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Decorating plastic pots is something you can do quite inexpensively with supplies picked up from a discount store. Decorate plastic pots with help from an experienced crafts expert in this free video clip.
Native to the southeastern United States, the North American hooded pitcher plant (Sarracenia minor) is a carnivorous plant that traps and digests insects in its tube-shaped leaves. The unusual wildflower is a member of the family Sarraceniaceae and the genus Sarracenia, which was named for the 18th century physician and naturalist or botanist Michel Sarrazin. Distinguished by its rounded lid, hooded pitcher plant is one of about 11 species of pitcher plants native to the United States and Canada.
Maile, pronounced mah-ee-lay, (Alyxia oliviformis) is a delicately flowered plant that makes a stunning addition to any garden. It's native to five of the seven major Hawaiian islands, and its delicate, twining vines bear tiny green and yellowish-white flowers. This fragrant plant is considered a sprawling shrub because it grows 6 to 8 feet at maturity. Since it can live longer than five years, it requires only minimal time and attention after planting. It thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11b through 13b, giving warm-weather gardens in those zones a tropical twist.
The crown-of-thorns (Euphorbia milii), an eye-catching succulent, brings exotic flair to your yard. Crown-of-thorns is a perennial only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 10 and above. The plant's long, thick leaves spiral around a center brightened with red, pink, yellow, or white flower clusters. To keep blooms striking throughout the year, you may need to take steps to encourage flowering.
Begonias can be grown in terrariums and some begonias even do better in one because the growing conditions can be closely controlled. Begonias are a very diverse family of plants, offering a great variety of appearances. Many also bloom all year long, providing a year-round burst of color for an indoor terrarium.
Ecospheres and terrariums allow gardeners to put their skills to the test in designing miniature versions of nature. Both capture the beauty of nature and provide hours of enjoyment and inspiration. Because they create an enclosed environment, tiny plants or animals are out of the reach of inquisitive pets and small children. There are, however, some differences between ecospheres and terrariums.
You can use a wide variety of different things for a plant terrarium including a vase and sometimes even just a regular jar. Get plant terrarium ideas with help from a garden shop owner in this free video clip.
Building a tropical terrarium is all about a few key things including color and mimicking that warm sea breeze. Build a tropical terrarium with help from a garden shop owner in this free video clip.
Making a fern moss terrarium requires you to be careful so that you don't damage the outer glass. Make a fern moss terrarium with help from a garden shop owner in this free video clip.
Re-hydrating terrarium moss is something you can do if the setup is starting to seem a little worse for wear. Rehydrate terrarium moss with help from a garden shop owner in this free video clip.
Tiny terrariums can be made out of almost anything, including a regular old jar. Get a tiny terrarium tutorial with help from a garden shop owner in this free video clip.
You can keep the leaves of Philodendron plants shiny by using a very specific type of spray. Keep the leaves of Philodendron plants shiny with help from a resident expert in anything botanical in this free video clip.
When transplanting a small spinach plant to a larger pot, you're always going to need to have a few basic tools at the ready. Transplant a small spinach plant to a larger pot with help from a classically-trained chef with experience in both world class restaurants and private dining companies in this free video clip.
Aquascaping is the art of creating an underwater image or scene in an aquarium, typically with living plants. However, live plants require specific water and lighting conditions to grow properly. For a low-maintenance aquascape, you can use plastic plants. Plastic plants do float, but gluing them to a plastic egg crate and weighing it down fixes the problem easily. To use egg crates and plastic plants for aquascaping, you need a few items from an aquarium supply store and about 15 minutes for setup.
Yucca plants are tough desert species, so they are highly tolerant of drought and poor soil, but they are not designed for freezing weather. Yuccas can survive occasional subfreezing temperatures, but they may succumb to damage or death if the weather is extreme. If you live in a region where frost is expected, it's a smart idea to grow the yucca plant in a container so you can temporarily relocate it indoors during cold spells.
Dracaena marginata, commonly called the dragon tree, gets its name from its bright, colorful foliage and twisting stems. Many people keep a dragon tree as a house plant or an office plant because it has low light requirements and simplicity of care. Dragon trees have thin, flexible stems that develop bends and curves as they grow. The stems' flexibility, combined with natural light or bonsai wire, allows you to train a dragon tree to grow in almost any desired direction.
Ficus is a large genus of plants that are commonly grown indoors. They're prone to several insects, including scale. Scale insects suck the sap from a plant, often leaving behind a sticky substance. In small numbers, scale usually does not harm a plant. If left untreated to multiply, though, they can damage or kill a plant in time. If your ficus has scale and you don't want to use a pesticide to get rid of them, incorporate several cultural practices and use a mild insecticidal soap or oil if necessary.
Top-heavy plants often bend their stems beneath their own weight and fall over, shocking and injuring their structure. If the plant is not actually falling over, the chance of a top-heavy plant getting knocked over and requiring repotting is high. Each time you repot a plant, its roots undergo shock that can stunt its growth. Stabilization prevents both these drawbacks of growing top-heavy plants and helps them thrive without repeated shock to their stems or roots. Stabilizing top-heavy plants requires a few materials from your local gardening store and about 10 to 20 minutes of your time.
Foggers, or bug bombs, release concentrated bursts of pesticides designed to kill fleas, ticks, spiders, ants and various other bugs throughout your home. The toxic nature of these chemicals requires that you cover certain areas in your home to protect them -- and your family -- from any adverse effects.
Terrariums are generally glass reservoirs or containers that are capped to keep moisture inside and gather heat and humidity. The moist atmosphere is ideal for mushroom growing. Pleurotus ostreatus is better known as the oyster mushroom and is often cultivated by home growers. The terrarium for such an endeavor should be large enough to house the substrate, which is the growing medium for the mushrooms. The substrate is pre-innoculated with mushroom spores, the source of the fungi, which will fruit after they are exposed to the correct moisture and temperature. The spores or spawn need constant humidity, which the terrarium…
The demolition of a chimney is extremely dangerous. Hence, certain precautions must be taken before you start demolishing your chimney. You will also need a number of supplies and tools to dismantle your chimney, most of which you can purchase from a home improvement store. You must also take into consideration what your objectives are for the chimney space. For example, you may want to leave the clay flue in place if you are going to rebuild or remodel your chimney.
Periodically, you may see the lights in your home flicker or dim momentarily. While this may seem out of the ordinary, flickering or dimming lights are a common occurrence on heavily loaded electrical circuits. If you understand the underlying causes behind flickering or dimming lights, you can take steps to minimize how often the lights in your home flicker or dim.
A terrarium is a glass-enclosed environment for plants and sometimes small animals. A reptile terrarium is ideally a microcosm of that animal's natural habitat. If you own a snake, you should fill the terrarium with items that suits its needs, such as rocks. You can design the background of the terrarium purely for aesthetics. Many pet owners paste pictures of the reptile's habitat on the back of the terrarium. Alternatively, create a functional terrarium background that supports the growth of plants and helps to create a more natural environment.
When you see a home along a coastline or high in the hills and it looks like it’s built on stilts, you’re looking at a home that has a pier foundation. Piers are also used for less dramatic purposes and for building additions closer to ground level. Building on piers provides advantages such as access to plumbing and electrical work. Depending on the climate, the addition to the home may even use less energy because it won’t be sitting on a cold concrete slab.
The Taxodium family contains 16 species of coniferous trees, native to forests and swamps where they are the dominant trees. Well-known Taxodium species include pond cypress, giant sequoia, bald cypress and the dawn redwood. Taxodium species include those that live for thousands of years and grow quite tall. In fact, the world’s tallest tree – the coast redwood – is in the Taxodium family. Taxodium cones ripen from October through December and the seeds should be started as soon as possible after removal from the cone.
The plumes and shape of astilbe flowers give a slight impression of miniature Christmas trees peppering your garden, though astilbe is also found in woodland gardens and along waterways. Its colors are brilliant despite growing in shaded areas, and make the flower a colorful addition to any shade garden. Plant astilbe in the spring or fall for best results.
Epiphytic bromeliads, or air plants, don't require soil to grow. These plants derive their nutrients from the water and air around them. They naturally grow attached to tree trunks and branches, and collect their water and nutrient needs from rain. You can grow these bromeliad varieties as houseplants by mounting and displaying them properly. Use young plants that haven't yet developed an extensive root system to ensure they establish on the mount correctly.
Shower and bath faucets are complicated pieces of plumbing. Depending on the manufacturer and time of installation, there can be one of three types of valve housings, also known as diverter valves. Each valve is connected differently and has its own specific pieces.
Most often grown indoors for its attractive foliage, dracaena is a large family of plants that includes corn plants, lucky bamboo and Madagascar dragon trees. Although dracaena plants propagate easily from root cuttings, two dracaena can be grafted to form a single plant. The process involves joining the lower part of one plant, called the rootstock or understock, to a cutting, called a scion, from a second plant. Grafting is generally most successful in winter, when the plants are dormant.
Terrariums are miniature ecosystems. Designed to be primarily self-sustaining, they contain plants, animals or both. Most often, terrariums are made of glass so that the plants and animals can be easily observed and so that sunlight can easily penetrate the walls. Backgrounds placed on one side of the terrarium add interest and a feeling of depth to the environment. Materials that are three-dimensional -- such as bark or coconut fiber panels -- also provide a place for plants and animals to climb.
Dracaena fragrans, also known as corn plant, is an evergreen plant typically grown indoors in a pot. The more colorful “Massangeana” cultivar accounts for nearly 90 percent of the corn plants sold. As with many plants, as new leaves grow on a Dracaena fragrans, older ones die off. To keep your corn plant attractive and clean, prune away these dead leaves on a regular basis.
Kalanchoe is desirable for its small, bright flowers and ease of care. Often grown indoors, the plant, which is native to Madagascar, thrives in mild temperatures and bright light. Although Kalcanchoe can live in a terrarium, it should be one of the open-dish types and not a covered terrarium, according to the University of Missouri's Extension website. This is because closed terrariums have high humidity and temperature levels -- both of which can damage kalanchoe plants. You will need to set up the terrarium in a specific way to have the best results.
Fern mosses are sheet mosses belonging to several different genera, most notably Thuidium and Hypnum. They are creeping mosses with fern-like fronds that stand up and away from the primary moss mat. Growing fern moss in a terrarium is not difficult, provided that you can recreate the forest habitat where it evolved. Fern moss terrariums should be kept out of direct sunlight and bedded with a humus-rich, moisture-holding medium and kept sealed except when you're watering.
Also called gold dust dracaena, the Dracaena godseffiana is a foliage plant that does well indoors and features oval-shaped leaves. These green leaves feature cream speckles and are perched on top of wiry stems. The slow-growing Dracaena godseffiana is easy to care for and brings many benefits to your home, including air purification. Dracaena godseffiana is an easy cultivar to care for and suitable for beginner gardeners. However, improper care can prove fatal to the houseplant.
Perennial and evergreen fern varieties grow well as indoor plants when potted correctly. The dry conditions found in most homes, especially in winter, can dehydrate ferns. The best planters help retain moisture in the soil so it imitates the natural conditions the plants prefer. While you can grow ferns successfully in most planter types, choosing the right type minimizes the amount of care the fern requires.
If you have noticed that your lights flicker or dim, this might be a sign that there is a serious electrical problem in your home. However, sometimes, it might be a simple issue that is fixable with just a minor tweak. Knowing how to troubleshoot flickering house lights will help you figure out when it is necessary to call in a professional and when it is something that you can fix on your own.
Building walls takes precision and craftsmanship. Interior wall construction is very different from exterior wall construction. Materials for exterior walls have to support the house’s weight and provide a strong structure for the home to endure extreme weather when necessary. Interior walls have to be tough enough to endure the everyday bumps, bruises and wear and tear imposed by the people and pets living in the house.
Palm trees grown in containers or within landscapes may be affected by root diseases caused by one of several fungal pathogens. Possible fungi include species of Armillaria, Fusarium, Phymatotrichum, Phytophthora and Pythium. Often, by the time wilting or other symptoms of rot are noticed, the palm will not be able to recover, and removing the plant is the most practical treatment option. However, if the presence of the fungus is recognized early enough, you can take steps to slow the disease. Houseplants or small palms in containers that can be handled easily may have additional treatment options.
A pitcher plant is a very specific type of plant on a long stem. Draw pitcher plants with help from an illustrator and comic book artist in this free video clip.
Dracaenas (Dracaena spp.) are popular houseplants because they need little light and maintenance to thrive. However, they can also be grown in the garden in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 10 and 11. Any area of the landscape will suffice because Dracaenas grow well in sun and shade. Consider growing Dracaenas as a backdrop for smaller, more colorful flowering plants, as accent shrubs in the garden or in a row to create a border.
The Dracaena, more commonly known as the corn plant, the dragon tree or the ribbon plant, is a genus of houseplants. Dracaena species generally thrive with little light, making them ideal for relatively dim interiors. The plants are also adaptable to many spaces; they can reach anywhere from 2 to 10 feet high, and are just about 2 feet wide. However, given the slight toxicity of the Dracaena's leaves, you may prefer not to plant them if you have pets or small children.
Jasmine plants are recognized for their fragrant white flowers that grow on vines. Originating in India and Iran, the jasmine plant prefers hot and humid climates, U.S. Department of Agriculture zone 8 or higher. Jasmine makes a nice potted plant that can be set outside in warm months and brought indoors for fall and winter. A healthy jasmine plant will grow up to 2 feet per year.
When a houseplant wilts, it is telling you that its needs aren’t being met. Wilting is usually a sign of improper watering, bad placement, a pot that is too small, or salt buildup in the soil. Become familiar with the needs of a plant so that you can give proper care and provide a proper environment before you bring the plant home. No amount of special care and attention can overcome a home environment that isn’t right for the plant.
Purported to bring wealth and happiness to those who place it in their homes, lucky bamboo is an excellent and hardy houseplant. Although it resembles bamboo, lucky bamboo is actually a type of dracaena and is not related to the quickly growing grass. Improper growing conditions are the most likely cause of yellowing stalks.
You can find many different types and brands of self-cleaning air purifiers for a house, so you can narrow down these choices to your specific needs, whether you want to clean your indoor air of large particles, such as allergens, or smaller microorganisms and other hazardous particles. In addition, you can find filter-less air purifiers with advanced technology that let you rid the air of impurities in your room without the need to replace a filter.
A common sight in offices and homes, lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), usually grows in water in a vase or other attractive container. The stems, generally planted in groups of three or more, look much like bamboo and are often trained into curves and curlicues at the top end, where the sparse foliage appears. Often used as in feng shui decorating, Dracaena sanderiana plants need to be moved as they outgrow their containers. As a "regular" houseplant, Dracaena sanderiana also thrives in conventional pots and potting soils. Moving either type of Dracaena sanderiana into a new container is a simple process.
The weeping fig, botanically known as Ficus benjamina and commonly called the ficus, features a graceful shape, glossy leaves and a slender grayish trunk. Often sold as a small potted tree, the weeping fig adapts well to life as a houseplant; it is no surprise that these elegant trees are common choices for offices and homes. Although fairly disease-resistant, the weeping fig can still develop fungal and bacterial infections if its cultural requirements are not met. Becoming familiar with the symptoms of weeping fig diseases can help you identify and treat them.
Dracaenas comes in a number of different cultivars, all of which are most commonly grown as houseplants. You can simply buy a young dracaena and allow it to grow, or you can take an existing plant and use it to make cuttings. Dracaena plants are grown for their long, pointed leaves, which range in color from green to red and include variegated types. Dracaena cultivars can grow from 2 to 10 feet tall, although you can control the height of the taller growing varieties by pruning. The plants spread about 2 feet.
Of the 40 species in existence, most dracaena plants are native to Africa, and are commonly grown as houseplants in the United States. Dracaenas do not require much sunlight or water, take well to pruning and produce strap-like leaves with beautiful red, pink or white stripes. Most dracaena houseplants grow between 2 to 10 feet. If planted outdoors, dracaena plants survive in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 and 11.
Terrariums offer everyone the chance to have flowers and other plants around without having to spend a lot of time taking care of them. Carnivorous plants can also be used as part of a terrarium, but given their unique nutritional requirements, these typically require more care than other types of plants. If you are interested in having a carnivorous plant terrarium, there are several factors you should consider.
