Tuesday, August 16, 2022
I LOVE POTHOS
Nothing like having a love affair with a potted plant.
In my defense, I love houseplants but live in an apartment with low light.
Since moving here, I have had my fair share of houseplant loss in the last 3 1/2 years, but I soldier on.
Last week I finally had to give up on a monstera.
Although I have other houseplants that have managed to cling to life, my pothos plants have managed to thrive for the most part.
I did have one pothos of my mom's, which was about ten years old that finally started to die.
In order to try and save it, I took some cuttings and rooted them in water.
After several months they have been repotted in my pretty pots and I now have two new healthy plants.
.png)
The scientific name for pothos is Epipremnum aureum.
Whenever I try to say that I feel like I am casting a Harry Potter spell so I will just stick to pothos.
I found some tips on caring for pothos here.
The pothos plant can live in low to high light conditions, although direct sunlight tends to burn the leaves.
When it comes to watering my pothos plants I have found that they do best when watered once a week.
.png)
Fertilizing is also important for the pothos.
I find the amount of liquid fertilizer that is recommended on the container may be a bit too strong so I dilute it a little more.
My plants get fertilized once every two weeks.
.png)
What I love most about the pothos is that with a little bit of love my apartment can be full of wonderful green plant life year-round.
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
HOUSEPLANTS: HOW TO FIGHT FUNGUS GNATS
There is nothing quite like being snug in your bed late at night and being woken up by something flying up your nose.
After your initial shriek, when you are actually awake, and you realize it is a fungus gnat you shriek again because this isn't your first rodeo when it comes to those nasty little varmints.
If you grow houseplants chances are you have had fungus gnats at least once and probably more than once, like me, if you have been growing them for a while.
What Are Fungus Gnats?
Fungus gnats are small flies that infest soil, potting mix, other container media, and other sources of organic decomposition. Their larvae primarily feed on fungi and organic matter in the soil, but also chew roots and can be a problem in greenhouses, nurseries, potted plants, and interior plantscapes.
How They Damage Plants
The adult gnats that you see flying around your house do not damage your plants and they do not bite people, although when they land on me they irritate my skin.
What you have to be concerned about are the larvae, which can cause significant root damage and even plant death. It takes 3 to 4 weeks for an adult gnat to form from the larvae. So, when you see those nasty gnats flying around you know that larvae are already down in your pots eating away at the roots.
What Causes Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats thrive in moist conditions, so the best way to avoid them is to not overwater and to make sure that pots have good drainage. However, as much as I monitor my watering by checking the soil surface to make sure it is dry, I still occasionally get fungus gnats.
Also, make sure you are buying your potting soil from a reputable company as you can bring in a host of problems with new bags that you bring into your home.
How I Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats
First of all, I never use chemicals in my home, and chemicals are rarely needed to control them in noncommercial settings.
I use the same method each time I get them and it has always worked for me. I cover the soil of each houseplant pot in my house with clean sand, making sure that it covers the entire surface. The sand stops the gnats from leaving or entering the soil and disrupts their cycle. You can also use gnat nematodes
I then use sticky traps to catch the adults because I can't stand those little menaces.
Shop Products:
Gnat Traps Sticky Stakes Desert Sand Soil Cover
Gnat Nematodes Potting Mix Organic Potting Soil
When I look around my apartment at all of the little yellow sticky traps I feel like I have somehow failed as a houseplant mama, but I know that I am giving the best care to help them heal.
Read more about houseplants:
Thursday, February 18, 2021
LIFE WITH HOUSEPLANTS
There is no doubt that I love my houseplants Some people have dogs, some have cats, I have houseplants.
Don't get me wrong. I love pets, but I live in a small third floor apartment and don't feel it is practical right now. I would love to have a small dog, but don't feel that I can afford one and well I am terribly allergic to cats.
So, I lavish my attention on my houseplants. I have found that no matter how much you neglect some houseplants they will continue to thrive, while for other houseplants, no matter how much love you give them they will wither and die.
I guess that is the way it is with most things in life. People are like that. Some love to be nurtured and some just want to be left alone.
Winter is a hard season for houseplants, and as I sit here today I can almost hear them whispering to each other that surely it is almost spring and that they are wishing for a new growing season to begin. I know how they feel, although I certainly don't need to grow.
I learn new things about houseplants and their needs all of the time, but I find that some things I forget almost as soon as I learn them, so I am going to get another notebook. I want to learn all of their names and what I have found out about their care. Maybe I will even try to draw pictures of them, although my drawing skills might not actually help me when I try to differentiate between them.
I think I will also use the notebook to keep track of my little garden this summer.
Finally hung my plant hanger this week. Ignore the messy bits in the photo.
Yes, there are apps to do all of this, but I'm a bit old-fashioned I guess, and like to leaf through a notebook.
One of my favorite things about my life with houseplants is that I can talk to them and they never talk back.
Saturday, September 26, 2020
DECORATING WITH HOUSEPLANTS
When the exterminator came into my apartment this week he asked if I had any pets. I responded with nope, nothing that bites, barks, claws, or scratches, but I do have lots of houseplants. I guess my plants have taken the place of the other pets I used to have.
A couple of days ago I went to visit the garden center, which I call my happy place because I feel so serene when I visit there. I went with a specific purchase in mind, a hanging spider plant. Unfortunately they seemed to have everything except that, but I of course couldn't leave empty handed.
This sparked my interest because of its large two toned leaves and it just seemed to hop into my cart along with some more potting soil.
It is an Aglaonema Silver Bay or commonly known as a Chinese Evergreen. It is a plant I didn't already have so I was happy to find it. Finding plants that like low to medium light can be difficult.
My living room/dining room and my bedroom are quickly filling up with plants.
This three tier wicker stand has been in my bedroom since I moved, but I didn't get it for that purpose and I wasn't happy with it there. It does however make a perfect stand for plants in front of my living room window, and when sitting in my chair it helps to block the view of the parking lot next door.
Don't forget that plants can bring your eye upwards and the tops of tall pieces of furniture are great places to nestle a plant.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
BREAKING UP HOUSEKEEPING
I decided to Google it to see what it actually means. It was kind of confusing, but I think it originally came from couples divorcing and things getting thrown around and broken.
I remember my dad laughing and saying it to me when I was making a lot of noise, so I guess that is why I associate it with a noisy rearranging of my living space.
I am in the process of moving a few things around in my apartment, and the saying came back to me when I was hoping that I wasn't annoying my downstairs neighbor with the racket.
I am careful not to make too much noise late at night or early in the morning because I know I don't like it when I am woken up by inconsiderate neighbors, but there are things that need doing.
I don't know about you, but I can't seem to help but make a mess when I start changing things around, and even though I am not moving any really heavy pieces, I am tired at the end of the day, which means things get left out to be worked on the next day.
What I would love to do today is just sit in my chair and read a book,
but in between working on my Etsy shop and writing my blog post I will be breaking up housekeeping.
Monday, January 6, 2020
HOUSEPLANTS IN WINTER
I'm here to tell you that the desert had nothing on the apartment in winter where I am living now.
I never turn on the heat in my apartment. Believe me I don't need to. My apartment stays between 78 and 80 degrees without heat. If I didn't run my ceiling fan in the bedroom and crack the window in my living room I would roast.
My houseplants are also roasting and I have lost some of them. That does not make me happy. I love my houseplants and have invested too much in them to watch them suffer and die.
There isn't much more I can do about the heat, but I am trying to combat the dryness. I purchased two cool mist humidifiers, one for the bedroom and one for the living room area.
I also use an essential oil diffuser in the dining area, which puts out some cool mist. Also, the smell of Eucalyptus helps me to breathe, which is calming.
I've started watering more than I normally do and hope that will keep them from being so thirsty.
I purchased these two small plants at Aldi last week. They were only $2.99 each and I wanted to replace a couple that I lost. Hopefully, I can keep them happy, because right now they are making me happy.
Do you have houseplants? How do you keep them alive in winter?
Sunday, November 10, 2019
STAYING AT HOME TIME
I just had so much I needed to do, plus I did some things I probably should have put on hold. It's just hard for me to stay put.
Well, by Friday my knee was really hurting and I could barely walk. So I have been forced to stay home and rest.
I spent some time yesterday morning researching orthopedic surgeons in the Atlanta area as I don't have one yet. I was able to find the one who has the best reviews and if I need to go have my knee examined I will give his office a call. He is a provider on my insurance thank goodness.
The last time I hurt my knee my surgeon in Kentucky sent me to physical therapy and that may be what I need again.
Speaking of new doctors, I had my yearly skin cancer scan on Wednesday. I had a squamous cell carcinoma four or five years ago so I am diligent about being checked. All clear and I liked the nurse practitioner who examined me.
Thursday I had my annual eye exam. Loved the doctor, who my daughter recommended.. My vision is still 20/20. She said she thought I had the healthiest eyes of the day. I feel really blessed to still have such good vision at almost age 69. (Yes I tell my age. I am not ashamed of it. Age is just a number.)
The eye exam was at Emory, and it was one of the places I had to walk far. I think that was the final straw for my poor hurting knee.
Haven't left my apartment since Thursday to even check my mail. Tomorrow I have to go downstairs to print out some shipping labels for things I have sold this weekend, but I don't have anything I have to do this next week other than drop those packages at the post office and maybe pick up a few things at the grocery.
It is going to be a cold week so I will be happy to be in my cozy apartment.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
WAITING FOR FALL
Here in Atlanta we are still in the throes of summer.
Flowers are still blooming, and yesterday when I was driving back across the city, after spending the afternoon with my grandchildren, I noticed this.
Yikes!! Yes it really does say 100 degrees. I love summer, but that is a wee bit too hot for the last days of September. Looking at the extended forecast it looks like it is going to remain in the 90's until next Saturday.
We could also use some rain. I have all these pretty vintage umbrellas just waiting for a rainy day, but I think I've forgotten what those days are like.
One of the wonderful things about having houseplants is that there are always green leaves, no matter the time of year.
When the gloomy days do finally get here I can look at all of my plants and feel like I am surrounded by summer.
Today I went back to water aerobics. I have been doing the regular aerobics class for the last couple of weeks because I had a skin infection and needed to stay out of the pool.
I've found that I really like the regular aerobics class. I am getting a great workout, so I think I am going to try and do both classes.
I'll let you know how that works out. I may need more vitamins.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
SNAKES, ANOTHER PLANT, AND GOODBYE SUMMER GARDEN
This was my immediate response. Well it was my response after I ran back to my apartment and bolted the door.
I mean seriously, do I look like someone who is going to approach any snake?
Thursday I needed to go to the grocery to pick up something I forgot the day before, and since I was right next door I decided to just take a brief peak into my favorite plant shop.
I personally think they need to move that store because it is seriously affecting my wallet.
Look what I found.
Isn't she pretty with her pink tinged leaves?
It's an Aglaonema Etta Rose. I love that it will thrive in low to medium light. As someone who lives in a apartment with only two windows, although they are floor to ceiling, there is not enough direct sunlight for very many bright light plants.
While I was there I realized I didn't have a pot for it so I spent another 20 minutes finding just the right one. So much for the brief peak.
When I went down to collect my mail yesterday I decided to work on pulling the plants out of my garden.
I decided to leave the last tomato plant for a few days to let the last couple of tomatoes ripen.
In a few days I will clean it up and decide if I want to plant any fall veggies. It is really still too hot to think about it now.
Good bye summer. You have been a good one.
Hey there!
etsy shop link
J Jill Shopping Link
Madewell Shopping Link
Wayfair Shopping Link
