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HOUSEPLANTS PART 2
BY
All houseplants need a rest period of some kind. Here in
Like yards that try to attract wildlife have certain
requirements, so do indoor gardens.
Every plant is a little different so we need to find those out
before putting it in a window.
One very important factor is light. I try to find out where my
plants came from to get an idea of what to do.
My North window now has a Peace Lily (Spathiphylum, sp.), with
its white flowers that turn green as they age. Native
to tropical regions of the
Americas and southeastern
Asia,
It needs to be warm (about 55 degrees
F.), its soil moist but not wet at all times, and likes it humid.
Several plants of any kind near each other raises humidity.
There are different sizes of the Peace Lily from a dwarf to a
larger 2 foot one. They have no stems as the leaves come directly out of
the soil. Mine is in bloom nearly year around.
For many years I have had a Boston Fern (Nephiolepsis) called
Fluffy Ruffles in my North window and it did well.
Actually the more plants you have in an area together the better
they do as the level of humidity goes up.
The fern grew year around and got so big I would cut it back to
the pot but its roots got so tangled it could no longer support that
huge top so I had to let it go.
I need to find a little one soon to go through this again.
They must never dry completely or (1) Spider Mites will take over
or (2) tips will turn brown. Mine hangs from the ceiling so the fronds
can hang down and I did have one on a tall bar stool next to the North
window and let the fronds hang down.
Over in the corner with no direct light lives a huge
Another plant you will see in dark corners in Libraries or
restaurants is the Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema sp.). A blooming plant
wouldn’t last long in those
spaces but the leaf colors and patterns brighten any spot. It can not
stand smoky air or droughts. Find a warm and moist area for them in
winter. The leaves are
patterned in white or silver or pure green. The more white the more
light the plant can stand.
There are a few with yellow in the leaf.
It likes fertilizer on a regular basis but you may go several
years without repotting.
Another, fast growing plant in the north window is the Birds Nest
Fern (Asplenium nidus). After its first growth, the leaves come directly
out of the soil and may be 2 feet long and wavy on the edges, making a
nest at the center. They do not like the edges to be handled when young.
They require frequent fertilization for those big leaves. Imagine
carrying one very far as they can get 4 foot across.
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