Vacation for Plant Technicians Summer is the time a technician's thoughts traditionally turn into vacation. Though plants never seem to need a vacation, technicians do! Taking a holiday from your daily workload is both refreshing and satisfying and helps you return to work with a dear mind and renewed sense of purpose. Hopefully you also return [...]
Cactus Classification Common cactus varieties For your purposes as plant technicians, members of the cactus family are separated into two groups. The desert cactus type: Most desert cactus are found with their roots growing in dry, stony places. This soil typically has lots of sand and not much humus. Rainwater drains away quickly from [...]
What do you know about San Pedro cactus? How can you love a cactus? They are hard to hug, they need their space, they need little nurturing and they love to hang out and do seemingly nothing in the sunshine, except to ask us for food or drink. This fascinating group of plants makes [...]
Caladium leaves are variegated All leaves develop from a small mound of meristematic cells near the tip of a stem. At this primordia level all leaves look pretty much the same. But from the leaf primordia of Ficus trees - simple, pinnately veined leaves develop. From the leaf primordia of Fatsia, multi-lobed palmately veined leaves [...]
Pesky aphids damage plants Welcome to bug season. With the warmer weather comes the sudden rise in insect populations. A plant that has been “pest-free” in the cooler months is unexpectedly overcome with spider mites. The pothos is suddenly infested with mealybugs. Aphids are feasting on the new growth of your Schefflera arboricola. What [...]
Howea forsteriana - Kentia palm Howeia forsteriana (kentia palm) is a palm of mystery and beauty. This palm is one of the more commonly used plants in the interiorscape, particularly in low light areas. Its widespread popularity is due to the perfect symmetry of its spreading fronds and proven durability -- it will survive for [...]
Succulent arrangements create interesting & beautiful focal points in interiorscapes The succulent trend can hardly be called a trend any longer - these desert natives are making a permanent statement in interiorscapes. We love succulents because they're low maintenance, beautiful and they thrive in any number of decorative containers. Succulent varieties span the color [...]
Are you prepared to handle unexpected situations? Your reaction to a crisis can either save an account or damage the good relationship your company has with the client. To give you practice responding to different crises, envision the following situations and measure your reaction against the described response. Talk with your supervisor about your company's policy [...]
Catch mealybug infestations early to protect the health of your plants There is nothing harder than getting rid of a mealybug infestation. Well, maybe scale. When you spot those telltale white cottony blobs on the Aglaonema in the planter at the mall you just have to moan ‘cause you know you’re in for a [...]
Are your plantscapes harmonious? Interior plant technicians create "emotional environments" that bring a response from people. Whether you've been in the plantscaping family for years or are just beginning your career, it's often easy to forget the reasons why you started. Do you remember the effect that a plant or planting had upon you [...]
