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| Azalea |
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Azaleas require direct
sunlight to remain healthy. A nighttime temperature of 60°F will
prolong the period of bloom. Keep the soil constantly moist, but not
soggy. If the leaves should turn yellow, the soil is not acid enough.
Use any commercial acid fertilizer and follow the application
instructions. Do not use softened water. When repotting, use a potting
soil high in sphagnum peat moss.
Azaleas can be planted, pot and all, in a
shady spot in the garden during the summer months. Examine them
frequently and keep them well watered during dry periods.
Azaleas
need a cool, rest period before they are forced into bloom. Place the
plants in a room with filtered light and a temperature between 40-50°F.
During this rest period, flower buds will develop. Then place in a
well-lighted, warm (65°F) room around January 1 to bring them into
bloom. Unless you have the proper growing conditions for the azalea, you
should not attempt to carry the plants over in the house. |
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| Begonia |
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Give
all begonias the bright sunlight of an eastern or southern window. For
begonias grown for their foliage, such as rex begonias, the light should
not be direct, but rather filtered with a transparent curtain or shaded
by a tree outside the window. Flowering begonias, however, need several
hours of direct sunlight each day.
Provide
a stable temperature for begonias. Begonias are sensitive to rapid
fluctuations in temperature and therefore must be kept away from drafts.
As long as the temperature is constant and above 60 degrees Fahrenheit
begonias can thrive.
Keep
begonias in small pots. Begonias have small root systems and do not need
repotting frequently. However, every spring pull the root ball out of
the pot and check to see if the roots have completely wrapped around the
bottom of the pot. If they have, upgrade the begonia plant
to the next size pot.
Move
flowering begonias outside during the spring, summer and fall months if
you can create the right conditions for them. Flowering begonias enjoy a
shady porch as long as the temperature does not fall below 60 degrees
Fahrenheit. Begonias growing outside do need more frequent watering, so
take care to check the soil often. |
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| Bromeliad |
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Bromeliads
are extremely tolerant of low-moisture conditions and will survive
prolonged periods of drought. Most of the problems encountered with
bromeliads are usually associated with rot caused by overwatering.
Growing these plants in light, porous potting mixes that drain rapidly
should help prevent this problem.
Bromeliads
tolerate a wide range of light intensities, including low light, for
long periods without ill effects. The plants, however, will look better
when they receive proper light. In a home environment, however,
bromeliads do best at 70-75°F during the day and between 60 and 65°F
at night.
Research
on the flowering process has shown that bromeliads can be induced to
flower by exposing them to ethylene gas (a product of burning wood and
leaves and ripening fruit and vegetables). After exposure to ethylene
gas, the flowers appear, depending on the genus involved, within 6 to 14
weeks. A simple method that a home gardener can use to start bromeliads'
flowering is to place a healthy, mature plant with all the water drained
from its cup inside a tightly closed, clear plastic bag for a week to 10
days with a ripe apple. During senescence (aging process), the apple
releases ethylene gas that, in turn, induces the bromeliad to flower.
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| Croton |
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Give
crotons several hours of bright, direct sunlight per day. The more light
the plant receives,
the more colorful the leaves will be. Grown in inadequate light, the
leaves will be mostly green with yellow veins. Leaves may also fall off
in low light.
Place
plant on a tray of pebbles to give it the little humidity boost it
needs. Water will be absorbed by the pebbles and create humidity as it
evaporates. Keep the potting mix moist, but be careful not to allow
water to stand on top of soil. Reduce watering in the winter, allowing
the top of the soil to dry out between waterings.
Prune
branches in early spring if plant outgrows its space or if a bushier
plant is desired. Plant will branch where pruning takes place. Croton
plants may get tall and spindly without pruning.
Take
care to watch for spider webbing on leaves. Red spider mites commonly
infest croton plants. They are hard to see with the naked eye, but will
leave webs. Remove infested leaves and apply pesticide to plant. Left
alone, red spider mites will kill an entire plant, so action must be
taken.
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| Kalanchoe |
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Kalanchoes tolerate
most light levels and they prefer temperatures between 50-70 degrees F.
Never allow the plant to stand in water or dry out completely. Usually a
once a week watering is sufficient. Water carefully near the bottom of
the plant--do not water the leaves-- only the soil. After all the
flowers have died, remove the stems and cut back to the second or third
leaf below the flowers on the side stems.
Repot
the kalanchoe in late February or early March after the flowers have
finished blooming. Measure the diameter of the current pot, and repot in
a new plastic pot that is an inch or so wider. The addition of a little
limestone will also benefit the plant. At this point cut back on the
watering and do not fertilize until new growth begins. Then start
watering regularly again, and fertilize every 2 weeks with a standard
houseplant fertilizer. |
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| Peace Lily |
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It
is not really difficult to provide proper peace lily care. In providing
peace lily care it is important to recognize the tropical background of
the plant. To provide sufficient peace lily care, you will need to keep
your peace lily plant moist; however, you should not water it more than
once or twice per week.
For
appropriate peace lily care, you also need to keep your plant out of
direct sunlight. It is also important to keep your plant at room
temperature for ideal peace lily care. On occasion you may find it
necessary to spray the leaves of your plant with a bit of water. Doing
so will prevent the leaves of your peace lily from turning brown.
In
most cases you can keep your peace lily indoors as well as outdoors.
Leaving your peace lily outside in extreme temperatures could make it
vulnerable to frost. For excellent peace lily care, try to provide
bright filtered light rather than direct sunlight. Keep in mind that
while most houseplants require fertilizer, this is not the case with the
peace lily. For continued peace lily care, your plant will generally not
require any fertilizer.
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