Indoor Plants

Ficus trees can maintain their tree-like shape regardless of their size, so this makes them ideal for bonsais or for massive houseplants in large spaces. Their leaves can be either dark green or variegated. In recent years, some imaginative nurseries have started to take advantage of their pliable trunks to braid or twist the plants into different forms.

Plant the ficus in a well-draining potting mix. Purchase a loamy soil with added vermiculite or perlite for drainage, or mix your own. Use 3 parts loam 1 part peat and 1 part sand for a well-draining mixture. Plant in a deep pot with drainage holes so the water can run out. Place the ficus near a window in a room that gets bright light in the summer with more moderate light in the winter. Turn the plant occasionally so all the growth does not occur on one side.

Water weekly during the summer with room-temperature water. Add water until it drains from the bottom of the pot. Discard the excess water if it flows into a container. Adjust the watering for your particular plant. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. If the leaves turn yellow and begin to drop, you may need to increase or decrease the amount of water. Check the root ball. If the roots are soggy water the plant less often. If they are dry, increase watering. Humidity and light levels affect the amount of water needed.

Ficus microcarpa is native in the range from Sri Lanka to India, Taiwan, the Malay Archipelago, the Ryukyu Islands, Australia, and New Caledonia. It is a rapidly-growing, rounded, broad-headed, evergreen shrub or tree that can reach 15m (49 feet) or more in height with an equal spread. The smooth, light grey trunk is quite striking, can grow to around 1m (3.3 feet) in diameter, and it firmly supports the massively spreading canopy.

The glossy, dark green, leathery leaves are densely clothed on large, somewhat weeping branches. New growth, produced all year long, is a light rose to chartreuse color, giving the tree a lovely two-toned effect.

Gardenias are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania. This species can be difficult to grow elsewhere because it demands high humidity to thrive and bright (not direct) light. Some types of gardenias can be grown as houseplants

• Gardenia plants need high humidity.

• A loose, well-drained organic soil is recommended.
• Do not over-water gardenias.
• Fertilize with an acid fertilizer.

Light:

Like the other bromeliads, Guzmanias prefer and are happiest in bright, natural light.  An east or west exposure would be best but just be sure they avoid exposure to any direct, hot sun because they’ll burn.  They’ll be fine in low light for a few weeks, but they won’t be as long lasting. If you want them for the long haul & have them produce pups, bright light is the ticket.

Water:

Guzmanias have a tank, cup, vase or urn (the central well which the flower stalk arises out of) which is how they collect a lot of the water they need. You want to keep that vase about 1/4 of the way full of water & flush it out with fresh water every 1-2 months to avoid any build up of bacteria.

Keep even less water in the tank if you have low light &/or cool temps. You don’t want the plant to rot out. I let the cup go dry for 2-7 days before I refill with a little water.Because moisture is collected through their leaves, they’d appreciate a spraying or misting once or twice a week. I also moisten the growing medium every 1-2 months depending on the temperatures and the season. Like all houseplants, you want to water less in the late fall through winter.

1- LIGHT: Lucky Bamboo does great in bright light. It’ll tolerate lower light levels just fine but it won’t grow much. Be sure to avoid putting it in direct, hot sun as it’ll burn baby burn. You may need to rotate your plant so it gets light evenly on all sides. Right now mine sits in a north window sill  but I’ll need to move it as the weather heats up because the glass gets hot here in the Arizona desert when those summer days roll around.

2- WATER:  There is a bit of mixed opinion regarding this. Some people never change water, some change it frequently & others every now & then. I fall into the every now & then category as I change the water about every 2 months. I make sure the water completely cover the roots in both of my arrangements so I add a bit of water as needed, every 2-7 days depending on the temps. If the water is smelling bad, then change it!

The Marble Peperomia is characterized by its thick spoon shaped variegated leaves. It comes in a 4″ tall by 4″ wide plastic nursery pot. They do well in low-medium light, watered weekly. This houseplant is pet-friendly!

Plant Care