An idea and a little money...

I wanted a indoor plant or two, so I went shopping...a jungle in the kitchen is the result!

From left to right: miniture rose, peace lily, golden pothos (back), rubber plant, african violets, more minture roses, and calathea

Indoor Plants: Calathea



Calathea Leaves



#1 Calathea

Common names: "Pin-stripe Plant"
Latin name: C. majestica 'Roseolineata -  Calathea ornata

 This is the first of my indoor plants. I went to Watsons Greenhouse, a place every gardener should go if they want inspiration, and talked to one of their knowledgeable staff. My main goal with these plants is that they will look nice and also be easy to take care of. The Calathea fits right in. It looks amazing, is really easy to care for, and should keep on growing. I'm going to start it on one of the end tables, but after a couple years, it will be tall enough for a corner or small plant stand - a great splash of color in any room. 

·         The Calathea family consist of over 300 species many of which are grown as houseplants.

·         Place your Calathea ornata in bright filtered or indirect light. East, west or north windows should do nicely. Avoid hot sunny locations as the plants leaves will tend to curl and burn. During periods of extreme cold remove the Calathea ornata from the window to avoid chilling.

·         Most Calathea's, including ornata are finicky about water quality. City tap water contains chlorine and other chemicals that tend to cause brown spots on the leaves. Let your tap water sit out for several days to allow the added chemicals to dissipate.

·         Calathea ornata prefers to have moist soil all the time. Several small weekly waterings is one way to achieve this. Add water until you see liquid coming from the pots drainage holes. Remove any excess water within a couple of hours to help prevent root rot. Keep your Calathea ornata on a pebble tray to help increase humidity near the plant.

·         Excessive fertilizing also can cause leaf spots on Calthea ornata. Your Calathea should be fertilized about four times per year.

·         Common houseplant pests include: Spider mites. 





Calathea Ornata



Indoor Plants




My oldest daughter Lucy.
Gardening is in the blood!

 

With winter coming on and quite a rainfall outside, I have been looking into a thinking about indoor plants. I have not experimented much with them and killed about half of the ones I've tried. I'm finding out that mostly it was due to the wrong lighting and overwatering. (One more reason to read the directions)

 

So, after a week of online research, I chose about 7 different plants that were supposed to be easy to take care of and pleasant to look at. Over the next week or so, I will be making posts on the plants and the way to properly care for them. Then I'll keep you updated on how they are doing.

One of the easiest ways to fail at any type of gardening is not doing the proper research. Over the last few years, I've learned a lot, but mostly the hard way - By buying a plant that catches my fancy, and putting it into a bed or spot in the house where I think it will look best and then it slowly looks worse and dies. Some did well though, and I couldn't figure out the difference until I started asking the experts at nurseries and greenhouses around here what I was doing wrong. It is really amazing how much they will tell you if you just ask. Lighting, recommended temperatures, watering, and fertilizing can be the difference between a long vibrant bloom and a plant that struggles along and never reaches the beauty you know if can. For an ignorant gardener like myself, I am beginning to get all the help I can before my purchases. It is becoming much more rewarding. 

Lucy