Houseplants - Page 2
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Question: One of my house plants has a white powder film over the soil. Now and then I see little black gnats. What is it and how can I get rid of it? Frank, New London, CT

Mort's Answer: Your house plant has a fungus and the little insects are fungus gnats. Take your house plant outdoors, when the temperature is over 55. Spray down wind with malathion. Put a handkerchief over your mouth and nose. This stuff is foul smelling but very effective against insects. Scrap the crust off the soil. Spray again in 10 days. Be sure to spray both the soil and the under leaves If the infestation is not too great, you can use alcohol instead. Fungi usually occur in excessively moist and too highly fertilized soils. Cut off fertilizing until spring. Water less frequently. It would be a good idea to sunbathe your plants in the spring each year unless they are photo sensitive like ficus.

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Question: What are some easy house plants for a novice? Mark, Hartford, CT

Mort's Answer: Cacti require little or no water in the winter. Succulents require some water. Spiders will tell you that they have too much water. They will get brown tips, if watered too much. They make excellent water sentry plants. Patience, coleus, Purple Passion and many others can be started in water and transplanted into soil. The biggest mistake beginners make is over watering. Put your finger in the soil. If the soil sticks to the skin, The soil is too wet to water. That is my brown thumb rule.

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Question: Is it necessary to water houseplants from the bottom? Josh, Charlestown, RI

Mort's Answer: If you have well drained soil and clay pots, it is not necessary. Excessive watering will cause root rot. When the root is rotted, it can no longer send nutrient to the top. Some gardeners feel watering from the bottom is best. This may be true with very peaty soils. I have never watered from the bottom. I'm always over the top.

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Question: My Impatiens have become defoliated and the bottoms are very hard. I have a peat moss mulch in the bed. What¼s the problem? Lois, Newport, RI

Mort's Answer: Soils in Newport are very heavy clay. Clay soils don¼t allow drainage of the water. Putting peat moss on top of the clay only absorbs more moisture and doesn¼t allow air to reach the roots. Your patience may have a fungus. Stop watering, so that you don¼t lose your patience and suffer remorse. Next year rototill the peat into the clay and add about 1/3 sand to that area. This will provide adequate drainage.

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Question: My Impatiens have a lot of blooms but are turning yellow in the leaves. What could be the solution? Tim, Taylorville, IL

Mort's Answer: Yellowing is most often a sign of too much water. Patience love cooler temperatures. A cool south facing window is always best. If the plants are root bound, you need to put them in two inch larger clay pots. Try fertilizing with a weak solution of 5-10-10 with chelated iron.

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Question: How can I get my Hoya to bloom? It's in a 10 inch pot. I've had it over a year. Vivian, Alberqueque, NM

Mort's Answer: Hoya carnosa or wax plant will bloom profusely with the right conditions. Like most succulents, it requires bright light and cold temperatures at night to set the buds. In the winter, you can cut down on the water and the heat. You could put the plant outdoors in the late fall. If the temperature is about to go below freezing, you should take the plant back indoors. Your soil should be at least 1/3 coarse sand. Add a tablespoon of bonemeal to the top of the soil to replace the phosphorus that is needed to bring the bloom. It has a waxy pink eyed white flower, which is quite fragrant.

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Question: We have tiny little black bugs flying around our ivy houseplants. How can we get rid of them? Lisa, Seekonk, MA

Mort's Answer: Fungus gnats are a frequent winter pest. On a day that is over 45, you can take the plant outdoors and spray with malathion. Also spray the soil underneath. Turn the soil over under the plant every two or three weeks to disrupt the nest. Follow directions on the label and repeat in a couple of weeks.

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Question: I have a lime as a houseplant. When can I fertilize? John, Waterford, CT

Mort's Answer: Once a year will befine. Late summer or early fall is best. A tablespoon of 5-10-10 fertilizer is good for plants that are in 10 inch or less pots. You should pollinate with a Q-tip, when the flower is ripe.

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Question: Our house plant, which we are told is a Canadian Maple, has not bloomed. How can we make it bloom? Dee, New London, CT

Mort's Answer: Abutilon hybridum has variegated and lobed leaves like a maple tree. Flowers are little trumpets in a many different colors. Also called the Chinese bellflower it will so well in cool temperatures. It is best grown in an east or west window. Repot your plant into a two inch larger clay pot with a third sand and potting soil. Put a tablespoon of 5-10-10 fertilizer on the top of the soil each spring.

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Question: I have a Mimosa in a container. Can I plant it outdoors? Dick, Warwick, RI

Mort's Answer: No problem. Container stock can be planted any time. In the summer it will require more watering to get it started in the new soil. M. spegazzini will need protection from the north wind. Originally, it was thought to be hardy only in sub tropical areas. It has survived in areas near the ocean and sometimes further inland in RI. I would protect it with a screen as recommended for the Abutilon in Georgia.

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Question: I was given a Moses in the Rushes house plant. What is the Latin and what is the best care? Mickey, Old Saybrook, CT

Mort's Answer: Rhoeo discolor has attractive green -purple leaves. Filtered sunlight in a south window will deepen the color. It is used as a ground cover in many Florida gardens. Sometimes known as oyster plant, it has l2 inch long narrow leaves. A boat or cradle bract holds a tiny blue or white flower. It needs some shade in the summer and spraying of water on the leaves. Tops of the leaves are a dark green with mauve underneath. Light fertilizer in January will bring vigor. It is sometimes called Boat Lily for obvious reasons. Upon closer scrutiny the name Mosses in The Rushes is apparent.

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Question: What can I do with my Narcissus after they have finished blooming indoors? Vivian, Harrisville, RI

Mort's Answer: Store them in a brown paper bag or in sawdust just as you would your tulips from outdoors after they die back. Remove all the fibrous root and cut off the tops. Let them sun dry for a couple of days before putting them in a cool dry place for storage. In the fall you can plant them with your daffodils and other Dutch bulbs.

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Question: My Norfolk Island Pine is all bare at the bottom. It is in a 12 inch pot and does not show any sign of insects. It has been in the same pot since I purchased it 5 years ago. It is now 5 feet tall. What can I do to make it fill out. Marge, Westerly, RI

Mort's Answer: You first priority would be to put it in a 14 inch pot. Mix potting soil with a third sand for the additional soil. If there is any black or brown root, cut it off. Scarify the old soil to prevent a barrier between the old and new. You can cut some of the lower branches at the tips. Eventually, the new shoots will begin to come back on the lower branches. Add a tablespoon of fertilizer to the top of the soil in three months. This will allow the roots to acclimate to the new pot and soil. When the new shoots appear, you can cut the rest of the lower branches at the tips. Araucaria excelsa requires cool temps and partial shade to do its best.

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Question: My moth orchid hasn¹t grown since I purchased it over a year ago. It¹s in a corner that doesn¹t get any light. Any suggestions? Joyce, Harve de Grace, MD

Mort's Answer: Orchids require sunlight in the morning and evening to do well. Put the plant about 6¹ feet from a south facing window for a month. Check to see, if there is root rot. Replace the soil and cut off the mushy roots, if that is the problem. They do not like direct light between 11 am and 2 pm but could do well, if put outdoors during the summer months in a shady cool location. If it goes above 95 degrees, it would do better indoors. However, it needs air and humidity to do well. Do not be surprised, if it only blooms once a year. It is worth the wait.

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Question: What is the proper PH for Kentia palms ? Can they be induced to bloom? Lyneete, Fan.net

Mort's Answer: There are a few palms that are sold as Kentia palms. The two most common are Howea belmoreana and H. forsteriana. Neither one will bloom indoors. Interior landscapers will often cut off flower stems from indoor plants. When and if they do bloom, it will weaken most indoor plants. There isn¼t an exact PH that will work for palms. Most large houseplants will do well at 6.2. Excess fertilizer will decrease PH with a buildup of salts. I do not recommend feeding palms during the winter. Once a month with half the recommended dosage on the label will keep the vigor the rest of the year. A 10-6-4 or 20-10-5 or a close equivalency will suffice. Most palms need to be washed or leached out, if purchased in the fall. Growers in Florida have the plants outdoors under sprinklers. While this produces a lot of growth during the summer, it can produce a build up of fertilizer salts. Outdoors in subtropical climates, they will produce flowers. H.belmoreana grows to 40 feet, while H. forsteriana will grow to 60. Fully grown trees are rare in Florida and southern California. Regular feeding through the roots can induce a blooms in younger plants in these climes, while in the ground.

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Question: Can you suggest a palm for my conservatory? Tom, North Kingstown, RI

Mort's Answer: Kentia and Areca are two popular indoor palms that require little care. Howea forsteriana and H. belmoreana or Kentia are the most popular florist palms. Kentia are dark green and tough with drooping, graceful leaflets. H. belmoreana has curly leaves, while the forsteriana leaves are flat. Chrysalidocarpus lutescens from Madagascar or Areca palm requires a little more care. If you lower the heat at night to 60, Areca palm would do quite well. It likes to be root bound. Often called cane palm because of the yellow stalks, it has an olive green feathery plume. This plant is also a popular palm of florists and is often sold as Areca lutescens. Some folks misinterpret the yellow canes as a problem and over water. Chrysalidocarpus in Greek means golden fruit. This refers to another specie, which has yellow fruit. Do not fertilize palms in the winter and be careful about excessive watering.

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Question: My Sago Palm has brown edges. I have been fertilizing it regularly, when I water. It doesn't seem to pick up. What can I do? Lester, Morristown, TN

Mort's Answer: Palms require little fertilizer especially in the winter. Stop fertilizing for a year. Repot the palm into a two inch larger clay pot. You will have fertilizer burn for a while. Do not cut off outer leaves for at least 6 months. The brown will only reappear on the out edges again.

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Question: My Peace Lily hasn¹t bloomed for two years since I bought it.I fertilized regularly with a soluble. How can I make it bloom? Carol, Marlboro, MA

Mort's Answer: You are probably using too high a nitrogen fertilizer. Stop fertilizing for a year. Spathiphyllum are not heavy feeders. Everblooming generally means that it blooms, when it feels like it. In a year you can add a tablespoon 5-10-10 granular to the soil. It will eventually produce flowers.

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Question: What do you do when a philodendron gets too large for a hanging pot? Janie, Attleboro, MA

Mort's Answer: If you keep making the pot larger every time that you transplant, you will probably pull down the ceiling. When they reach 8 to 10 inch size, it is a good idea to use them as table plants and remove the hanger pot. I would recommend putting them in clay pots at that time. If you want them to cover the same area, you can add a trellis to the mix. Because philodendron grows so well and will eventually cover an entire wall indoors, I suspect that this is the reason folks make smaller plants from cuttings. This does not diminish the size of the root.

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Question: My Poinsettia is two and a half feet high. Should I cut it back? Charlotte, Uncasville, CT

Mort's Answer: There is no need to cut the plant back unless it is weak or spindly. I have seem them grow as tall as 6 feet in a glass hallway. You can cut a third, if it needs strength in the stems. My Morning Glories grow like crazy every year but do not bloom until September. I use liquid fertilizer but it does not help. Any suggestions? Sally, N.Stonington, CT Vines do not require the high nitrogen available from liquid fertilizers. You would be better served by putting down a handful of 5-10-10 granular fertilizer every spring. This will give strength to the stems that hold the flower and bring earlier blooms.

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Question: My poinsettia has been in the garden all summer. It has already started to turn red at the top. Should I cut it back? I just brought it back into the house. Rod, Newport, RI

Mort's Answer: Since the fall equinox on September 22, we have been getting twelve hours of darkness each night. This is exactly what the doctor has ordered for changing the color of the upper leaves on the poinsettia. If you cut the plant back, you will lose the benefit of having your poinsettia red for Thanksgiving. Indoors, the plant's nighttime darkness can not be interrupted. Since your poinsettia has already started to change, this will only slow the process. In your case, it is not a factor. My only caution is that the temperature be kept above 65. Remember it is a cactus. It needs strong south facing light through the coarse of the day to do well. If the plant was not brought indoors early enough, it may go into dormancy. This often occurs, when poinsettia are purchased without a wrap in the cold winter. If your plant does this within the next few days, then you can cut it back. You will know, when the leaves start to curl and eventually defoliate. I doubt this will happen because the temperature change has been gradual outdoors.

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Question: I have had a Rosemary for 3 years. I bring it indoors for the winter. It developed a white powder on the top this winter. How can I get rid of it? Maria, Chicago, IL

Mort's Answer: Rosemarinus officinalis is subject to powdery mildew in damp areas. Bring the plant outdoors on a day, when the temps go over 55. Spray with Bordeaux Mix according to directions on the label. It may be difficult to acquire Bordeaux. You can add equal amounts of hydrated lime to ionized sulphur or copper sulphate and get the same results. A teaspoon of liquid soap to the gallon can be used, if a second application is needed in 2 weeks. Bring the plant back inside after spraying.

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Question: My Schefflera is turning yellow. There is no sign of insects. What could it be? Jerry, Quaker Hill,CT

Mort's Answer: Most folks water too much in November. House plants require a minimal amount of water unless they are in bloom. It is rare to see an umbrella tree bloom in a pot. You should barely keep palms, schefs and succculents alive in the winter. They are near dormancy until the days get longer in January. Always let a sleeping plant lie.

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Question: I recently acquired two Song of Jamaica plants. One of them has drooping leaves. Do you think that they were over watered? Can I dry them out? Cha, Earthlink

Mort's Answer: Over watering is the most often abuse of plants. Excess water rots the roots. When plants start to wilt, people put more water on them. Plants need air and water. You can remove the soil from both plants. Examine the roots for brown and/or back soft tissue. Remove the affected roots until you reach white. Your new soil should be a two-thirds new potting soil and a third coarse sand. Put both plants in clay pots after you have dried the plants in the sun.

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Question: What is the best care for spider plants? Debby, Norwich, CT

Mort's Answer: You could not have selected a better houseplant. Spider plants are the best pollutant fighter of all houseplants. They absorb more pollutants as well as take in carbon dioxide. All plants give off oxygen and take in carbon dioxide, but spiders do it better. Give your champion a sunny warm location. If you give it too much fertilizer or water, brown tips will appear. Spiders like a sandy soil and feeding in the winter is not necessary. Good luck with your symbiotic relationship.

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Question: My spider plant is not doing well outdoors. Should I bring it back in? Shirley, New London. CT

Mort's Answer: It has to cold for this sub tropical plant to be outdoors in New England this year. It is best brought outdoors in a mean temperature of 75 during the day and 65 at night. This spider is in dormancy until the hot weather comes. Since a frost is improbable, your Chlorophytum elatum would be better served with a stay of execution.

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Question: What is the best care for spider plants ? Debby, Norwich, CT

Mort's Answer: You could not have selected a better houseplant. Spider plants are the best pollutant fighter of all houseplants. They absorb more pollutants as well as taking in carbon dioxide. All plants give off oxygen and take in carbon dioxide, but spiders do it better. Give your champion a sunny warm location. If you give it too much fertilizer or water, brown tips will appear. Spiders like a sandy soil and feeding in the winter is not necessary. Good luck with your symbiotic relationship.

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Question: When I purchased my Swedish Ivy, it had a beautiful aroma. What can I do to get it back? SW, Pawtucket, RI

Mort's Answer: Plectranthus australis is the most commonly sold Swedish Ivy. P. coleoides marginatus is another scented specie. Both have to be kept in good condition to smell good. Swedish ivy require periodic pinching. They should be kept moist. A humid room , which is cool at 55 degrees is best. A monthly liquid fertilizer with high nitrogen will eventually produce summer flowers. Although the flowers are not scented, they will attest to your diligence in keeping the Swedish ivy healthy. You will be rewarded with scented foliage, if you follow the grooming.

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Question: I have a tomatillo tree in a container. Should I bring it indoors? Dan, Brunswich, GA

Mort's Answer: Physalis ixocarpa is an annual that grows to four feet. . It has a bluish sticky fruit. P. ixocarpa is technically tomatillo. P. pruinosa is also sold as tomatillo. It is also annual and has an edible greenish-yellow berry. Sometimes called Strawberry, it too has to be brought indoors at this time of year. You can leave both specie out in zone 8 but they both prefer the warmer temperatures. Perennial P. peruviana can be covered for the winter. It is a tender perennial and the container would require wrapping for the winter.

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