Use pesticides responsibly Sometimes it's necessary to treat the plants in your care with pesticides. Their health is important and yours is, as well. Always be sure to apply these 10 safety tips the next you use pesticides. Always read the label and follow the instructions exactly. Never eat, drink or smoke while using [...]
When a disease is detected in the interiorscape, it must be controlled or eradicated. Left unchecked, a biotic (infectious) disease can spread throughout an entire interiorscape. And an abiotic (noninfectious) disease may develop secondary infections, leading to further complications. Before implementing control measures, know what type of pathogen (disease-causing agent) is infecting the plant, the length [...]
When clients add colorful pots of flowers to front entrances, rooftop gardens, sidewalk cafes and courtyards, they often ask their interiorscape company to care for them. As the technician servicing the account, you may be asked to add outdoor maintenance to your schedule. Your challenge will be to keep the flowers healthy and full until the [...]
When horticulturists in your company begin to "talk shop," do you sometimes feel like you're standing on foreign soil? Do you frown in puzzlement when they toss out phrases like vascular bundles, air layering and sucker growth? If so, you're not alone. The language of horticulture, while sometimes confusing, is essential for effective communication. To tackle [...]
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 [...]
The sun is out and the plants know it. Most of them now need more water than they have needed during the winter months. Some days it may feel like your arms are going to fall off or your back is going to break from hauling so much water. What can you do to get the [...]
We tend to use a few plants to decorate the exterior pots at building entrances that are a bit on the edge of their safe zone. Cold weather, wind and snow can damage or kill these plants. When the outdoor temperatures get so cold that soils freeze plants can't draw up moisture to their leaves. This [...]
Sooty mold is gross. It forms a black deposit on the leaf surface that blocks out light and air movement. Severe attacks can turn entire leaves completely black. Eventually, it can cause a plant to die from lack of light. I've seen 20' Ficus with 50% of their leaves sticky, black and falling off. These then [...]
The horrors of low light, offices too warm or too cold, and the indecisions of whether the Ficus really needs a drink this week are starting to fade as we enter early spring. Plants, in general, are coming out of their winter dormancy and we are on the cusp of the growing season for our beloved [...]
Flowers have become associated with sentiments, often with the purpose of conveying amorous thought. In the 1600s in the ancient city of Constantinople (now called Istanbul), flowers gained meanings which enabled lovers to convey messages to each other without having to write or talk. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, a celebrated letter-writer and society poet who, in [...]
