One day, when watering your favorite grape ivy you may discover something new. A white, floury deposit is suddenly covering the new growth. Before you run screaming that the account is infested with anthrax, stop and read this to learn about mildew. Welcome to fall with its cooler outdoor temperatures, shorter daylight and drier, hotter, stagnant [...]
Why is that pothos looking so pale and yellow? What is happening to my Rhapis that is making some of the older leaves turn a lemon-lime color? These and other questions regarding leaf color are part of the daily questions that can occur as you do your routes. Leaves of chlorotic plants range in color from [...]
Question: How do I know when to turn a plant or not? Sometimes you say to turn a plant a 14 turn every week other times you tell me that you had to turn my plants in an account because "they were facing the wall". Answer: It's best to always have the prettiest side of the [...]
How do you decide how to properly water a plant? Do you check the color of the soil? Do you lift the pot to determine how heavy it is? Do you utilize a moisture meter, a soil probe or your finger? Whatever method you use, accurate watering requires understanding soil and how it affects plant growth. [...]
Anthurium For many people, Anthuriums are best known as a source of showy cut flowers, grown in Hawaii and sent home to us on the mainland from a vacationing relative. Most Anthurium species though, of which there are over 500, do not have showy flowers. These many species of Anthurium grow in tropical jungles, [...]
Tropical plants are less susceptible to infestations and disease pathogens when they are acclimated to the lower light and humidity levels found in interiorscape environments. Though many plants are grown in partial shade or have been shade-conditioned by growers before shipping, others are shipped directly from high light and high humidity conditions. When they first arrive [...]
Training someone else can sometimes be daunting. Even if your company has a person specifically assigned to train all of the new technicians, all of the managers must teach those that they supervise and all supervisors must know how to do effective on-going training of existing employees. No matter who is doing the training, there are [...]
Dizygotheca elegantissima - False aralia Dizygotheca elegantissima (False aralia) Dizygotheca (di-zi-go-thee-ka) from the Greek meaning, 'twice yoked' refers to the flower's anthers having 4 lobes — twice the normal number; elegantissima (ay-le-gan-tis-ima), meaning 'most elegant,' refers to the plant's graceful appearance. This narrow upright aralia produces few lateral branches; pots contain multiple single-stemmed plants [...]
During your early days of horticulture, you may not see all of the differences in the leaves of plants, but as you mature in the field you begin to notice them more and more. Some leaves are small and hairy while many are large and flat. Why are there so many shapes, sizes, colors and textures? [...]
The media interiorscape plants are grown in varies from grower to grower and plant to plant. Each specialized mix differs in its water-holding capacity, ability to retain nutrients and rate of decomposition. Recognizing the amendments in the mix helps you understand the impact media has on the health of the plants in your care. Basic functions [...]
