Best Tools for Cleaning Plants Remember to clean your plants with the proper tools Which tools are best to clean plants? Dusters work well to remove dust from leaves, but without proper cleaning, they can help pest infestations spread. What about sponges, cloths and spray bottles? Which method is best for your plants? Let’s [...]
Time-saving tips are invaluable Does it feel like there is never enough time to get everything done? We can help! Here are 25 time-saving tips gathered from interior plant technicians all over the world. Incorporate these tips into your daily routine and save some precious time! Plan your visits to job sites in an [...]
What macronutrients do your plants use? Plants use inorganic minerals for nutrition, whether grown in the field or in a container. Many factors influence nutrient uptake for plants. Mineral nutrients can be readily available to roots, could be “tied up” by other elements or by the soil itself. Soils too high in pH (alkaline) [...]
7 Pesticide Safety Tips Learn more about pesticide safety When used correctly, low toxicity pesticides are an effective part of any Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Improperly handled pesticides pose a danger to both the applicator and the surrounding environment. Are you a safe applicator? Do a mental review and evaluate... Do you read [...]
Be extra careful when working in residences Chihuly glass, Villeroy and Boch serving dish, Waterford Crystal punch bowl, Chivas Regal and a Peter Max painting. Question: What do these five items have in common? Answer: They are all things you should never touch when servicing plants in a residential account. Palatial plants Palatial plants [...]
5 Steps to Prune Ficus Trees Ficus tree Where should I start to prune? This is their pet Ficus tree; how can I cut it without asking? Is someone watching me? What if I make a mistake? I have no extra time today to prune or clean up a mess. Are these the excuses [...]
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 [...]
