Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Over 40 Years of Growing Gardens and Gardeners
Instead of letting the winter blues settle in, take a page from all the pink decorations popping up in the stores and pick up a bright and cheery houseplant. Valentine’s Day may be over, but a new pink plant is a great way to weather the rest of winter.
It’s that time of year again! We are pulling out the pumpkins and the paper skeletons and hanging spider webs and ghosts from the trees, but what if you level up your decorating this year with a houseplant that adds a little “yikes” to the season’s staples.
So many people avoid owning and loving houseplants because they are worried about having to water them or have failed in the past. With these low-water alternatives, you can dip your toe into the fascinating world of houseplants, without having to add a weekly watering session to your calendar. Start with one and prove to yourself that you actually can have a green thumb; you just need the right plant.
One day you look up, only to notice that one of your plants is looking a little droopy, maybe it’s even slightly changed color. So, what do you do? You swear it was fine last time you watered it and that can’t have been that long ago, can it? It’s time for a little detective work to figure out what’s ailing your sad plant and what can be done to get it back to its former glory.
If you’ve fallen in love with houseplants, the best kept secret is that once you have them you can basically make as many as you want. There’s no need to rush back to the store and buy more as long as you’re willing to give the ones you already own a trim.
Propagation is the practice of dividing or cutting a “parent” plant into smaller pieces to create even more plants. Many gardeners fill their flower beds by dividing perennials, or by taking cuttings from woody plants like roses. The same principle applies to your houseplant
Philodendrons make great houseplants, which is why you’ll find so many different varieties in the houseplant section of your favorite garden center. They can live quite happily in our indoor spaces and even put on some impressive growth while still being one of the easiest plants to care for in our homes.
