Mealybug are active in the spring To some Spring means the scent of spring bulbs wafting through the air, to others it means lovely bird songs, but to those of us in horticulture, Spring means it’s insect season. Spring finds us with populations exploding of various insects and mites on our plant friends. As [...]
Ivy plants are beautiful and hardy plants Plant technicians have been battling the “obnoxious” ivy for years in gardens. If left alone, ivies could possibly take over the world! But, let’s step back a moment and consider the ivy (and tropical plants) in the interiorscape. Similar to the many varieties of tropical plants horticulturalists [...]
Chamaedorea Falcifera I have a new favorite plant, a tall very hardy palm closely related to our old friend the Bamboo palm, (Chamaedorea seifrizii). After 33 years in this industry it’s always fun to “discover” a new plant to add to our collection. This one is called Chamaedorea falcifera. Apparently I’m not the [...]
Air plants are amazing Many species of Tillandsia are ageotropic; they grow irrespective of gravity. You can mount air plants to a support in any position, even upside down. There is no wrong way to mount them. Tillandsias are hardly ever bothered by insects or mites. They hang in the air with no soil, [...]
Get there safely As an interior plant technician, you will spend a lot of time driving to your accounts. It's important to always plan for any inconveniences you may encounter while driving. Here’s a checklist for staying safe when you’re in transit. Know something about where you’re going before you get there. That means [...]
Great customer service matters As an interior plant technician who strives to provide the best customer service at all times, it's best to remember that great communication skills provide for smooth transactions. Sometimes words add turbulence rather than smoothing over a sticky situation. Use those same words with an angry customer and you could [...]
Don't wait until pruning is overdue Does your Schefflera arboricola look more like a sprawling octopus than the compact bushy plant it was meant to be? The arboricola is one of the easiest plants to care for when you know how to maintain its shape. When the arboricolas in your care start to look [...]
Pruning leaves helps your plants thrive Plants in the interiorscape can live long healthy lives when they are maintained properly. For the interior plant technician, this means keeping the foliage clean, responding to the plant’s water needs and monitoring pest problems. Although light, temperature and humidity are largely out of the technician’s control, she [...]
Why Every Plant Technician is a Salesperson Always be on the lookout for potential sales When you visit one of your accounts, you are not only a plant technician, but a salesperson as well. Your customer will recognize you as a plant professional and feel comfortable asking questions. They see you as an expert [...]
Lovely Hoya bella The Goldfish Plant. Belonging to the Gesneriaceae family, Nematanthus gregarius have brightly colored orange flowers, shaped like goldfish crackers. These indoor specimens are from tropical South America have fleshy, closely set oval leaves, growing in opposite pairs along the stem, which can grow to two feet long. The decorative one inch [...]
