yes, they would probably die, they do not like direct sun. Watering is probably your main ... | |
| Sad Corn Plant. | 10/29/2008 |
| Q: I found this plant on the street in the alley. At the time it seemed to look pretty good except for ... A: Dunia, It was the wrong time of year to repot it. You needed to not repot them, this is the wrong ... | |
| fiddle leaf fig | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: I have a fiddle leaf fig that has the brown spots indicative of not being well acclimated to a new ... A: Erica, I suspect that the marbling on the fig is also the result of insects, not a lack of ... | |
| Hibiscus | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: I have two hibiscus tree plants that spent most of the summer outside. I prepared them for indoor ... A: Christine, How did you prepare them for indoor living for the winter? Mold on top of the soil ... | |
| Jasmine | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: . My husband bought a Jasmine for my daughter that is named YASMEEN after the flower. Since he got ... A: Jamila, Put it in a pot that is a little bigger than the root ball but not much bigger. I imagine ... | |
| my house plant problem!!! | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: I have 2-questions please, 1~my wandering jew was in a hanging pot & it was beautiful, seemed like a ... A: Angelina, Your wandering jew needs lots of sun. When you have it in the hanging basket I suspect it ... | |
| Goldfish Plant (Nematanthus) | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: My plant is doing well, but currently in a resting period. It's nice and full, and the leaves are ... A: Pam, It has nothing to do with watering. That stickines is called honey dew which is the excrement ... | |
| kalanchoe | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: (I live in CT so I keep it indoors). When I got it, it was COVERED with blossoms. I did some ... A: Lisa, Yes, unfortunately, flowers do not last forever. The flowers do generally last a couple of ... | |
| Leaf spots on Dracaena Fragrans 'Massangeana(Mass Cane) | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: Please help me save this beautiful plant! I have bought it ~3-4 weeks ago and it was in great ... A: Maria, You should be giving it about 2 quarts of water when you water it. That should make all the ... | |
| Norfolk Pine | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: I bought a potted Norfolk Pine for Christmas last year. It was doing just fine until summer. Now the ... A: Maura, The parts of the tree that have dry needles and limbs falling off are dead so yes, the tree ... | |
| My Schefflera Plant | 10/23/2008 |
| Q: Why is it losing leaves? A: Juanita, Any time a schefflera is not doing well I suspect that it is getting too much water and ... | |
| potted orange tree | 10/23/2008 |
| Q: I have had this orange tree for years. It now shows sign of scale--and the leaves are turning ... A: Wilma, Yes, you can kill the scale. Use rubbing alcohol with Q-tips and flick each scale off the ... | |
| Scheflera | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: My sheflerra plant that i've had for 5 months is not doing too well. It's still a wee bit young, ... A: Arlene, Any time a schefflera is not doing well I suspect that it is getting too much water and not ... | |
| problem ficus | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: I received a rather large (10-12') ficus house plant for Mother's Day 1 1/2 years ago, it was so ... A: Amy, Give it less water. If it is growing mold on top of the soil you are keeping it too wet. It is ... | |
| texas rose | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: I bought a hpuse plant 2 years ago the card said it was a texas rose. In the winter in looses all ... A: Michelle, I know of no house plant called Texas Rose. I suspect that you are talking about a plant ... | |
| plant ID | 10/20/2008 |
| Q: Please could you tell me what this plat is.It has heart shaped leaves with a smaller heart shaped ... A: Wendy, It is called a Piggy Back Plant. The Latin name is Tolmiea menziesii. The following sites ... | |
| Cutting back a plant | 10/20/2008 |
| Q: I am inquiring about cutting back a "corn plant". I am unsure of its name,however it looks like a ... A: Kathy, You should have done it in the spring between April 15th and June 15th, that is the best ... | |
| anthurium dividing/repotting | 10/19/2008 |
| Q: I've read your thoughts about anthuriums and need just a little more info. I've owned my a. for ... A: Janice, No, it is not the best season. in the fall as the days are shortening the roots of tropical ... | |
| spider plant | 10/19/2008 |
| Q: i have had my spider plant for 4 months now and after a few weeks i noticed it had been bending and ... A: Sandra, Yes, actually I feel you should NEVER repot a spider plant. They hate for their roots to be ... | |
| spider plant | 10/18/2008 |
| Q: i have had my spider plant for 4 months now and after a few weeks i noticed it had been bending and ... A: Sandra, This plant needs lots of sun, preferably full sun all day long by a south of west window ... | |
| Peace Lily houseplant | 10/18/2008 |
| Q: When I bought this plant there was an abundance of white flowers which the plant carried on ... A: Avril, No, those flowers are just done blooming and need to be cut off so they don't try to make ... | |
| umbrella tree | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: My poor umbrella tree has not handled our move to a new house very well. The last time I moved, all ... A: Coralea, First you need to put your plant in fron of the sunniest south or west window in your new ... | |
| Dracaena Margenita - yellowing | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a beautiful Dracaena Marginata that has yellowed considerably. The leaves at the bottom ... A: Danielle, The symptom sounds like overwatering. Is the Dracaena Marginata in a pot with a drainage ... | |
| scheffelera leaf drop | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: I recently moved to an apartment with low lighting and my scheffelera is dropping leaves yet new ... A: Julie, This plant loves the sun. You have to get it as much sun as possible. It needs to be in ... | |
| white pouches with ants | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: I have these little white pouches all over my large indoor plant. These little black ants come ... A: BethAnn, You have mealy bugs and the ants are "nursing" them. You can spray them with rubbing ... | |
| Night Blooming Cereus | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: I have read about how to take care of my cereus with fertilizers, etc. but I am having a different ... A: Sarah, It is the nature of the beast. It will produce the round branch and the aerial roots no ... | |
| Dracaena and rooting hormone powder | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: I have different kinds of Dracaena (Marginata, Deremensis 'Bausei', Deremensis 'Lemon/Lime', ... A: Lorcan, The roots that are grown in water ar succulent and crisp and break easily. They also rot ... | |
| indoor palm care | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: We just purchased 2 palms from our local Lowe's. They were outside in their garden center all ... A: Mary Beth, It is not something you need to add to the soil. You needed to not repot them, this is ... | |
| houseplant id | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: up and died after 6 years in the same pot, hardly grew in all that time. seemed to thrive in it's ... A: Lisa, If you get another one and put it in a window with more light it will look more like the one ... | |
| Philodendron | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: This plant grows in my yard here in Oklahoma. Last year it bloomed with a white-hooded flower and ... A: Linda, Your plant is not a philodendron, it is an Arum italicum 'Pictum' (Araceae)(A-rum ... | |
| peace lily | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: My peace lily was given to me over a year ago it was skinny but lively when i got it , this year i ... A: Geral dine, Brown leaf tip on peace lilies indicates that the plant is getting too much watering. ... | |
| Sun Parasol Mandevilla | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: I have a beauty. I live in Indiana in an apt. can't leave it in it's container outside below 45 ... A: Linda, It is not necessary to keep it right at 45 degrees. Your cool bedroom should be just fine. ... | |
| Purple Passion Vine | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: I would like to purchase seeds or cuttings for this plant.Have had serveral in the past. Because l ... A: Tammy, As for getting one locally, I would sit on the phone and call every local grocery store that ... | |
| ficus tree | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: I have rescued a ficus tree from my office. It hadn't be watered in over a month and had many dead ... A: Lisa, Yes, it is very possible to overwater a ficus. You cannot let it sit in water constantly. ... | |
| schlefera | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: I have a big schlefera -- about 7 ft tall which I bought about a month ago. It is sitting near a ... A: Kathy, Open the blinds all day, this plant loves the sun and needs as much as possible especially ... | |
| Calandiva Loosing | 9/26/2008 |
| Q: I have 2 pots yellow calandivas, condition 5 months old after last blooming. Followed instruction ... A: Ari, Yes, I suspect that you are watering your calandiva frequently or giving it too much water ... | |
| schefflera | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: we got a schefflera plant in the office However now leafs going brown I have noticed a lot of fruit ... A: JR, You are overwatering it. Allow it to dry out totally before you water it again. Also move it to ... | |
| peace lilly with brown leaf tips and won't bloom | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: I've had a peace lilly for about 3 years now. I keep it close to the window but not under direct sun ... A: Naoum, You are not giving it enough water when you water it. When you water it all the soil in the ... | |
| what plant is that? | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: I got this plant from a friend of mine who moved abroad but she didn't know what exactly it was. I ... A: Naoum, Your plant is a ficus tree. It likes lots of sun when it is indoors and partial sun ... | |
| leaves turning yellow | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: I have 2 house plants with long leaves and parts of the leaves are turning yellow A: Nelda, Leaves turning yellow indicates either too little water or too much water. Without more ... | |
| leaves of the Lily plant geting dark | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: i bought a Lily plant and it bloomed this year for the first time. for the last 2 weeks i noticed ... A: Lovy, This is not a good time of year to repot the plant. You should not have planted the plant in ... | |
| Yucca's suddenly going sour, new growth | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: I have several Yucca inside that have always done very well. Now I notice the new growth at the top ... A: Gareth, I have not had or heard of a yucca with a fungal or bacterial problem. Their problems are ... | |
| spathiphyllum | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: I got my plant at my grandmothers funeral and about 4 months ago and it recently started to hang low ... A: Kita, You have overwatered it. Remove the drain tray and set it in the sink overnight to drain off ... | |
| Fiddle Leaf Fig Houseplant | 9/21/2008 |
| Q: We have a Fiddleleaf Fig houseplant approx. 8' tall in the corner of our Bedroom. It has windows on ... A: Suzanne, Fiddle leaf Figs love direct sun. If at all possible move it to in front of one of those ... | |
| spider plant cuttings | 9/20/2008 |
| Q: I am a volunteer in one of the other ask the expert catagories (stamp collecting), and with ... A: Terry, This is an easy one, snip the "babies" at the end of the long stalk and plant them in well ... | |
| Asparagus Fern | 9/20/2008 |
| Q: I placed my Asparagus Fern (4 yrs. old) on the patio this year and it is huge. We could get a ... A: Brenda, Yes, I do it every year. Just start on the outside edge and trim off the outer fronds at ... | |
| areca palm | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: I recently bought two areca palms (about two feet tall). They arrived in nursery pots and I was ... A: Janet, There is no reason that you "need" to repot them. If you feel you have to in order to get ... | |
| leaves of the Lily plant geting dark | 9/18/2008 |
| Q: i bought a Lily plant and it bloomed this year for the first time. for the last 2 weeks i noticed ... A: Lovy, Peace lily plants get black leaves because of root problems. Root problems are generally ... | |
| Oriental Pepper Plant | 9/18/2008 |
| Q: I bought a small oriental pepper plant today. I ASSUME this is what it is. There were no ... A: Jan, For hot pepper plants thik New Mexico! Lots of sun, no water till it is dry on the surface. ... | |
| Toxicity of Lisianthus | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I recently bought a Lisianthus. Ever since I brought it into the house, my cat won't leave it alone. ... A: Lorna, It is not on any lists on the internet as being toxic to cats but it is also not on any ... | |
| purpleleaf shamrock | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: Where can we buy seeds or bulbs to grow this beautiful plant called "purple leaf shamrock A: Prakash, There are several sellers on ebay selling those bulbs or the following site has them for ... | |
| When is it OK to repot a dragon tree? | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: I have a 3 ft. high dragon tree consisting of three stalks of different heights in a 10 inch pot. ... A: Kris, It would be much better to do this between April 15th and July 1st. However since you have ... | |
| house bamboo plant | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: where can i prune bamboo since it is almost to the ceiling. also, can i start a new plant from the ... A: Pat, There are many types of bamboo and some cannot be pruned. I need to see a picture of you plant ... | |
| White bugs in soil | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: My mom has little tiny white bugs in the soil of her houseplants. They are only in the soil and ... A: Cyn, The white bugs in the soil are the larva stage of fungus gnats. They are attacking the roots ... | |
| Hibiscus | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: I bought a hibiscus a few weeks ago I left it in the pot and suddenly it quit blooming but it was ... A: Karen, It needs lots of sun to bloom, set it in full sun all day long, fertilize it with a ... | |
| corn plant | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: What kind of corn plant do I have? Here is a pic of it and I think my pot is to large for it as you ... A: Virginia, You have a dracaena massangeana and the thing on top is a flower stalk. The flowers are ... | |
| zizi and bamboo houseplants | 9/13/2008 |
| Q: Can I keep zizi and bamboo plants in water? I see bamboo plants in water in the stores, as one ... A: Nancy, Good news and bad news. The bamboo that you see in stores in water is one specific type of ... | |
| leaves are falling off | 9/13/2008 |
| Q: my girlfriend and i have fiddle leaf tree inside our house. we love it, but it seems that we may be ... A: Marcos, Your tree needs sun. Leaves falling off can indicate not enough light or too much water. I ... | |
| Identify | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: What type of plant is this (see pic)? The card that came with it didn't name the plant. It only ... A: Tamika, It appears to be Rhoeo. It is a very close up picture but I am pretty sure that is what it ... | |
| Need to know what kind of plant I have | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: I e-mailed you a photo of the plant to which i am unsure of the name. I have asked several people ... A: Krista, Your plant appears to be a Haworthia fasciata. It is definitely a Haworthia and there are ... | |
| sticky palm tree | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: amI have a palm tree I bought at a local store. It is large at about 6 ft tall. I have noticed that ... A: Cathy, Your palm has insects and the sticky stuff is their excrement. You need to treat it to get ... | |
| RE: Indoor Hibiscus | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: I have a large potted 6' braided trunk hibiscus that I moved indoors last fall. I now notice that ... A: Dee, You must have very large windows where your hibiscus gets lots of sun. Usually when you move ... | |
| bamboo plant from Madagascar | 9/5/2008 |
| Q: I recently inherited a Bamboo plant from my Mom who passed away in April. It was given to her by a ... A: Carolyn, The Madagascar Bamboo that I have been able to find on the internet is a large size bamboo ... | |
| Chicks and Hens | 9/4/2008 |
| Q: I am finding conflicting answers concerning some chicks and hens I recently planted that I found at ... A: Njoki, Most hen and chicks will survive outdoors year around. There are a few tropical varieties ... | |
| bromellaide garden | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: i just received this plant, and would like to to know if cats can be around this plant and if it ... A: Ginger, There are many different varieties of bromeliads but I do not know of any that are ... | |
| Ficus Tree; Cactus environment | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: .. We are moving to a much smaller place, and would like to know if I can place a fichus tree, ... A: Jeff, Your ficus tree will only survive and stay healthy in the basememnt under flourescent ... | |
| spider plants | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: We have several spider plants one lg. and a small one. My daughter was watering them and noticed on ... A: Doris, I do not totally understand your question. You have half inch spider webs on the bottom of ... | |
| PHILODENDRON | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: I HAVE A PHILODENDRON SELLOUM AND IT HAS LIGHT SPOTS GROWING ON IT ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT IS OUTSIDE IN ... A: Janet, I suspect that you are in a location with high temperatures and high humidity and the plant ... | |
| I need help with my Gloxinia | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: I bought a lovely gloxinia plant two years ago, and it was low to the pot. The first time it came ... A: Jesse, Basically, their care is the same as that of African violets. Gloxinias need cool night ... | |
| Schefflera Question | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: It is a foot tall and potted in a 5 inch pot. There are four main stems and the roots are crowded ... A: Dom, You might be able to repot it into two 6inch pots with 2 plants in each pot but no larger pots ... | |
| Leaf spots on Dracaena Fragrans 'Massangeana(Mass Cane) | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: Please help me save this beautiful plant! I have bought it ~3-4 weeks ago and it was in great ... A: Maria, Those spots are caused by watering the plant with water that has flouride & chlorine in it. ... | |
| Soil problems with houseplant | 8/29/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Strelitzia | 8/28/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Plant leaves fold up at night | 8/27/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| aloe | 8/27/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Thread like worms in house plant | 8/22/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Care for a Cat Palm Plant | 8/22/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Bug Infested Dracaena | 8/21/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| mushroom Question??? | 7/27/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Bromeliad problem... | 7/27/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| gynura aurantiaca | 7/26/2008 |
| 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. ... | |
| orange tree | 7/26/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Umbrella Plant dropping leaves | 7/25/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Syngonium leaf curling | 7/25/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| watering indoor varigated shifolero or chifalero | 7/24/2008 |
| 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? ... | |
| re-rooting a philodendron | 7/23/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Peace Lily | 7/23/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Candy Corn plant | 7/22/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| croton plant care | 7/21/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Transporting a 7 foot palm | 7/21/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| croton plant care | 7/20/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Jamaican Song Plant | 7/20/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Money Tree Plant | 7/19/2008 |
| 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. ... | |
| new to dracaenas & cacti/ succulents | 7/18/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Little black flying gnats? | 7/18/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Peace Lily | 7/17/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Ponytail Palm Bonsai Trimming | 7/17/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Indian Jasmine | 7/16/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Plant Propagation | 7/16/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| what is it? | 7/10/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| China Doll leaves turning brownish colour | 7/10/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Abyssinian Red | 7/9/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| about palm trees | 7/8/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| china doll health?! | 7/8/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Fig Trees, Inside Our Out? | 7/7/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| fiddleleaf fig propagation | 7/6/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Potted Palm | 7/6/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Potted Palm | 7/5/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Yucca cane | 7/5/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| bird of paradise | 7/4/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| Jasmine houseplant | 7/4/2008 |
| 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 ... | |
| hybiscus | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: I have my hybiscus indoors. The leaves are turning yellow and the plant is shedding it's leaves. ... A: Janae, Move it outdoors in the sun and heat. This is a tropical plant from south Florida and ... | |
| croton plants | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: Can a croton plant be planted outside? and what kind of treatment do you prefer for killing spider ... A: Rebecca, The answer to the 1st question is it depends on where you live and the 2nd question it ... | |
| Want to know the name of a house plant | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: I recently bought a house plant on sale at my local grocery store. I want to know the name and how ... A: Anna, I suspect it is a persian violet. You can go to the following site to see a picture of a ... | |
| Hibiscus not flowering | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: We have a Hibiscus plant which flowered beautifully last year. During winter, we brought it indoor ... A: Abhijit, It needs to have fertilizer for blooming plants, that will help it bloom faster and have ... | |
| yucca plant | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: i just bought a yucca plant yesterday. Two spines in one pot. I took it home, replanted it and ... A: Jo, Yes, you may drown it. It should only have been repotted in a pot with a diameter no more than ... | |
| arboricola | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: I brought this plant 6/29/08 and high light only. Would that direct sun. I have a pouch but no shade ... A: Darlene, Arboricola is the dwarf sister of scheffleras. High light indoors means sitting by a south ... | |
| Plant is dying due to overwatering or something else help? | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: I have one of those plants that run all over the house, I don't know the name of it, but it is dying ... A: Sandra, If you have had it for 10 years what have you changed? It is either a pothos vine or a ... | |
| Fungus Gnats | 6/29/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know if you have ever heard of fungus gnat stinging/biting humans. I have tried ... A: Judy, No, I have not heard of them biting humans but it really doesn't surprise me. Many insects ... | |
| China doll plant | 6/29/2008 |
| Q: This plant keeps dropping leaves,and sometimes a branch. There is new growth. I use a moisture meter ... A: Joyce, Your plant needs some sun. In California it grows outdoors in the ground and becomes a 50 ... | |
| spider plant | 6/28/2008 |
| Q: I have my spider plant in full sun light and the tips of the plant are turning brown what am i doing ... A: Debra, Brown leaf tips indicate overwatering. This plant has succulent roots and doesn't like to be ... | |
| Corn Plant with Flower | 6/28/2008 |
| Q: I have a small corn plant (Dracaena) that is about 1 year old, and it is planted outdoors in the ... A: Alicia, Yes, I have heard of corn plants, dracaena fragrans blooming a dark pink flower stalk out ... | |
| plants unknown | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: I don't know if you got both pictures so here the other on again dawn A: Dawn, This is a pretty ragged looking peace lilly. It looks like it has been outdoors and been ... | |
| Unknow plants | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: I need help identifying these 2 plants. Thanks Dawn A: Dawn, This vining one is a Sweedish ivy. It makes a great hanging basket plant. The following site ... | |
| RUBBER plant leaf turning color | 6/26/2008 |
| Q: one of the leaves on my small rubber plant has turned a light green color,while the rest are all ... A: Kandee, Yellow leaves on a rubber tree usually occur because of over watering. If you don't let the ... | |
| massangeana cane | 6/26/2008 |
| Q: i have a massangeana cane and its growing well. i've had this plant for a good long time. this year ... A: Gene, It is normal for it to produce a flower when it gets several years old and it is rootbound ... | |
| lemon grass | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: We have leaf cutter ants walking away with my flowers. I have never dealt with them before. I read ... A: Brooks, It sounds like you are talking about flowers planted outdoors in the ground. Lemon grass ... | |