Houseplants for the New Year!

Hello again,

The irrepressible P. Allen Smith checks in with a GREAT article about Houseplants for the New Year. I think the article is well written and incredibly well timed so I hope P. Allen is okay with the fact I have reproduced his entire article below:

"Putting away decorations after the holidays can leave our homes looking somewhat lifeless and bare. A quick fix for this condition is to add a few houseplants to your decor.

Growing houseplants is easier than you might think, especially if you follow a few simple guidelines. And you will be amazed at the variety of interesting foliage and gorgeous blooms to choose from. There is something to suit every style of interior. Here is a list of my five favorite houseplants for cheering up my home after the holidays. (All of the following plants are sold right here at Skillin's!)

Mother-in-law's Tongue (Sansevieria)

This plant is nearly impossible to kill and the dramatic, sword-like foliage will complement any style home. I think Mother-in-law's tongue is especially attractive when grown in a simple container that allows all the attention to be focused on the plant itself.

One of the reasons I like this plant so much is it can tolerate very low light conditions and it will actually thrive with just artificial light.

When it comes to water you want to keep it on the dry side. Mine has actually gone for months without water. If you water too much it can actually damage the roots, causing the blades or leaves to turn soft and slimy.

Occasionally I like to clean the leaves because the air can be dry and dusty. To do this I just put a little mild dishwashing soap in warm water and wipe the leaves with a cloth. They clean up beautifully. (Careful there P. Allen! I have seen even mild dish washing soap burn the leaves of plants--I would definitely recommend cleaning the leaves of your plants but I do recommend using just lukewarm water!)

Cyclamen

During the holidays I always use a few cyclamen in my arrangements because after the decorations have been put away these plants still have plenty of blooms to carry me into the New Year.
Cyclamen come in a wide range of color, from white through the various shades of pink into the deep maroon. And if that's not enough, the foliage looks like a handpainted masterpiece.

Cyclamen blooms and attractively marbled leaves are a knockout when combined in an arrangement with other winter flowers such as primroses, paperwhites or amaryllis.

There are a few tips you may want to follow to help keep your cyclamen fresh and vibrant. First, you never want to let them wilt. They never fully recover and when it comes to light, make sure it is indirect. Full sun is hard on the plant's leaves and blooms.

(While some plants we sell are contract grown for us in Florida, we do grow ALL of our own cyclamen right here at Skillin's in Southern Maine. Cyclamen are a Skillin's specialty and ours look gorgeous right now!)

Bromeliads

I am partial to bromeliads because of their tough nature and interesting shapes and blooms. These plants are equally suited for a modern or classically designed interior. Like the Mother-in-law's tongue they are best displayed in a simple container that showcases the fun and funky form of the plant.
Low light, low humidity and dry air make it unbearable for many plants, but not bromeliads. In their native habitat they can grow, with very little root system, on tree branches, trunks, even on rocks.
With so few roots you might guess it wouldn't require much water. Well, you are right. In fact over watering is the number one cause of death of bromeliads in our homes. Too much moisture around the roots will cause them to rot. But this plant has other ways of storing moisture. Its leaves overlap to create cups, which actually hold water.

When it comes to fertilizer, very little is necessary. A diluted solution, say down to 25 percent of an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer is all you need for plenty of vigorous growth. Just feed them every two weeks or so. (I also heartily recommend the type of houseplant fertilizer that you apply by droplets to your water every time you do water--that you won't forget the fertilizer but by following the directions you always give your plants milder feedings. Milder feedings are generally better for your houseplants. We often recommend such a fertilizer manufacured by the Schultz Co. and sold right here at Skillin's).

If your bromeliad has not bloomed in a while there is the way you can trick it into flowering by simply using a plastic bag and an apple. Make sure there is no stored water in the leaf cups and cover the plant with a clear plastic bag along with an apple. Ten days with the ripening apple will be long enough to encourage the plant to begin producing a flower stalk. (I have not tried this method myself but I would trust P. Allen in this case!)

Amaryllis

While an amaryllis is not what you might think of as a traditional houseplant, it is hard to beat in the bloom department. These bulbs produce gigantic flowers in a fantastic assortment of colors and forms. I like to plant the white or lemony green varieties because they look so fresh, but you can also choose red, hot pink, salmon or even striped.

To grow an amaryllis in your home, simply place the bulb in a clay container that is a few inches wider than the bulb. Fill with soil, leaving approximately a quarter of the top of the bulb exposed. Water and place in a sunny location.

In about six weeks you will be rewarded with showy flowers that are so large the stalk may require staking to prevent it from toppling over.

Now once your amaryllis finishes flowering, and yours may already be in that stage if you planted it before Christmas, just cut off the stalk but leave the foliage. This will help reinvigorate the bulb so you will have plenty of blooms next year.

During the non-blooming part of its life just treat amaryllis like an ordinary houseplant. And then in mid-October cut back the foliage, put it in a dark place and stop watering. About a month later bring it out, begin watering, put it in full sun and presto, you will have a whole new generation of flowers.

Orchids

When it comes to duration of bloom, orchids will always come in first place. The arching stems adorned with delicate butterfly-shaped blooms add elegance to even the drabbest room.
I like to create a winter garden container using orchids with other houseplants such as cyclamen, variegated English ivy and ferns. These long blooming arrangements carry me through the coldest days of winter.
One of the easiest orchids to grow is the phalaenopsis. It will take low light conditions and as far as the ideal temperature goes, if you're comfortable, it is too.
When it comes to soil, orchids really don't grow in it at all. They prefer the bark of fir trees. Some growers like to create a similar growing medium by blending fifty-fifty fir bark and lava rock.
Orchids are light eaters. You only need to fertilize them with twenty-five percent of the recommended amount on a liquid fertilizer label. And they should be fed about every other week.
Orchids hate salt build-up from fertilizer so it's important to wash that out when you water.
After the blooms fade, cut the stalk above the 2nd or 3rd node and reduce fertilizing to once a month.

(Note: On Saturday, January 26th at 9 AM we have an exciting Orchid class at each of our stores with exciting guest instruction from the Maine Orchid Society. Feel free to sign up for those classes at info@skillins.com and also check out our entire upcoming series of classes that we posted below on January 6, 2008!)

If you have any comments or questions we would love to hear them! Simply post a comment by clicking on "comments" at the end of this posting OR drop us an email at info@skillins.com!

Mike Skillin

Skillin's Greenhouses

January 8, 2008