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Houseplants
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Question:
We have an Abutilon that we have just planted.
Can I keep that outdoors through the winter? Marie,
Brunswich, GA
Mort's
Answer: Flowering Maple is hardy from zone 8 south.
Since it gets rather breezy on the isles, I would recommend
covering the plant with burlap in the winter. There
are several good Abutilon with pinkish purple, yellow
or white trumpet flowers. A. hybridum varieties include
Boule DeNeige and Golden Fleece. A..pictum has a yellow
or orange flower with red veins. A. theophrasti is basically
an annual weed.
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Question:
Can I leave out my flowering Maple during
the winter here? Marie, Brunswich, GA
Mort's
Answer: You are right at the cusp between zones
8 and 9. If you are inland from the ocean, you will
have to cover the Abutilon for the winter. In Jacksonville,
FL and St.Simon Island, GA there is not as great a need
to cover the plant. I would plunge the plant into the
ground for the first winter. I would also build a burlap
or cloth tent to protect it from the north wind . As
the plant matures, the need for keeping it as a houseplant
will diminish. In the second winter you can plant the
tree directly into the ground. A. hybridum is the most
common and has the widest variety of colors. Hanging
baskets are filled with A. megapontanicum, which are
poor candidates for winters outdoors in your zone 8.
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Question:
Can you recommend a house plant that will
do well in an area without windows? Michelle, West Jordan,
UT
Mort's
Answer: Chinese evergreen or Aglaonema simplex
can grow in the darkest of corners. Philodendron, ferns,
Fatshedera lizei and ficus will adapt well to low light.
Spathiphyllum patini and the smaller S. floribundum
have a white flower and will do well in low light. Some
ficus that have been grown in high light intensity will
drop their leaves in low light before recovery. It is
often difficult to ascertain the growing situation for
floor plants because they are usually imported from
Florida. English ivy , pathos and philodendron are vines
that will also do well in shady places.
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Question:
My Aloe Vera houseplant that I purchase a
3 weeks ago is mushy in the center. What could be the
problem? Marie, Pawtucket, RI
Mort's
Answer: Too much water will turn a succulent into
mush. I would take it back to the store and ask for
a credit. Unless is you watered every day since you
purchased it, the damage was done at an earlier time.
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Question:
My amaryllis bloomed for three to four weeks.
There are balls at the top of the stem. What are they?
Ann, Bosra, CT
Mort's
Answer: Those are seed pods. You can dry them out
and start new plants from the seed. If you want to continue
to grow the amaryllises as a houseplant, you will need
to rest the bulbs in a cool dry place for the summer.
Place them in new sawdust or in a brown paper bag. You
may find that the bulb has split in two. This will double
your pleasure this coming winter.
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Question:
I just purchased an Amarylis . Will it bloom
in time for Christmas? Shirley, Brownsville, TN
Mort's
Answer: Your bulb requires strong light and moderate
fertilizer when you water. It usually takes 6 to 8 weeks
to bloom. It is possible that it will bloom sooner in
ideal conditions. After it has bloomed let the bulb
dry out. After it has dried, you can split the root
from top to bottom in tow and plant in a soil with 1/3
sand. Eventually two new bulbs will develop. Remover
the new bulbs and store them in a cool dry place until
Halloween. Then, you start the whole process again.
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Question:
My Arboricola is getting some leaf drop.
I have been fertilizing and watering regularly. There
are no signs of insects. What could be the problem?
Layla, Stonington, CT
Mort's Answer: As we approached December 21,
plants got a lot less light. Some go into dormancy.
Ficus, some palms and the Schefeleras do this quite
regularly. It is not a good idea to continue fertilizing
these plants in the winter. You should always reduce
the amount and frequency of water during the winter.
I move these plants closer to the light source during
this the winter. If you are already as close as possible
to a south facing window, then you have no choice but
to do as the plant wishes, let it coast without growth
for whatever time it wants. Eventually they will start
sprouting new growth and you can increase the water
and start fertilizing at that time.
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Question:
I have some holes in my begonia leaves. I
do not see any sign of insects. They are in the shade
and get two hours of daily sun. What can I do? Lee,
Groton, CT
Mort's
Answer: You probably have slugs. They are nocturnal
but you can keep them out until the sun comes out by
getting them drunk. Place tuna tins of beer near the
plants in the sun just at the surface so that they can
swim in it. As the day gets brighter they dry up and
die. Another method is to place diatomaceous earth around
each plant. This silica compound will cut them until
they bled to death. You can also go out there at night
with a flashlight and pick them off one by one.
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Question:
My Bird of Paradise plant is 40" tall
and is 7 years old. It hasn¹t boomed yet. What
can I do? Julie, Waterford, CT
Mort's
Answer: You are taking too good care of your tropical
plant. It needs to have the temper- ature drop in the
winter to 40 for at least three weeks. Without the dormancy,
you are unlikely to get the flower to set. In southern
California and Florida this occurs naturally. As an
indoor plant, we need to assimilate the natural environment
as closely as possible to insure the plants vigor. I
would also recommend that you change to a clay pot,
if it isn¹t in one. Use a 2² larger pot and
add one-third coarse sand to the new soil. Within a
month after the plant has taken hold in the new soil,
you should add a tablespoon of bonemeal to the soil.
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Question:
How can I get my Christmas Cactus to bloom?
May, New London, CT
Mort's
Answer: It is easier than you may think. Leave
the Christmas Cactus outdoors until you expect a frost.
If the weather forecasts predict temps of 38 or lower,
bring it in. Put the Cactus out the next day, if the
temps are over 35 during the day. The plant needs temperatures
between 40 and 55 to set the buds.
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Question:
Are there two kinds of Christamas Cactus?
One of ours has bloomed while the other has not. Alice,
Niantic, CT
Mort's
Answer: Zygocactus and Sclumbergera cactus have
both been called Christmas cactus. Zygocactus has sharp
cut tips and blooms around December 21 st. Schlumbergera
is related to Zygocactus but blooms around Easter time.
Schlumbergera gaertneri has bristled joints and is more
upright with red flowers. It is the true Easter cactus.
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Question:
Can I plant my cyclamen, outdoors? Carol,
Aberdeen, MD
Mort's
Answer: Cyclamen, gloxinia, primrose and many other
houseplants can be planted in your garden or put in
larger pots or urns on your patio for the summer. Your
cyclamen will probably need to rest. After it finished
blooming, it will show signs of deterioration. Only
water lightly at this stage. The plant is going into
dormancy. Many folks think the plant is dying and will
throw them out. Let the plant dry out and store it in
a cool dry place for at least 30 days. After it has
started to sprout again, then you can start watering
more often and start fertilizing with a light liquid
solution of 5-10-10. In zone 7, you can probably put
the cyclamen outdoors in a shady area in the beginning
of May depending on the weather.
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Question:
My cyclamen are developing yellow leaves.
It just finished blooming. What can I do? Pat, Milton,
DE
Mort's
Answer: Cyclamen indicum blooms for a short period
of time in the winter as a houseplant, if the heat is
too high. It should be about 55 for the bloom to last
for a longer time. It will often go into dormancy after
blooming. Yellowing is most often a sign of too much
after. As the plant goes into dormancy, it does not
absorb the regular amount of water. I would suggest
that you repot the cyclamen into a two inch larger clay
pot. You could bring he plant outdoors this summer into
a shady area. In the fall, you can leave it in a cooler
place like the basement. If it can be 45 to 50 for at
least 45 days before bringing it into an environment
that is 55 for the winter, you can get a second bloom.
Most people do not make the effort and replace the cyclamen
with another plant.
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Question:
My rabbits foot fern and other fern are turning
yellow and then brown. The rabbit¼s foot is actually
dropping whole leaves. Could it be too much water? Pat,
Clinton, CT
Mort's
Answer: Most folks water at definite intervals.
This does not allow for the variance in sunlight and
the amount of evaporation. Since summer solstice the
days have grown shorter. The effects of this constancy
begins to adversely affect most houseplants around the
fall equinox. Symp- toms of yellowing begin as winter
approaches. You will have to change the soil. Add a
third sand to regular potting soil for the new mix.
Strip off any brown or black roots before putting the
plant into the new pot. The best measure of a plant¼s
capacity to hold water is your finger. Put it in the
soil. If soil sticks to your finger, do not water. If
the soil falls away, soak it up good. As you learn this
technique, you can touch the leave with your other hand.
You will eventually have the sensitivity to be able
to ascertain the need for water by simply touching your
plant. This can be a very touching experience.
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Question:
What is the best environment for indoor ferns?
Pauline, New Martinsville, WV
Mort's Answer: Ferns prefer filtered light and
moist conditions. If you have a bathroom or kitchen
that has an east or west window, this would be excellent.
Spritzing with a windex bottle of water every day will
bring good results. Ferns have a tendency to become
root bound, especially, if in their favorite soil medium-peat.
High peat soils dry to a rock, if left underwatered
for a long time. I prefer to add ground stone or coarse
sand to 3 equal parts of peat to provide aeration to
the soil. Asparagus ferns and many others can be split
before repotting. When they are doing well ferns require
a lot of repottting into 2² larger pots unless
you are splitting them. Higher nitrogen fertilizers
are best and they do respond to light liquid applications.
If you get brown tips, you are over fertilizing. They
are not heavy feeders of fertilizer and should not be
left in a root bound pot too long at your peril.
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Question:
There is a thick yellow film on the soil under our
ficus plant. The plant seems weak. Could it be
the soil? Don, Sommerville, MA
Mort's
Answer: You¹re right in assuming that there
is a problem. Your soil has a rust or fungus. Many companies
use recycled refuse and garbage in their packaged soils.
Often times, cooking doesn¹t sufficiently kill
the many pathogens in the soils. Repot your plant in
a quality sandy soil. If you can not acquire such a
medium, mix peat, perlite and sand in equal parts for
a good soil medium. Do not fertilize or over water.
Spray the ficus with Bordeaux Mix outdoors on a warm
day to arrest the culprits before they do more harm.
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Question:
My Ficus is dropping it's leaves. There doesn't
seem to be any sign of disease or insects. What could
be the problem? Virginia, Boston, MA
Mort's
Answer: Defoliation is quite common to this very
popular indoor tree in the winter. Ficus can take high
light or low light but doesn't do well in changes. When
the light drops around the beginning of winter, very
often the ficus go into dormancy and drop their leaves.
In a month or two new leaves will begin to appear at
he bottom. In the meantime, do not water very frequently
and do not fertilize. Your plant will signal you that
it is ready for regular water at that time. Next fall,
you can remedy this phenomenon by simply moving your
plant closer to the light source.
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Question:
We had a 7 foot Ficus on the patio. Every
year after we bring it into the house, it will lose
its leaves. What can we do? Ric, Westerly, RI
Mort's
Answer: You can put it in direct light in a south
facing window. Because the Ficus was in a high light
situation, the drastic change puts the plant into dormancy.
Do not fertilize and give it very little water, if this
occurs. When the plant sprouts again, you can increase
the water. I would not fertilize until late March. You
should shade the plant outdoors next year.
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Question:
Does a ficus tree that we purchased as a
bonzai need special care? Fred, Canterbury, CT
Mort's
Answer: All bonzai require special care. Ficus
is very light sensitive. Drastic and even seasonal changes
will cause the plant to go into dormancy. It is a good
candidate for bonzai because it responds well to pruning.
You can braid ficus bonzai or train it to go in many
directions. I would place the plant in a south window
and move it away as we approach June 21. From that date
you can push in toward the light source to compensate
for the lower light intensity. This will maintain a
constant amount of light for your bonzai.
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Question:
My fuschia is very vigorous. Should I take
it indoors? Edna, North Attleboro, MA
Mort's
Answer: Fuschia are considered hardy annual plants.
Most fuschia become woody in November or December and
barely survive beyond January. Most greenhouse growers
take their cuttings at this time of the year for new
plants. You can prolong your fuschia by continuing to
fertilize with a high middle number plant food and placing
your plant in a location with strong filtered light.
When it becomes woody, cut it back and do not fertilize.
If it starts to produce new growth in March, consider
it a serendipitous occasion. Resume fertilizing at that
time and bring it back outdoors in June. Do not get
your hopes too high. Rarely are the fuschia born again.
It¹s not in their future.
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Question:
My hanging fuschia is very woody. Can I cut
it back? It has been in the sun. Mary, Harbor Springs,
MI
Mort's
Answer: Fuschia growth is much better in the shade.
Usually fuschia do not survive one growing season. Since
your plant deteriorated so quickly, it may have fuschia
growth. Cut it back to 6¾ and place it in a shady
location.
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Question:
My gardenia is yellowing. I just got it a few months
ago. I water it regularly. What could be the problem?
Joan, Middletown, RI
Mort's
Answer: Unfortunately, regular watering is not
good for plants. I suspect that you are watering too
often. Yellowing could also be a lack of iron in the
soil mix. When the days do get longer and the plant
begins to bloom, it does require more frequent watering.
Although gardenias prefer to be moist, you can rot the
roots with too much water. I would repot the plant in
a two inch larger pot and use a third of coarse sand
with the remainder standard potting soil. After the
plant has established itself in a east or west window,
add a tablespoon of 5-10-10 fertilizer with chelated
iron to the surface of the soil.
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Question:
Our gardenia has yellow leaves. Will chelated
iron stop this? Loren, Massachusetts.
Mort's
Answer: Distilling your water before applying will
eliminate the chlorine that usually causes the yellowing.
Simply leave a vessel of water in the sun for a few
days and the chlorine will filter to the bottom. Fish
emulsions and seaweed fertilizers contain chelated elements
including iron, magnesium and other trace elements.
Some synthetic fertilizers add chelated iron to their
formulae. Trace elements are especially helpful with
houseplants because the soils are sterile. Houseplant
soils do not bacteria to break down elements like the
outdoor soils.
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Question:
Can I prune my 59 inch gardenia? Lizzie,
Aberdeen, MD
Mort's
Answer: Your Cape Jasmine aka Gardenia radicans
is practically full grown. G.jasminoides and the large
flowered G. jasminoides fortuniana or G. veitchi can
grown as a houseplant in large clay pots in the same
environment as the ferns. Because of their frequent
flowering, they do require a high phosphorus fertilizer
and an annual teaspoon full of bonemeal spread on the
soil. I would hesitate to do anything different, than
you are now doing. If there are random branches that
are tangential to the mass, then I would cut the end
branches to maintain it¹s global natural shape.
I would not cut off any large buds. I hate to see flowers
wasted for order.
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Question:
My friend planted ginger in a pot and the
leaves are sprouting. The root is out of the soil on
the top. Any suggestions? Denise, Montville, CT
Mort's
Answer: Zingiber officinale needs temperatures
over 70. It develops a thick root stock, which can be
easily divided. Ginger has long slender leaves (about
a foot), often variegated. Z. officinale has a greenish
yellow flower and grows to 3 or 4 feet high It can be
planted outdoors in late spring in zones 5 north and
early spring south. It is not hardy above Orlando. This
tropical plant prefers a moist environment. Bath or
kitchens are best on the south side for strong filtered
light. In the winter kept half dormant and let it stay
dry as a houseplant. If you do plant it outdoors for
the summer, take it back in doors in the early fall.
At that time you can harvest some great aromatic roots
for your efforts. It is better to allow this root to
stick out of the pot but it can be covered outdoors.
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Question:
I was given a beautiful gloxina three months
ago. It is starting to dry out. What should I do? Gabriel,
Taftville, CT
Mort's
Answer: Your gloxina is going into dormancy. Do
not water or fertilize any more. Allow the root to dry
naturally. You can remove the root or store the entire
plant without the dry leaves in a cool dry place until
March. At that time new leaves should start to appear.
Resume watering and fertilizing. Your Sinningia speciosa
will be born again.
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Question:
I have been fertilizing my Hibiscus houseplant
with soluble fertilizer every two weeks. It does not
seem to help. It has brown edges on the leaves. There
are no signs of insects. What can I do? Lillian, Cranston,RI
Mort's
Answer: Stop fertilizing. Excess fertilizer will
cause burning on the edge of the leaves. Resume a much
lighter dosage in 6 months.
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