Natural Bug Repellent For Plants: The Most Common Kinds Of Houseplants
March 8th, 2010 Posted in Green Living & News
Not everyone has a backyard and a lawn with enough room to maintain an extensive garden. Many people resort to having their plants indoors as an alternative to having their own garden.
Houseplants don’t require the same amount of maintenance and can give your home the green touch its always needed. With the idea of houseplants in mind, there are many different kinds you can choose from. This is a list of some of the most common types of houseplants to own.
African Violets
African violets are one of the most common species of plants to grow indoors because it requires very little maintenance. They last for long periods of time and are hard to accidentally kill. The African violet blooms for several weeks at a time, making it a very aesthetically pleasing plant to have indoors.
Place them near a window because they need a lot of sunlight to properly thrive. Make sure to move the African violets away from the window during the summer because too much sunlight hurts them during this hot season. Use artificial lighting if there is limited access to sunlight.
Buy a pot with openings at the bottom to allow for drainage and help prevent over watering. Buy plenty of soil and use natural fertilizers to help keep the plant healthy. The ideal temperature for African Violets is 75° during the day and a low of 60° during the evening.
Chinese Evergreens
The Chinese evergreen is a very adaptable plant, which makes it a perfect choice for an indoor plant. If you provide consistent care for the Chinese evergreen they can live for decades. This plant likes a moderate amount of sunlight, but yet again too much will dry out the plant.
The Chinese evergreen is characterized by large silver and green leaves that range in color depending on what specific species of Chinese evergreen you grow. This plant is very adaptable to different environments, but is very picky when it comes to being in certain temperatures. Cold temperatures often negatively affect the plants because they typically thrive in temperatures above 60°.
Crotons
Crotons are well-known for their bright tropical foliage, which gives it an exotic appearance. The leaves of the Crotons have a unique waxy feel to them. Keep the plant 3 to 5 feet from a window so it can receive the perfect amount of lighting each day.
This species of plant requires a heavy amount watering to successfully grow. Keep the plants soil moist as often as possible with consistent waterings and mistings. If the leaves begin to fall off or bend downward then the plant is not receiving enough water.
However, if the leaves appeared wilted then this could be as a result of over watering. In this case try cutting down the amount of waterings per plant. The Croton prefers warm temperatures of up to 80°. Overall, the Croton requires a medium amount of maintenance to successfully grow.
Dumb Cane
This is one of the most common species of houseplants. It is also one of the easiest to care for. The Dumb Cane’s leaves are elliptically shaped and are typically in varying shades of green with white and cream colored borders. This plant requires moist soil, so watering it frequently is very important for successful growth. Misting this plant once a day will go a long way towards healthy growth.
This plant contains a very toxic sap that is poisonous to animals and humans, so make sure to keep small children and pets away from its sap. Try placing the Dumb Cane 5 to 8 feet away from the window to get the perfect amount of lighting it needs to survive. This plant prefers temperatures of above 60° and is sensitive to being placed in drafty areas.
Aphids often enjoy eating the leaves of this plant, which can be prevented by using EcoSMART’s all natural garden insect killer. Check the Dumb Cane often to ensure you have any aphid issues under control because they can easily shorten the life of your indoor plant. Using organic garden insect killer helps protect your plants, but without the negative side effects that come along with chemical pesticides.
Boston Fern
The Boston Fern is not difficult to care for, but its needs are very specific. The plant prefers a cool environment with heavy humidity and an indirect source of lighting. Make sure you keep the fern’s soil moist at all times to help prevent it from drying out and killing the plant. Misting the fern once or twice a week will help ensure it continues to grow properly.
It is a good idea to keep the fern in potting mixtures and natural fertilizers that are rich in peat moss. This will help to ensure that the nutritional needs of the fern are met. Also ensure that the pot or planter the fern is in has holes in it to ensure that the soil can properly drain.
The Boston fern prefers a temperature between 60° and 75°. This species of fern can live for years if cared for properly, so make sure to give this plant the care it deserves.
1 Comment | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Betty Ferguson on Sep 12, 2010
As an African violet and other gesneriad hobbyist–growing, showing, judging and sometimes selling–I’m finding INSV to be a rapidly spreading problem among gesneriad growers. I’m trying to learn as much as possible and to educate growers on the prevention of thrips and INSV. A primary reason for the spread of thrips and INSV has been the reluctance of growers to use harsh chemicals in our homes. At this point, I’ve found EcoSMART to be effective in eliminating stray kitchen bugs and wish to learn more about the safety and effectiveness of EcoSMART in preventing and controlling thrips and other pests that find their way into our collections. Thank you for making EcoSMART products readily available.