PRINTGood plants for bad owners
Green at gardening? Tips and tricks for the budding plant owner
Photo courtesy of clipart.com
February 4, 2010 | 12:00 a.m. CST
For the Martha Stewarts of the world, caring for a houseplant is as easy as boiling water. But what if the only thing you’ve ever been able to grow is mold in the back of your fridge?
When it comes to coaxing your nearly dead fern back to life, David Trinklein, an associate professor of plant sciences at MU, says never fear. “I don’t think there’s a person who can’t be properly taught to grow a plant if they have the right environment,” he says.
If you...
Overwater
Think you hear your plants yearning to wet their dry lips? Your overexuberance to care might actually be deadly.
Then buy...
African Violet
When it comes to H2O, this plant won't stop till it gets enough. It's time for some good hydrations.
If you...
Forget to water
Occasionally, you dump half the glass of whatever you're drinking -- coffee, soda -- into the plant as you pass by.
Then buy...
Dracaenas Janet Craig
Even with minimal water, this leafy plant can grow to be 4 feet tall. It's the camel of the plant world.
If you...
Like low light
Your room resembles the bat cave, and you haven't seen sunlight this decade. Your favorite movie is Twilight.
Then buy...
Pothos
Commonly known as Devil's Ivy, this vine has been known to survive on minimal artificial light.
If you...
Like constant light
Vitamin D deficiency is not your concern. Sunny is your middle name, and you always have SPF handy.
Then buy...
Cactus
This hardy, spiky succulent loves to soak up the sun -- it needs little water and is low maintenance.
The environment is the key. Most houseplants are native to rainforests and love high humidity. So unless you keep your fern in a sauna, its current indoor home is as natural as a pine-tree air freshener.
However, there are some plants hardy enough to survive low light and low humidity, the natural environment of humans. Steve Boyd of Lari’s Flowers suggests woody stem plants, such as palms. Leafy green plants known as cast-irons are able to tolerate almost any condition. Cast-iron plants are literally harder to kill than to keep alive. “If you can’t grow a cast-iron plant, you ought to try plastic,” Trinklein teases.
However, be wary of loving your plant too much. Don’t try to give it the eight glasses of H2O you drink every day: Overwatering is the No. 1 killer of houseplants. Usually this happens because roots continue to suck water pooled at the bottom of the pot. Guilty of being overzealous? There are some plants, including the African violet, that love having what are called wet feet and thrive under such conditions.
All plant owners, though, should avoid watering with softened water, which has high sodium content. Trinklein calls this the kiss of death. Although soft water will leave fewer mineral stains in your bathtub, the extra salts build up and draw the water from the roots and cause them to shrivel. Think of plants in this condition as akin to pickles, but they won’t taste like kosher dills. To avoid this, use distilled or bottled water.
Boyd says he sees houseplants in horrible condition all the time. Sometimes it’s best to just start over. But don’t worry; it’s still possible to turn your brown thumb a little greener.
“People should not be threatened by the prospect of growing a plant,” Trinklein says. “It should bring joy and contentment. If one does lose a plant (from) time to time, that’s nature.’’
And hey, if all else fails, you can always go faux.
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