General Care Tips for Thriving Houseplants

Welcome to the world of happy plants! Each day we care for our houseplants, we'll learn how to keep them smiling. From finding the right spot to giving just enough water, let's make your home a green paradise. Ready for the plant adventure?

Every plant is different and as the days go by, if you pay attention, you can start to notice if the plant is happy or not where you placed it or if it needs water more frequently. The frequency in which you will need to water will depend on the individual conditions that you are growing your plant in (temperature and humidity), but you should get an idea of the pattern before too long. If the plant is thriving, its leaves will look shiny and crisp, if it’s not happy the leaves will start to wilt and look opaque.

Most plants live happier if you wait to water them, excessive water kills them faster than having a lack of water because roots rot faster. A drought is more frequent in real life than a continued flood. Think about it, do you know a place that has plants that are always submerged in water? (other than oceans or rivers). Instead, how many places are there that go through occasional droughts and plants mostly survive? Most plants are not meant to be submerged in water, their roots need air and water not just water.

Exploring General Knowledge of Houseplants

Most houseplants must be grown inside to survive year after year (if you live in a place that doesn't have seasons, this doesn't apply to you). Since houseplants are grown in containers, they require extra care from humans. This includes good soil drainage, proper nutrient levels, and adequate watering. Houseplants come in all types of textures and growth habits suitable for use in home décor. Flowering houseplants can provide color and sometimes fragrance. They usually require more sunlight than your typical houseplant to bloom successfully. Placing them in high-light areas like a sunny window or near a sliding glass door is advisable. Houseplants are even known to improve indoor air quality by absorbing common pollutants.

Exploring the World of Plant Varieties

Plants are known as annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous, and tropical.

An annual plant completes its life cycle in the span of one growing season. This means they germinate from seed, grow, flower, set seed, and then die; usually Spring to Fall. Some annuals thrive in cool weather and complete their life cycle from Fall to Spring.

Perennials provide short or intermittent periods of color and come back every year for at least three years or more.

Tropical plants have great foliage and can be used as an accent to add texture to the garden or patio. Others have stunning blooms used for cut flowers. Tropical plants are evergreens and live year after year in the tropics.

Evergreen flowering shrubs maintain their leaves year-round while deciduous varieties lose their leaves in the fall and re-leaf in the spring.

Mastering the Art of Houseplant Hydration

Proper watering is crucial for the successful growth of houseplants. Understanding when and how much water is essential.

In general, it's advisable to let the soil dry slightly between waterings. This helps prevent overwatering, the primary culprit behind houseplant fatalities.

• Observe the feel and color of the soil after a thorough watering; dry soils usually have a different color than moist ones.

• Ensure you add enough water to moisten the entire volume of soil. If the container lacks drainage, eliminate any excess water by literally flipping it upside down. Never let the roots stand in water, as this can lead to flooding and eventual root rot.

• Always use room-temperature water when watering your houseplants; cold water can damage the roots. Water slowly and deeply, ensuring the root ball is completely saturated.

• If a new plant wilts between waterings, consider increasing the frequency of watering.

• As a bonus tip, avoid watering at night if possible, as morning watering helps prevent diseases.

Here's a handy trick to determine if your plant needs water: insert a toothpick into the soil and wait a couple of minutes. If the entire toothpick comes out wet, refrain from adding more water.

New Toothpick

Insert it in the soil

Only the tip is wet. Add + H2O

The whole soil is moist

1. Grab a New Toothpick.

2. Insert in soil for a couple of minutes.

3. Check if the toothpick gets wet. In this example, only the tip is wet so the plant needs more water

4. Water and check again.

5. The last picture shows the whole toothpick is wet, which means the whole soil is moist.

Navigating the Light Preferences of Your Houseplants

Ensuring the right amount of sunlight is crucial for the well-being of your houseplants. Different plants have varying needs when it comes to sunlight, so understanding these requirements is key to fostering a thriving indoor garden. Generally, there are three categories of sunlight conditions: bright light, indirect light, and low light.

Plants that thrive in bright light need direct sunlight for a significant portion of the day. These are typically positioned near south or west-facing windows, where the sunlight is intense. Examples of plants that love bright light include flowering plants. On the other hand, plants that prefer indirect light thrive in the filtered sunlight found in areas away from direct rays. East or west-facing windows often provide suitable conditions for these plants. Some popular choices for indirect light include ferns, snake plants, and pothos.

For low-light conditions, where natural light is limited, plants that can adapt to shade are ideal. These are often placed in north-facing windows or areas with minimal light. Common low-light houseplants include peace lilies, ZZ plants, and certain varieties of ivy. Always consider the specific needs of each plant and observe how they respond to their location. Adjusting their placement accordingly ensures they receive the right amount of sunlight for optimal growth and health.

Trimming Tips: How to Prune Plants with Ease

Pruning houseplants is a catalyst for new growth. Perform this task while the plant is actively growing, ensuring a swift recovery and the emergence of fresh greenery. Post-pruning, fertilize to expedite the growth process.

Pruning involves removing damaged stems, dead leaves, and any dry or decaying flowers promptly from both the plant and its container.

When pruning, opt for angled cuts just above the bud.

Using proper tools, such as hand pruners, is advisable, though regular scissors can work as well. Ensure all equipment is clean and sharp, and consider cleaning your tools with alcohol before and after each pruning session for optimal plant health.

If you ever wish to repot your houseplant in your garden,

There are many sustainable practices that can be used to control weeds and pests, such as:

• Cover cropping: Cover crops are planted between cash crops to help suppress weeds and improve soil health.

• Intercropping: is the practice of planting different crops in close proximity to each other. This helps to create a more diverse ecosystem that is better able to resist pests and diseases.

• Mulching: Mulch is a layer of organic material that is placed around plants to help suppress weeds and retain moisture.

By using these and other sustainable gardening practices, we can help to protect our health and the environment.

In the future, it is important that we move towards a more sustainable way of farming and gardening. This means using methods that do not rely on harmful chemicals, such as herbicides.

Roundup is a glyphosate-based herbicide widely used in industrial agriculture and home gardens. It has been linked to a number of health problems, including roundup cancer. There are a number of safe and effective alternatives to Roundup that can be used to control weeds and pests.

The use of Roundup and other herbicides has a number of negative environmental impacts, including water pollution, soil contamination, and air pollution.

People who developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after heavy Roundup use have been filing Roundup cancer lawsuits against Monsanto and other defendants, claiming the company should have warned the public about the risk.

The use of safe and effective alternatives to glyphosate-based herbicides such as Roundup, like cover cropping, intercropping, and mulching, can help protect our health and the environment, and control weeds and pests effectively. Switching to safe alternatives is a key step towards sustainable gardening.

Now that we learned all these tips on how to care for houseplants, I hope your plants start to thrive! Remember, no over-watering, and enough sunlight, those are the two main tips when taking care of houseplants! And each plant requires different amounts of these two elements. Check out our other blog post for detailed care instructions tailored to each specific plant.

If you have any questions or need advice for a specific plant, let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to help you.

​How to Water and Get Your Orchid to Re-Bloom

Are you struggling to keep your orchids alive and blooming? Learn the essential watering techniques and tips to help your orchids thrive in this detailed guide.

I know you’re here just to know how to water and make your orchids re-bloom (click here to jump to how to re-bloom orchids), correct? So, let’s cut straight to the chase:

There are four important things that, in our opinion, you need to do for your orchid to re-bloom. I’ve noticed that once orchids rebloom, they’re not as spectacular as when you first got them, but they will still be incredibly beautiful.

These are some of the methods that have worked for us:

1) Sunlight

Your orchid needs enough sunlight. Harsh sunlight will cause orchids to burn and discolor its leaves, not enough sunlight will prevent them from re-blooming and rot. I like to place my orchids in a south facing window all winter and then in an east or northwest facing window during the summer.

A good rule is that the larger the leaves, the less light it needs.

Harsh sunlight will cause orchids to burn and discolor its leaves, not enough sunlight will prevent them from re-blooming and rot.

2) Water

You need to water your orchid regularly but without overwatering it; the soil must feel moist but not wet. Really check the soil before you add more water, let it get dry, wait between 7-10 days every time you add more water (time will vary depending on the humidity of their environment, so feel the soil at least 1-2 inches deep and check if its dry and if it needs water).

You do not want the soil to be very wet otherwise, your orchid will tend to rot.

If the pot doesn't have drainage, make sure the roots are not under water, flip it upside down if necessary to get out any excess water.

You can also mist the leaves and flowers when in bloom as often as possible to keep them fresh and strong.

Only water orchids when soil feels dry and roots look silver.

Mist leaves and flowers as often as possible.

The water you use should ideally be lukewarm or at room temperature.

There are many ways to water orchids but these are two that work best for us:

- If you can remove the orchid from the decorative pot while it still has a plastic container or if the decorative pot has a drainage: fill the decorative pot with water and let the orchid soak for about 20 minutes, then remove the orchid from the water and let it drain completely before placing it back in the decorative pot. If you use this method, you will only need to repeat this process once or twice a month, depending on environment conditions as explained before.

- If you can't remove the orchid from the decorative container because it is part of a tropical dish garden or if the decorative container doesn't have a drainage: add about 1/2 cup (4 oz) of water per plant only when it needs it or place an ice cube on each plant's roots and let it melt. If you use this method you will need to repeat it every week or as often as needed, whenever their soil feels dry.

3) Temperature

Orchids need warm temperatures to thrive. This is particularly important for orchids to re-bloom, for them to be happy in the temperature of the environment they’re in. There are three different adviced temperatures for orchid's varieties. So, depending on the type of orchid you have the wide range will be from 65 F to 90 F, but be sure that the temperature of the environment is correct for the specific type of orchid that you have.

Warm Temperature. Ideal for Vanda & Phalaenopsis Orchids. Nighttime from 65 F and up. Daytime from 75 F to 90 F.

Vanda Orchid

Phalaenopsis Orchid

Intermediate Temperature. Ideal for Cattleya & Paphiopedilum Orchids. Nighttime from 55 F to 60 F. Daytime from 70 F to 80 F.

Cattleya Orchid

Paphiopedilum Orchid

Cool Temperature. Ideal for Cymbidium & Dendrobium Orchids. Nighttime from 45 F to 55 F. Daytime from 60 F to 70 F.

Cymbidium Orchid

Dendrobium Orchid

The warmer the temperature you keep your orchid in, the more often you may need to water it if the humidity is also low.

Also, keep them away from drafts and heat sources, these will dry them out and make them die faster.

4) Food

Lastly, to get your orchids to re-bloom you need to feed them orchid food on a regular basis, every two weeks is ideal. Check label instructions for accurate measurements.

The Most Important Secret For Re-Blooming Orchids

First, make sure to keep watering and taking care of your plant even after all the flowers are gone.

Then, there are two ways of getting your orchids to re-bloom, since they re-bloom in two different ways:

1) Wait until the last bloom drops and cut the stem down to two nodes (the brown bands along the spike) below where its last growth was, and it might bloom again on the same stem.

2) Once your orchid drops all of its blooms let the entire stem get brown and cut it all the way at the base where it meets the plant (if it doesn't turn brown, don't cut it, it might re-bloom on the same stem).

Eventually, the energy will tend to go back into the plant and that is why it turns brown and why you need to wait for it to be completely brown, so the entire energy goes back into the roots and it recovers enough energy to grow back stronger in several months. Your plant will generate a new spike and re-bloom on it!

You can alternate these two ways of cutting the stem, so your plant gets stronger with each blooming.

It is also a clever idea to re-pot your orchid with orchid potting mix once all the blooms drop and the stem dries out.

If your plant is ready to move on, it might also generate a new plant out of the last spike before dying, I currently have a plant trying to do this and will post pictures once she's finished!

To sum up, orchids need intermediate sunlight, little water, warm room temperature, and regular orchid food.

I hope this info helps you take better care of your orchids, and you’re able to make them re-bloom! If you have any comments or questions, leave them below!

Conctact us for sending an orchid in Gaithersburg, MD or surrounding cities. We have different options to choose from!

How To Care For Your Tropical Dish Garden

Learn how to properly care for your tropical dish garden with this comprehensive guide. From watering to sunlight, we've got you covered.

If you have a dish garden, the general rule is to follow the guidelines for the plant that requires less water and less sunlight. We try to combine plants that require the same care so that your gift can have a healthy life.

For example, if all your plants in the dish garden are green foliage, it's more simple. But if you receive our Tropical Dish Garden, you will need to water the orchids and the rest of the plants differently. The orchids will be in an individual container so they don't get overwatered.

Generally, we combine orchids with other tropical plants or succulents. Don't be scared to water them because since the orchids are in an individual container, they won't get overwatered.

The two main guidelines are enough sunlight and enough water:

Light: Place your Tropical Dish Garden near a sunny window. At least 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight.

Tropical plants need a lot of sunlight for healthy development. If leaves start to scorch, they're receiving too much sunlight. If leaves start to yellow, bend, or look translucent, they need more sunlight.

Water: Add water every 7-14 days.

Your Tropical Dish Garden won't need as much water as often as your regular plants. Tropical plants like orchids and bromeliads, come from humid places where it doesn't rain as often. Succulents come from deserts where it is very dry. These tropical plants are designed to live without water for longer periods of time. That is why they're leaves are so thick, they keep water in them (kind of like camels) and if you add too much water, their roots rot fast, rotting the entire plant. Wait until their soil gets dry at least 1 inch under the surface to add more water.

How often? It will greatly depend on the plants' surroundings. Humidity takes a great place here because tropical plants absorb humidity and turn it into water! So really feel the soil before adding more water. If their leaves start to wilt and turn yellow, you're adding too much water. If their leaves start to burn on the ends, your plant needs more water.

Don't water at night if possible. Watering in the morning helps prevent disease.

How to know you're doing a good job? If your plants are thriving, their leaves will look shiny and crisp, if they're not happy their leaves will start to wilt and look opaque.

If you want to learn more about each individual plant, these are some of the plants we generally use. Plants are sorted in alphabetical order:

Bromeliad:

Flamingo or Anthurium:

Orchids:

Pink Wave:

Polka Dot:

Snake Plant or Sansevieria:

Succulents:

Every plant is different and as the days go by, if you pay attention, you can start to notice if the plant is happy or not where you placed it or if it needs water more frequently.

Now that we learned all these tips on how to care for your Tropical Dish Garden, I hope your plants start to thrive! Remember, no over-watering, and enough sunlight, those are the two main tips when taking care of tropical plants.

If you have any questions or need advice for a specific plant, let us know in the comments bellow and I'll do my best to help you.