Plant Care Dallas TX | Indoor & House Plant Care

plant care

Azalea

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.

Begonia

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.

Bromeliad

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.

Croton

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.

Kalanchoe

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.

Peace Lily

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.

Terrarium Care

Open Terrarium

Temperature

60º - 85ºF

Light

Bright, indirect sunlight or filtered sunlight is best. If plant becomes dried out or damaged from exposure to direct sunlight, move to area with lower level of light.

Watering

For best results:

Test soil before watering, checking below surface of soil. Potting medium should feel slightly damp.
Water until potting soil is moist, but not soggy. Do not let plant sit in water.
Allow the potting medium to dry between watering.
Check soil every 4-5 days depending on how quickly the terrarium dries.

Maintenance

Prune plants that are showing signs of overcrowding.
Clip and remove dead leaves and foliage to prevent growth of bacteria and fungi.
Remove moisture and dust from glass of terrarium.

These are general care instructions. For more specific questions regarding succulent care, please call us at 214-522-9911.

Closed Terrarium