ALL ABOUT ROSES

Roses are Red; Violets are Blue

Not Anymore, Roses come in so many colors nowadays, and there are so many kinds of roses. I have grown climbing roses outdoors before, but this time I want to try growing them in a container. Join me to learn all about roses.

I recently purchased some starts through the mail and researched how to start them. So far, so good! It has been successful, and I am beginning to see a lot of new growth on several of the stems.

With over 150 different species of roses and thousands of hybrids out there, I want to talk about a few of the basic care tips for successfully growing roses.

Successful Rose Growing

Getting roses growing from starts has proven to be easy so far. Here are the steps I took to grow them. Supplies needed:

Clean, sharp knife or scissors,

Pot and soil,

Plastic bottle, milk jug, or plastic bag

Rain, distilled, or filtered water

Root hormone powder

Cut the stems’ ends with a clean, sharp knife or scissors, then dip them into the rooting hormone.

Next, place the rose starts in the pot with soil. Now water the starts thoroughly, letting the water run out the bottom of the pot.

Next, cut the plastic bottle or milk jug in half.

And finally, place the plastic bottle, milk jug, or plastic bag over the top of the rose stems, then place them under a grow light or, if available, set in a sunny window.

Once Roses Take Root

Decide where you want to plant your roses. Are they going to a spot in your garden, climbing a trellis, or will you keep them in a pot?

Once you decide the location, transplant your roses in the new location and water them thoroughly. If you are going to keep your roses in a pot, here are some tips on potted roses.

Potted Roses

Keeping roses in a pot with soil can be successful if you follow these tips. First, select the best type of roses for pots. Miniature Roses and Patio roses work well in pots.

Best Pots for Roses

Select a clay or terra cotta pot. These pots have better air circulation to help prevent root rot. Plus, they dry a lot more quickly, which helps prevent root rot, but bad for the plant parent that forgets to water. Just remember they are still babies at this point and need extra attention and care.

Pick a lighter color of pot. Roses are heat sensitive, and if you are going to have them in direct sun, darker pot colors will heat up and transfer the heat to the soil, and your roses will get too hot. Be sure to select lighter-colored pots for your roses. Read more about selecting the correct pot for your plants here.

Soil Mixture for Roses

The best ingredients for roses are the following:

Quality commercial potting soil

Garden compost

Organic matter

Perlite for drainage

Bonemeal

Fish or Blood meal

Mix these ingredients as follows:

One-third quality commercial potting soil, one-third garden compost, and mix the following one-third with mostly perlite and organic matter. Add in some bonemeal and a little bit of fish or blood meal for added nutrients.

If you are like me, you are thinking, where do I get all of these ingredients? You can get almost all of these items from your local lawn and garden or tractor supply store. Also, plant nurseries should have them available for sale. If not, you can order them online.  

If you are like me, you are already thinking about how many other plants I can use this soil for. This is me because I do not want to waste ingredients. I also do not want to store these ingredients.

Here is what I do. I buy all my ingredients in bulk in the spring and make a great big mixture of soil in a large plastic container with a lid. This is what I store my soil in. I usually do this and do all my repotting before moving the plants outside in late spring.

As far as the ingredients go, you have a few options:

You can store these ingredients in a covered container for later use, or you can buy smaller amounts instead of bulk. Also, you can use this in your garden and use it for herbs and start an herb garden. Or you can buy a rose-specific soil and be done with it. If you use this option, be careful about fertilizing.

Learn more about soil in my Beginner’s Level Rules #4: Digging in Soil coming soon.

Watering Potted Roses

Finding the proper watering schedule for your potted roses may take a few weeks. My best advice is to check the soil using the 2-finger method every 2-3 days until you know your watering schedule.

The 2-finger method for watering is simply taking your index and middle finger and pushing down into the soil to feel the amount of moisture. Here’s how to tell if you need to water:

Can you visibly see the soil is moist? If so there is no need to water.

However, if the top of the soil looks dry, stick your fingers in to see how far down the soil is dry. When the top 1-2 inches of soil are dry, water them.

Check your roses every 2-3 days; you want the soil to be moist but not wet. After checking your roses every 2-3 days to see if they need water for a couple of weeks, you will know how often you need water.

Here’s an example:

Be extra careful not to overwater your roses. And with that said, be cautious about fertilizers too.

Fertilizer’s for Roses

If you do include bone meal and fish or blood meal into your soil, you do not need to fertilizer as much. Typically, April through September, you will want to fertilize roses according to the fertilizer directions during the growing season.

Recently, I purchased a fertilizer specific for roses. Since I always want to get the most bang for my buck; I looked to see what other blooming plants I can use to fertilize. The packaging states it also fights against pests. I felt like this was a double duty, and it only needs to be used every six weeks. Also, it can be used on other flowering plants and shrubs. The shelf life on most fertilizers is between 3-5 years when stored properly. Taking all of these into consideration, I know I made a good investment for my roses.

Common Problems for Roses

Pests, Mildew, and Fungal Diseases

Aphids, whiteflies, mites, mildew, and fungal diseases like black spots are common problems for roses. Depending on the level of invasion of pests will depend on how to treat it.

Most of the time, if it is caught early enough, the damage can be repaired, and it will not be fatal to your plant. However, if it is let go too long, you may not be able to salvage your plant.

If caught in time, it’s easy to treat most of these problems with extra care, and with the help of a pesticide, you can help your plant recover in no time. The best thing you can do for your plant is exercising the proper preventive measures from the start.

More to come on pests and other plant problems soon!

Let’s Wrap Up About Roses!

Caring for roses can seem like a lot of work, but honestly, they are not much more work than any other blooming plants. Consider your plant’s basic needs, provide the best environment possible, and take preventive measures for pests, and your roses will thrive.

I hope you enjoyed learning more about caring for roses.

Until next time!

/by

All About African and Flame Violets

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Hey there! February is here, and love is in the air. This month is all about my Valentine favorites! I want to share my love of caring for African and Flame Violets with you!

African Violets

If you have read my home page, you already know I have loved this plant a long time. Being my first house plant, African Violets have been a timeless love for me as a gift from my grandma.

Currently, I own three African Violet plants

I have also learned how to successfully propagate the African Violet and Roses. See my All About Roses post coming later this week.

African Violet Care

African violets are from Tanzania and Kenya. They are tropical plants and found in the Eastern Arc Mountains growing under cover of other plants.

This low-light habitat and growing conditions make African Violets the ideal houseplant. I found out quickly that they need sunlight, but not direct sunlight.  The African violet I mentioned my grandma gave me quickly died due to direct sunlight conditions.

My bad! I did not know as much then as I do now about African Violets. That is why I want to help you care for your African Violets correctly.

Although African Violets are low-light plants, there are different levels of “low-light.”

Everyone has their way of explaining levels of light for plants. This is just the way I have found to work in my plant growing research and experiences.

An African violets’ lighting needs fall under the direct-light level, meaning placing them under a grow light works well during winter and placing them in a window with filtered sunlight in summer. Bright, indirect light works for them, too; they may not bloom as long.

Potting and Soil for Your African Violets

The first thing to consider when caring for an African Violet is proper pot and soil.

Pots

I prefer terra cotta pots for my African Violets because they dry out faster, and there is less chance for root rot to occur. Plastic pots can work; you must be more careful when watering.

A good investment would be getting a self-watering pot for your African Violet plant.

African Violets must have drainage holes in the bottom of the pot for 2 reasons:

To ensure proper drainage and for my preferred African Violet watering method. We’ll be getting back to that later.

If you are going to use a plastic pot for your African Violet, be sure you are extremely careful not to overwater. Also, make sure there are holes for draining in the bottom.

For more information on selecting the right pots, see my Beginner’s Level Rules #3: Let’s Talk Pots here.

Soil

The best soil for African Violets is a soil specifically designed for African Violets; it can be purchased at your local lawn and garden center and many stores online.

African Violet soil is different from others because it has a precise mix of sphagnum peat moss to hold some moisture and perlite to aid in draining so your plant does not get soggy. Many of these mixtures also include earthworm castings, bat guano, and forest products that provide needed nutrients for your plant to feed on.

Be sure to look at the ingredients list; many commercially bought soils also have added fertilizers like miracle gro in them. It will state so on the bag. It may read feeds plants for up to six months. It is okay to use these soils; keep a mental note of that when you fertilize your plant. You do not want to overfertilize!

I have developed my own mixture that works well for almost all my plants. Not all my plants; some have a specific soil. I will go into greater detail about soil in my Beginner’s Level Rule #4: Digging in Soil coming soon.

Fertilizing Your African Violet

You will need to fertilize, especially during the growing season. African Violets have a longer growing season than most other house plants do. When placed in optimal conditions, you will see growth and possibly blooms nine months out of the year.

Two of mine are not currently in bloom because this is their rest period, usually January through March; however, they are still growing new leaves every week. I do have one currently in bloom.

Quartz, the African Violet I have had the longest, is not in bloom, but she has been through a fungus infestation, and I had to treat and repot her. She is recovering very well.

I do fertilize my African Violets longer in the year than my other plants. I use a blooming plant fertilizer. It is specifically formulated for African Violets, but I use it on all my blooming plants.

Do your research before fertilizing! Read about my horror stories with fertilizers in my Warnings About Fertilizers post coming soon!

Watering Your African Violet

It took me some months to learn the proper watering method for African Violets. I had researched and read to be sure to carefully water so that you do not get water on your African Violet plant’s leaves. How the heck do you do that?

I am a clumsy human! No matter how careful I poured, water would run out from somewhere and end up soaking the leaves of my plant. African Violets leaves getting wet can lead to a whole lot of problems for your plant. The most common are brown or yellowing leaves. Your plant may also suffer from Crown Rot or Pythium, a fungus that can both be fatal to your plant.

Watering your African Violet from the bottom is the best method. Using this water method, you will need a plant tray, plate, or clean kitchen sink. I highly recommend using rainwater, distilled, or filtered water on your African Violet. To keep your plants’ leaves from discoloring from the chemicals and hard minerals in tap water.

Using one of the three waters mentioned above, fill the bottom of your kitchen sink or the plant tray or plate, whichever you are using, then place your plant’s pot in the water. Allow your plant to sit and soak for up to 30 minutes.

This watering method allows the plant to absorb water through its roots and avoids getting the leaves wet. After 30 minutes, be sure to remove your plant from the kitchen sink or plate and place your potted plant back in its spot. Or remove from its plant tray, pour off all the excess water from the tray, and then place the plant back on its dried tray.

Common Problems with African Violets

Root or Crown Rot

These happen when your plant becomes overwatered. If you allow your plant to remain submerged in water or allow its soil to become soggy, you are putting your plant at risk for root rot.

Root rot is a fungus that grows from moist conditions and attacks the roots of your plant. Roots exposed to root rot will become brown to black and mushy; healthy roots should be white and firm.

Crown rot is what happens when the crown leaves of your African violet get wet. It is also a fungus and turns the crown leaves, or middle leaves, of your plant gray to black and mushy.

Both Root and Crown rot is fatal to your plant. To prevent root rot, be sure not to overwater your plant, ensure your plant’s pot has good drainage holes and well-draining soil. To avoid crown rot, you should water your plant from the bottom. Be sure to check the soil with your fingers to feel how dry the soil is before watering. I usually allow at least 3 inches of the topsoil to become dry before watering.

Pythium

Pythium is also a fungus. This one almost took Quartz out! Quartz, my pink African Violet, developed this fungus in her soil this past August. Most plants do not survive it. I caught it early and took the proper steps to get rid of it. I think mine started from the soil.

In spring, I repotted Quartz to a bigger pot. When I did this, I was out of my regular soil and picked some cheap soil up on the fly. The fungus can happen in any soil; I am not saying you have to spend a lot on the soil to prevent fungus.

I first noticed the fungus when I saw mushrooms growing in Quartz’s pot. While yellow mushrooms in house plants are not harmful to your plants, I think the underlying issue can be.

Quartz had more going on than just her yellow mushroom friends. She had fungus throughout her roots. I repotted her in the same pot, but with all new soil. I was careful to remove any brown or black, mushy roots and stems.

I then placed her back in her spot. For the next two waterings, I diluted a fungicide; I purchased it from my local nursery.

I also was careful to only water when her soil was almost all the way dry. In October, I repeated the diluted fungicide waterings.  Quartz has bounced back from this.

She is now fungus free and has healthy new leaves growing. I am happy to have saved my plant!

The second of my February favorites are:

Flame Violets

I only discovered Flame violets a few months ago. I had no idea they existed. My Flame Violet, Lilith, has red and green, fuzzy leaves, and its blooms are trumpet shaped.

Caring for Flame Violets

Flame Violet care is almost the same as caring for an African Violet. The only difference I have found is they need a little more moisture; you can accomplish this by adding a humidifier to the room or watering more frequently.

I hope this helps you care for your African and Flame Violets!

Until next time!

/by

Beginner’s Level Rule #3: Let’s Talk Pots!

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You just bought your first house plant and have decided you are going to give your green thumb a try.

After carefully inspecting your new house plant friend you find when you pick it up its roots are growing out the bottom of the flimsy plastic pot it came in. You are correct to think you need a new pot for your house plant immediately.

It is best to go ahead and repot your plant within the first 24-48 hours after purchase.

I am not sure if you are overwhelmed with the huge selection of pots available in the past few years, but I sure was when I first started shopping for plants, and the selection continues to grow.

So, what pot do you choose? Let’s talk pots!  Is my number 3 rule of beginner’s level rules to plant parenthood. Becoming a new plant parent, you want to make the right choices for the survival of your new house plant.

Check out Beginner’s Level Rules #1 and #2 here. 

 5 things to consider when selecting a pot.

1. Size

Most of the time pots for house plants are measured in inches. I have pots in a variety of sizes ranging from 2” (tiny pots for baby succulents, seedling starts, and miniature plants) up to 16” pots. I recently purchased a 16” for Marcel my Banana Leaf Tree.

A few rules of thumb for selecting the right pot size. Answering these 3 questions will aid in finding the right pot size for your plant.

What size of pot is the plant in currently?

How to measure a pot to find the correct size.

Correct Pot Sizes

Pot sizes are measured from the widest point across the top of the pot. Take a tape measure and place the hook end across the center of the top of the pot. Pot sizes normally move up in 2-inch increments. For example, if your plant is in a 2” pot you will want to go up a pot size to a 4”, if in a 4” go up to a 6”. Most plants will fit comfortably in the next size up.

Here are pots 2, 4, 6, and 8 inches.

You can sometimes go up 2 sizes (for example going from 2” to 6”), it is safe to do so if the plant’s foliage is about as tall as the pot it is going into.

Here is an example:

My Rosemary plant was in a 4” pot at the time of purchase, her foliage is about 7 inches in height, so I chose to repot her into an 8-inch pot.

Other times this rule applies is having a top-heavy plant. Snake plants are a good example of this. The roots on a snake plant are tiny compared to its thick heavy leaves. The reason being is snake plants are succulents and they hold water in their leaves.  In this case, you will need a larger pot to help stabilize the plant.

Another thing to consider.

What time of year is it?

If the plant is going into its growing season you may opt for the 2 sizes larger pot since the plant is going to grow a lot over the next few months. If you only go one size up, you may have to repot again at the end of the growing season.

However, if you have purchased your plant in wintertime or during the plant’s normal rest period, the plant will be best repotted in one size up.

Also, know.

What type of plant is it?

If you want to get technical, research on the type of plant you have and find out how its root system works in its natural habitat. Plants thrive most in environments most like their natural.  Here are a couple of examples of times you will want to research further.

A good example of when pot sizes vary from the norm to better suit the plant’s natural habitat needs.

Phalaenopsis Orchids grow on trees and grow aerial roots that can grow as big as their stems. These plants love being pot-bound, meaning they prefer to fit a little tight in their pots because their aerial roots grow up and out of the pot anyway. Only go one pot size up with Orchids after purchasing.

Also, if you have ever seen the root system of most succulents you know they are tiny. Consider purchasing shallow pots for succulents. Shallow pots come in all the same pot sizes as other pots 2” and moving up in 2” increments, but they are about half the depth of other pots.

The purpose of shallow pots is to help prevent root rot, which is what happens to a plants’ roots when left in soggy soil. That is why planting succulents in shallower pots is a good idea to help prevent this.

The best size of pot for your plant

Best practices when choosing a pot size are selecting one to two sizes larger than the size of the pot it is purchased in. Consider the time of year, will the plant be growing rapidly over the next few months, if so go up 2 sizes and just be careful when watering. For more tips on watering your plants

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Also, stay tuned for more of my Beginner’s Level Rules!

Now that you know what size of pot you need, what shape is appropriate for your plant.

2. Shape and Material

Air Pots

There are many different shapes of pots to consider.  Air pots are a good option. These pots are designed to help keep the plants’ roots from growing in the round pattern they form in standard pots that causes them to become root bound.

Air pots aid in keeping pots from becoming root bound. The flaw with air pots is they are not decorative. However, you can place them in a rope basket. This look is trendy. I am going to get an air pot and a rope basket for my Majesty Palm.

I have not gotten this palm yet. It was a start off my brother’s plant and every time I visit him, I forget to take it. It is not just a start anymore, the last time I visited, and forgot it again, it was a big plant. More on air pots in the future, stay tuned!

Terrariums are exceedingly popular as well. These are glass and come in different shapes and sizes. Miniature plants, air plants, and succulents do well in these.

Plastic vs. Terra Cotta

Plastic pots are better for plants that need more humidity or can survive high levels of humidity. Tropical plants are a good example because these plants love humidity. The reason plastic is better suited is that plastic retains water longer than terra cotta, because it is not porous like terra cotta.

Terra Cotta pots, on the other hand, are excellent for cactus and succulents, because they do not retain moisture for long. These pots dry out quickly, therefore; if you do place tropical plants in them it is ok, you just have to remember to water more frequently. Always remember to research your type of plants watering needs.

3. Function

 A pots function is simple but important!

Here are 3 examples of how pots function.

A good drainage system, to prevent root rot.

Pots need to have a drainage function. The simplest is just a hole in the bottom of the pot.

Ok, l will share a little secret here. I did not know that plastic pots have a place to punch out holes for drainage in the bottoms, for a long time. The reason I am sharing this secret is two-fold.

For one, I know this is useful information to someone out there?? Hello, anyone? Ok, I will keep your secret safe.

And two, some plastic pots do not have these punch out templates readily available. If the pot does not you will have to form another way for the water to drain. Place a self-water wicking plate in the pot’s bottom, it functions like a strainer allowing the water to run out from under the soil.  

Self-watering Wicks

These are a good tool for watering your plant. The wick is corded cotton. Place one end in the soil and the other through the drain hole. Put the bottom end of the wick in water and it will water your plant. This function is good for African Violets.

African Violets do better when watered from the bottom of the pot to avoid getting their fuzzy leaves wet. They also like to dry out quickly, therefore; letting their roots and the help of the wick do the watering to prevent overwatering them.

Self-watering pots

I purchased three self-watering pots this past summer and one has been Ivy’s, my Pothos, lifesaver. See my plant short story Ivy Gets a New Pot coming soon! Self-watering pots allow the plant to soak the water from the bottom of the pot through their roots. They work very well for plant parents that tend to forget to water. Once you feel the outer pot up the water level will show max, this amount normally lasts up to 2 weeks.

They also aid with plants that have suffered trauma, such as, improper watering or wilting from too much sunlight. The only flaw I have found, so far, is the roots of my plants are growing down through to the water. I don’t know if this is a flaw, but I may have to trim them back.

4. Color

When the Color of the Pot Matters

Color really doesn’t matter most of the time. There are some circumstances when the color of the pot does matter. If you put your plants outside in summertime color can matter, because darker-colored pots, like black and navy, heat the soil to higher temperatures than white and lighter shades do. You will want to take into consideration if the plant is heat sensitive.

Most plants can withstand temperatures up to 90 degrees without suffering any heat distress. Leaves will start to wilt if the plant is getting too hot. It is ideal to consider lighter colored pots for patio and deck planters, also for your plants going out into the summer temperatures. If you do decide to plant in a darker color, be sure that you can move your plant to a shaded area in the hottest part of the day.

5. Plants as Home Décor

A lot of times when you purchase a plant you have a vision for it. You want to start a small kitchen herb garden, you may want to hang a few plants in front of your windows, or you want to decorate for the holidays with traditional plants. Researching your plants’ needs is essential. There are so many articles on Pinterest and Google to research different ways to display your plants in your home.

What pot is right for you and your plant?

Determine the correct size, shape, and material for your plant. Research the type of plant you have and what its specific needs are. Remember if you are placing it outdoors color may play a factor. And of course, your vision for your plant and how you will display it is important.

I would love to hear the vision you have for your plants. Please share your visions and ideas for your plants with me here.   

I hope this has helped inspire you to choose the right pots for your plants!

Stay tuned for Beginner’s Level Rule #4: Digging in Soil, to find out exactly what type of soil is right for your plant.

Until next time!

/by

Beginner’s Level Rule #2- You Must Talk to Your Plants

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Talking to your plants will help them grow.

I had a conversation with my plant the other day.

Ok, I know many of you are thinking what? You have lost your mind.

Some of you may be thinking, sounds like Cassie.

A few of you may be intrigued to found out what I said to my plant.

I told her to suck it up! And quit being a pansy! She is a Poinsettia and needs to look great through the holiday season.

In her defense, she did have a bit of a rough start. I had to double repot her and I think this hurt a little. In the first pot, she was getting soggy.

She is now in a better draining pot, in bright, indirect light, and away from drafts of cold and hot.

I told her to stop dropping leaves! That was a week ago.

Since she has not dropped any leaves, now I know you think I have completely lost my mind.

Worry not, I know that providing the more stable conditions had a lot to do with it, but I like to believe in the magic of talking to your plants will help them grow. (There are some truths to this theory I will discuss a little later.)

That is why Talking to Your Plants is the #2 rule to beginner’s level plant parenting. Whether you are a first-time plant owner, a plant owner that has had trouble keeping plants alive, or a plant owner that knows nothing more than your plant needs water sometimes I will give you the tools you need to become an advanced level plant parent.

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If you have not already, check out my Beginner’s Level Rule #1- Your Plant Must Have a Name here.

Talking to your plants may seem strange to many of you. I have always done it, but I am a little strange.  I really wanted to know if there is any truth to this or if it is only a myth. I began to research and was surprised to find that this is really a popular topic and has been talked about for decades.

Research and studies have been done on this myth and have proven a few truths.

What I have conducted from my research is that like plants were placed in the same growing conditions in 3 separate greenhouses the only difference in the conditions was sound. One greenhouse had music playing, the second had a recorded voice playing, and the third greenhouse had no sound.

The plants in the 2 greenhouses with sound had a higher growth rate than the plants in the greenhouse with no sound. The plants in the greenhouse playing music had the highest rate of growth.

This has to do with soundwaves because they help to stimulate the plants’ cells and encourages nutrients to move through the plant body. This promotes the plant to produce new growth.

I found this to be fascinating. Talking to plants is not all magic and myth.

Let us break this down:

Now that you know there is some truth to this myth; be sure you are talking to your plants while caring for them. If possible, play music near your plants. This is not only growth-promoting for your plant but also therapeutic for you!

I hope this has inspired you to talk to your plants!

See my Beginner’s Level Rule #3: Let’s Talk Pots.

Until next time!

/by

Beginner’s Level Rule # 1- Your Plant Must Have a Name

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Naming your plant is easy!

Becoming a plant parent can be therapeutic and rewarding. One way to care for your plants is by giving them great names.

My number one golden rule of plant parenting is naming your plant. This is easy! I give examples of the ways I named my plants.

After all, someone nicknamed every type of plant (example- Elephant Ears, because their leaves look like the ears of an elephant), so I am just taking it another step.

Just something simple.

Rosemary, Basil, and Sage from my Herbal Series. These plants of mine I have named after the type of plant they are.

Getting a little more creative.

Here is an example of a little more creative way of naming your plant. When my son visited, he got a spider plant. I told him he had to name it. The side of the planter it came in had “Bonnie” on it, so he named her Bonnie. So, when I got mine, I named him Clyde.

Steal from movies, cartoons, and musicians.

Examples are Count Olaf, my lemon tree, from Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Marcel, my banana tree is named after Ross’ monkey on Friends.

I named my Wandering Jew, Prince, because he is purple.

Slim Shady my snake plant, because he is tall and slim, so I named him Slim. Snake plants are low-light plants, therefore; I started calling him Slim Shady.

Name by appearance or resemblance.

Absolem is the caterpillar on Alice in Wonderland and my Baby Rita Cactus looks like him. Also, the fact that this is a desert cactus, and when you think of the desert an image of smoke from the heat comes to mind, hence a smoking caterpillar.

Look at the shadow. It is a cloud of smoke over a caterpillar… Absolem. You see it too, right?

Name based on the plant’s name.

Examples are Monstera is a big plant or monster plant, so I named him Sully from Monsters Inc.

My Starfish cactus has blooms that look just like a starfish, so I named him Patrick Star from SpongeBob.

My Elephant Ears I knew I wanted to name after a famous elephant. I went with Horton. I do love Dr. Seuss.

I asked myself the question what do you name an elephant? I typed it into Google and found a site about how to name an elephant.

Name them after holiday characters.

Examples are my Poinsettia Merry, my Cyclamens Dasher & Dancer, and my string of hearts Cupid.

When the name just speaks to you.

Sometimes, a plant name just comes to me. For example, my Norfolk Pine is part of my Holiday Limited Ed., which means normally I would name it after a holiday character, however; Freddy was what I named my Norfolk Pine. Freddy just suits him!

I hope this has inspired you to name your plants!

Read on to learn about my Beginner’s Level Rule #2- You Must Talk to Your Plants here.

Until next time!

/by

9 Natural Ways of Coping with Anxiety

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Anxiety is Real

I look back to all the times in my life when I have been most productive, equally most successful and each time my life was stable, and I was at least content if not genuinely happy.

 But as we all know, this is not always the case.

Twenty-twenty is a good example, a year no one could have predicted.

I was going through one of those very rough times in my life, in the late summer of 2019. In times like these, in the past, I would let my anxiety take over and make irrational, emotion-based, poor decisions that would inevitably result in a major setback in my life.

An episode of this, which I have experienced other times in my life is like taking 20 steps backward, and sometimes, those 20 steps put you deep in a hole.

I have found myself there, before, as I am sure many of you have because you let anxiety take control.

This is a blog about the natural therapeutic ways I have found to decrease anxiety through caring for a plant to caring for a Poodle. (I use Poodle as a reference here because I have two Poodles. Any breed of dog can have the same therapeutic effect.)

I was heading down the “unhappy with my life” rabbit hole. I was lonely, and my job was making so many changes I could not keep up. As a result, I was starting to let the anxiety control. When I start to let anxiety take over that is what triggers poor decisions, for me.

A New Way to Cope with Anxiety

This time was different, I decided to just focus some energy on myself. I decided to make myself a Zen room (or room I could sit, relax, meditate, and journal).

I still had two full months of warm enough weather to keep plants outside. Where better to put my Zen space than my apartment patio?

My patio would become my Zen room. I have always had a love for plants and gardening. I just had not focused on it in a while.

1. Finding your Zen room.

Your Zen room may be in your home office or living room, anywhere you have a little space to relax with as little distraction as possible.

 Looking down at the 3 plants that I had neglected over the spring and early summer I decided these 3 would be my beginning patio garden. I had taken them out of the house in spring and sat them down on the patio deck and forgot about them. (I do not ever suggest doing this. This is plant parent neglect. That’s a No, no!)

My Pothos plant,” Ivy” (short for Devil’s Ivy) was growing quite well, she looked better than I had seen her in a while, so this was very encouraging. Yes, I name my plants! Yes, all of them! See my Beginner’s Level # 1 Rule: Your Plant Must Have a Name! blog here.

I looked over at my Purple Heart plant, which I had pronounced dead at the beginning of spring and thought I would throw it out. To my surprise, it had new lush, purple leaves growing. So, I picked it up and cut off the dead part, watered the new growth, and named her Violet!

I looked at my Aloe Vera plant and seen she, Vera is her name, had 2 spots of new growth that looked like baby Aloe Veras. How cool I thought! I later looked this up and learned that Aloe Vera self-propagate. In other words, they grow new plants, these are their pups, and you can separate them from the mother plant and place them in their own pots. Now I had 3 Aloe Vera plants.

The 3 Original Plants:

Ivy- My Golden Pothos

Violet, My Purple Heart

Vera, My Aloe Vera

2. Making an old hobby new again.

That weekend I visited Walmart’s Lawn and Garden Center and came home with a Boston fern, Mona the Love Fern. The following week I read about lots of plants and how to care for them and bought supplies to care for them properly and found I was spending all my time on the patio.  I had made an old hobby of mine new again and this time with a fiery passion.

And so, the plant obsession began.

3. Digging in soil, planting, watering, feeding, pruning, and caring for plants.

Horticulture therapy or therapeutic effects of gardening is not a new discovery. This type of therapy has been around for a long time, think of the uses of Bonsai trees. This type of therapy allows individuals to rely on their senses more, the smell of flowers and herbs, the touch of soft leaves, and the visual vibrancy the colors of plants bring to our environment. Read my Plants for All 5 Senses blog here.

4. Taking time to research a new hobby or learn more about an existing one.

This is how I got started. I noticed a natural thing occurring while caring for my plants and learning to become a plant parent, I was much calmer. I was not focusing on irrational emotional decisions, instead, I was relaxing more and feeling happier. It was therapeutic and my anxiety was easing up.

I came home that next weekend with 7 more plants!

5. Start a new hobby that makes you money.

In January of 2020, my fiancé came home for the weekend with the flu. The flu turned into an emergency hospital stay and ultimately, the kidney failure diagnosis that ended his career.

The next few months were some of the top-ranking difficult, in my life. During the initial hospital stay, we discussed getting a Poodle puppy and starting a Poodle breeding business, as a new side hustle option. I was not sure we were going to be able to do it living in an apartment, then, he was sick, and we were up against a whole new lifestyle.

For some crazy reason, I decided to get this puppy amongst everything we were going through. Once again, I was unstable, super anxious, and about to make irrational emotionally bad decisions. But this time it did not feel like an irrational, emotionally bad decision…

It just felt right!

6. Exercise and get sunshine, while enjoying your new hobby.

I now know we needed the Poodle puppy, Bella, we named her. We watched her grow; we were able to forget everything going on and play with her. I could not wait to get home and play outside with her.

There are not many things more therapeutic than cuddling a furry, soft Poodle puppy. She was amazing, the focus was what we needed, and she got us through this tough time. Looking back now, both Erik, my fiancé and I, realize she was therapy for us during those darkest times.

Bella is very much a nurturing dog; she is going to make an excellent mom and she could even be an excellent service dog with some training. This is our next step for the Poodles.

7. Take your hobby a step further by investing a little more into it.

I have not made any irrational, emotion-based poor decisions since I started my plant obsession and now, I have 2 Poodles and over 60 plants, how could I?

Recently I have started training with Bella and Cooper, while it costs a little money, I consider it a good investment. Not only am I learning to train well-behaved dogs, but I am also finding more confidence in myself. Seeing these two learn new desired behaviors has been amazing! Through all of this, I am content and happy and able to cope with my anxiety in healthier ways.

8. Weekly plant care can be therapeutic. Make it a routine.

 I do not wait for anxiety to build up anymore, I practice my plant and poodle therapy daily. When I have a tough day at work or home life gets on my last nerve I relax and cuddle up with a poodle or play fetch with them.

Plant care on Saturdays is a routine for me. I take this time to destress from my week. I allow myself to forget all about how tough life can be for at least an hour and just focus on the beautiful plants around me.

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9. Do daily therapeutic practices.

Becoming a plant and/ or dog parent is a daily practice. Every day I learn something new about caring for plants and I love caring for my Poodles.

I hope you could identify with my story and are ready to join me on my journey to natural therapy for anxiety with Plants to Poodles.

Thank you for reading!

Until Next Time!

/by

Oxalis Triangularis Basic Care

 Caring for Oxalis Triangularis

Oxalis Triangularis, a.k.a. purple or false shamrocks, make an exciting houseplant because they tuck their foliage up at night, like an umbrella. I have categorized this plant as part of my Sensitive Series. Being considered “sensitive” immediately, you would think that means hard to care for; however, this is one of the easiest houseplants to care for. Here are a few tips for meeting Oxalis Triangularis basic care needs.

Purple Shamrock Appearance

Purple Shamrocks have purple, clover-like foliage and bloom lavender, light pink, or white flowers that hover over the tops of the plant’s foliage. These plants’ flowers position themselves to face the sun or light source.

I prefer to call this plant the more common name purple shamrock. If you read my other blog posts, you may already know I give all my plants names. Read my Beginner’s Level Rules # 1: Your Plant Must Have a Name here. I named mine Siobhan. I paired a new favorite plant with one of my new favorite names for a girl.

Potting and Soil Needs

I repotted Siobhan, shortly after purchasing, from the 4-inch plastic starter pot I purchased her into a 6-inch terra-cotta pot with a good-sized drain hole at the bottom and placed on a terra cotta tray.

Purple shamrock is a bulbous plant; keep this in mind when selecting soil. This plant will need well-draining soil to ensure its bulbs do not get moldy. Mildew and mold are bad news for bulbous plants.

Placing purple shamrock in a well-draining pot with well-draining soil is the first step to meeting Oxalis Triangularis basic care needs. For more information on selecting pots and proper soil for your plants, check out my Beginner’s Level Rules 3 and 4 here.

Water and Fertilizing Care

Watering

The second step to caring for purple shamrocks is to ensure proper watering. Knowing any houseplant’s water requirements is vital to its health. Trust me, getting into the habit of over and or underwatering your houseplants will cause damage and could be fatal to your potted friends.

When caring for a purple shamrock, as far as watering goes, remember they are slightly drought tolerant. When I say drought tolerant, it does not mean not to water your plants for weeks. Drought tolerance simply means you can go a little longer to let the soil dry out more between watering.

The best rule of thumb for watering your purple shamrock is to use the 2-Finger method. By this, I mean simply placing your first two fingers into the plant’s soil to feel for moisture. If the top 2-3 inches are dry, it is time for a drink.

For the best possible way to avoid the plants’ bulbs from getting mold or mildew, be sure the water drains through the hole in the bottom and make sure it drains well and is not left sitting in water.

Fertilizer

Fertilize your purple shamrock every 2-3 weeks during its growing season. These plants usually go dormant during the summer. Knowing your plants growing season is crucial when fertilizing. You don’t want to fertilize a dormant plant. I have more tips about fertilizing your houseplants coming soon!

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Temperature and Humidity Requirements

Humidity is required for this plant to thrive. Not a huge amount, but if your house tends to get dry in wintertime, you will want to be sure to place your purple shamrock in a room with a humidifier.

The average room temperature is about 65-72o F; this is the ideal temperature for this plant. Do not expose to temperatures below 550 F. Also noteworthy, this plant goes dormant during the summer months. Therefore, stable temperatures of 80oF and up will trigger dormancy.  

Sunlight Needs

Bright, indirect light is a good amount of sunlight for purple shamrocks. Being native to South America, this plant is used to thriving on the sunlight filtering through the trees.

Purple Shamrocks opens its foliage back up to absorb the day’s sunlight. Or, in a houseplant’s case, the grow-light and the filtered sunlight through the windows. These are perfect lighting conditions for this plant.

 Purple Shamrocks Rock!

Overall, purple shamrocks are easy to care for plants, and it is fun to watch their foliage close and open. I feel like when I turn the grow light off, and the sun goes down, I am putting them to bed. They are one of the plants that I consider part of my Sensitive Series and are a popular plant to get or give the month of March for St. Paddy’s Day.  

If you get or receive this plant this March, be sure to refer to Oxalis Triangularis basic care tips, and you can have this plant growing healthy in your house for years.

Thanks for reading!

Until next time!

/by

7 Cures for the End of Summer Blues

,

Early fall every year I get the end of summer blues. Just as soon as I start seeing the leaves turning colors and the temperatures start dropping at night my mood changes.

Then before you know it, it is dark when you get up in the morning and dark when you get off work in the evening.

When I start seeing less sunlight, in the Midwest, I get a little blue.

I know I am not the only one. Many people suffer from the lack of sunlight blues. According to the American Psychiatry Association 5 % of U.S. adults suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which is a form of depression from changing of the season or also known as winter depression. I am of this 5%. The shorter days and lack of sunlight triggers mine. That is why I know I would never make it living in Seattle.

Over the years, I have found ways to deal with this. I am not saying I do not still get blue at the end of summer.  I am saying I can deal with it a little better by doing these 7 things:

Sunshine is the golden rule cure for the end of summer blues.

You must get outside and get in the sunshine as much as possible, even if its only for 10 minutes do it! Because the chances of sunshine are going to get fewer. Sit back, relax, and research how to care for your new plant.

Fall outdoor activities–

Get outside and enjoy the fall harvest. Take the dogs for walks more frequently now that the temperatures are dropping. Just stop and enjoy the changes of the season.

Get outside even if its cold.

I have a hard time with this one. I do not like the cold. But I will get out if the sun comes out on a winter day. I make myself go outside and enjoy the sunshine even on cold days.

Make plans for your plants.

I make a big to-do about bringing my plants inside too. I plan where I am going to place all of them and which ones I will hang and which room I will put them in throughout the house. Bringing in the plants is fun because now I can enjoy their beauty inside all winter long.

I also make notes of my growing season and plan for the next one.

Let in the light–

Ruby Necklace- Ruby

I probably pay a little higher electric bill than most during the winter, but I am saving money on doctor’s bills, counseling, and prescription drugs. I open the curtains and blinds on days the sun is shining. The rest of the time I use lamps and overhead lights. I leave them on a lot during the winter to help with the gray days that make me depressed.

Change your décor colors–

Another trick I use to keep my depression at bay, during winter months, is to change my décor in my home to sunny yellows in my bedroom and bathroom. My living room is warm neutrals like browns and tans. I lived in an apartment before and every room was painted gray. It become very depressing during the winter months. My main linen and décor for my winter bedroom and bathroom is sunny yellow and it helps tremendously to keep my mood more positive.

Add winter plants to your collection.

Coming in January

Be sure to check out the variety of plants that bloom and/or produce gorgeous foliage during the winter months.

Here is a list of winter plants: Cyclamen, Snowdrops, Winter Jasmine, Winter Aconite, English Primrose, Camellia, and many more. Also, the traditional holiday ones like Poinsettia and Christmas Cactus.

I would love to hear your ideas for how you cope with the end of summer blues.

Until next time!

/by