Taking care of another living thing can be a daunting task—and that includes houseplant care. Of course, houseplant care isn’t nearly as complicated as caring for a baby, a puppy or a kitten. But, especially for beginners, caring for houseplants can sometimes be challenging. Fortunately, the 7 essential houseplant care tips presented here are easy to follow. And these tips will help you to understand the basics of keeping houseplants alive and well. There are three basic needs of any plant: light, water and environment (temperature and humidity). The houseplant care tips below will help you understand how to provide the right conditions for the beautiful plants you bring into your home. Houseplant Care Tips: #1 Check the Light Most commonly grown garden plants like to grow in full sun. But most houseplants tend to thrive in partial sun, bright light or low light. So, the first thing you need to know is how much light you have to offer a plant. Determine which direction your … [Read more...] about 7 Essential Houseplant Care Tips
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Easy-to-Grow Houseplants for Beginners
Easy-to grow-houseplants are more popular than ever. Even people who have never grown plants are adding houseplants to their indoor spaces. These new houseplant growers would never call themselves “gardeners,” yet they are going crazy over indoor plants. Why are easy-to-grow houseplants trending? Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, whose website at TheHouseplantGuru.com is a great source of information and inspiration about indoor plants, says houseplants nourish the body and the soul. “So many studies have been done that show the benefits houseplants have in the home and the workplace,” said Steinkopf. “Plants clean the air, they make people feel happier and actually lower their blood pressure. In office environments, plants also reduce the occurrence of sick days. What more could we ask for?” Expert Advice on Easy-to-Grow Houseplants Lisa Eldred Steinkopf (Twitter handle: @TheHouseplantGuru) says that anyone can successfully grow houseplants. “Growing a plant successfully is … [Read more...] about Easy-to-Grow Houseplants for Beginners
Kill Fungus Gnats Naturally with BTI
Looking for a way to kill fungus gnats naturally? Sooner or later you will have to deal with fungus gnats infesting your houseplants. Fungus gnats are the tiny flying pests that can swarm like an annoying black cloud whenever an infested houseplant or outdoor potted plant is moved. Fungus gnats (Bradysia species) are small, mosquito-like insects that commonly infest the soil or growing medium of potted plants. When outdoor plants are brought indoors for the colder months, fungus gnats in the potting mix are brought indoors. That's when they can quickly infest the soil of other houseplants. Fungus gnats thrive in moist potting soil, where they lay their eggs. After the eggs hatch, fungus gnat larvae live in the top two to three inches of the potting soil. Fungus gnat larvae can cause plant damage by eating plant roots. After about two or three weeks, the fungus gnat larvae pupate in the potting soil. Then they become the tiny black adult gnats that fly erratically when a potted … [Read more...] about Kill Fungus Gnats Naturally with BTI
Natural Insect Control Uses Mother Nature
Natural insect control has gone mainstream. An increasing number of homeowners, gardeners and homesteaders are teaming up with Mother Nature to kill and control insect pests. Using natural insect control can take many forms. But natural insect control typically involves encouraging Mother Nature to fight insects by using organic and environmentally friendly control methods. The growing interest in less chemically intensive, natural and organic living has resulted in a dramatic increase in eco-friendly product choices. The products below prove that you can kill insect pests without resorting to using harsh chemicals. Mother Nature’s mosquito control uses BTI to kill mosquitoes Homeowners looking for an effective way to control pesky, disease-spreading mosquitoes don’t have to resort to harmful chemicals. Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in pools of standing water. That's why the first step in controlling mosquitoes is to eliminate standing water wherever … [Read more...] about Natural Insect Control Uses Mother Nature
Natural ways to Keep your Dog Healthy
In case you haven’t noticed, Americans are pet crazy. There are almost 90 million dogs and more than 94 million cats living in our homes. According to statistica.com, a whopping 68 percent of all U.S. households owned pets, and that’s up from 56 percent in 1988. It’s estimated that the average pet owner spends $477 dollars a year just on food treats for their pets. Keeping our pets healthy and happy is certainly driving the increase in the sales of natural pet products such as natural pet foods. But natural pet food isn’t the only growth area in the natural pet products industry. Pet owners also trying other natural pet products, including healthy dog treats, vitamins and supplements, shampoos, and more. In this story, we highlight some great natural choices for dogs. (We’ll cover natural cat products in a different story.) Top natural dog food As people choose a more natural diet for themselves, they also tend to start looking for natural foods for their dogs. Finding the … [Read more...] about Natural ways to Keep your Dog Healthy
