I live in Seattle, but am going to Canada for an extended stay. Can I bring my houseplants across the border?
Generally, Canada allows houseplants from the mainland United States, but you may be asked to provide proof of origin at the border. The Canadian government page on guidelines for visitors and seasonal residents spells out the details. Here is an excerpt:
“Houseplants are defined as plants commonly known and recognized as such, which are grown or intended to be grown indoors. Bonsai plants are not considered to be houseplants. If you are importing houseplants from the continental United States as part of your baggage or household effects, you do not need phytosanitary certificates or import permits. For all other plants from the United States, you may require a phytosanitary certificate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and an import permit from the CFIA.”
I think that my bird of paradise plant is dying. Last year it had around 8 leaves, now it is down to 3 and they are all starting to yellow. I recently bought some fertilizer, but it hasn’t seemed to help. I moved it to a window with more light, and it still seems upset. What can I do to revive it?
According to Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Indoor Gardening edited by Anne Halpin (Rodale Press, 1980) and The House Plant Expert by D. G. Hessayon (Expert Books, 2001), the ideal growing conditions for Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae is the most common species) are bright light (direct morning or winter sun, southern or eastern exposure), and a humusy soil mix with good drainage. Keep the plant at 55-60 degrees in the winter, and do not overwater. The rest of the year, it prefers indoor daytime temperatures of 65-70 degrees, and nighttime no lower than 50-55. Let the soil dry out between moderate waterings, and keep humidity at 30-35%. You can improve humidity by misting the leaves from time to time. The plant needs to be pot-bound (not overly roomy container) in order to flower. New plants take 4 to 6 years to flower.
As for fertilizing, you can feed every two weeks with a water soluble fertilizer, but do not fertilize in the winter.
There are several reasons it might have yellowed leaves. It could be due to unfavorable light or temperature, over- or under-watering, or the pot might not be draining well. I can’t diagnose the problem via e-mail, but if you try to maintain the appropriate conditions for your plant, it may recover. You can also take pictures and bring a sample leaf or two to a Master Gardener Clinic.
Why do my house plants stop flowering after I bring them home? They are by a bright, sunny window. I bought Kalanchoe in 4 colors, and none flower any more.
Can you tell me if you feed the houseplants anything? Sometimes plants (indoors or outdoors) which are given a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen will produce a lot of leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
Make certain that you are providing ideal conditions for growing Kalanchoe. According to Barbara Pleasant’s The Complete Houseplant Survival Guide (Storey, 2005), Kalanchoe grown indoors needs bright direct sunlight, and warm temperatures (70-90 degrees) from late spring to early fall. In fall and winter, it requires 50-70 degrees. It should not receive any fertilizer from late winter to early spring, and in winter, let soil dry out between light waterings. More importantly, Kalanchoe responds to changes in its exposure to light, which is referred to as photoperiodism. Pleasant says that “before a kalanchoe will make buds, it must be exposed to a series of long, sunny days followed by at least 2 weeks of short days, less than 12 hours long. This is easy enough to accomplish by placing plants outside in summer and then bringing them indoors in late fall, just before nighttime temperatures drop below about 40 degrees. After you bring the plant in, keep it in a room where no lights used at night. When brought into bloom naturally, kalanchoes flower in January and February. To speed up the schedule, cover the plants with a box for 14 hours each night for 14 consecutive days. Blooms will appear about 6 weeks later. Snip off bloom-bearing branches after the flowers fade.”
My Hoya bella was recently moved outside. It flowered nicely, but now the leaves are a light yellow/green and the soil surface in the pot is covered with moss. What is wrong and what can I do?
Here is some information I found in the book, Subtropical plants: a practical gardening guide (by Jacqueline Sparrow and Gil Hanly, 2002, p. 107), quoted below:
Hoyas do very well in pots. They need bright light, but not sun…Hoyas strike fairly easily from cuttings, taken at the warmest time of the year.
About the yellowing of the leaves…I am pretty confident that this is due to the plant getting too much water (rain, whatever source, while it was outdoors) and the soil not drying out, which also explains what happened to the top of the soil–the moss or algae growth there. I would just gently scrape off the soil surface and put a thin layer of potting soil over it. If the plant starts getting what it needs again (as it did before it was put outdoors), it will hopefully return to its former healthy self.
During its growing season, Hoya bella prefers temps between 64 and 68 degrees; during its rest season, 59 degrees is the recommended minimum temperature (so here in Seattle, right next to a window may be too cold).
University of Florida provides additional information about Hoya bella.
How can I find out about the best way to care for a jasmine plant indoors. The plant is without a species name and I know there are many types of jasmine. Mine has rather robust leaves, and is an active “entwiner”. The flowers are white and about the size of a nickel.
The Houseplant Encyclopedia by Ingrid Jantra (Firefly Books, 1997) says that Jasminum likes a full sun, airy location, and should be taken outdoors in summer. During the winter it prefers temperatures of 46-50 degrees Fahrenheit. In summer, keep the root ball moist, and feed every two weeks. In winter, water just enough to keep the plant from drying out. If it is kept in too warm a spot in winter, it may be susceptible to aphids.
Here is some information from British gardener Alan Titchmarsh:
- Flower time up to 6 weeks
- Which room? east or west window, south in winter
- Temperature max 15C (60F), min 4C (40F), humid
The house plant jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) bears loose sprays of delightfully fragrant flowers. It is an ideal plant for a cool conservatory or porch which is kept frost free during the winter months. Otherwise, keep it on a well-lit windowsill. Jasmines like a moist atmosphere so mist the leaves regularly and stand the pot on a tray of moist gravel. They are vigorous climbers, so you will need to prune them to keep them small or provide a larger support in subsequent years.
Here is a link to some general information on caring for jasmine plants, from the Chicago Botanic Garden.
I just bought a Ficus lyrata that was heavily treated with pesticide. As the plant makes my eyes burn, how can I minimize the pesticide residues on the large leaves? Is the citrus-based Veggie Wash appropriate and not harmful to the plant, or is there a better solution? If changing the soil and pot is necessary, does Ficus lyrata like any particular soil?
Without knowing what pesticide(s) were used, it is difficult to say how the residues could be removed. Looking at The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual, I can see that you would do no harm to the Ficus lyrata by washing the leaves with a sponge dipped in soapy water and then rinsing them with fresh water (this is a remedy often suggested for spider mites). Ficus also tolerates insecticidal soap well, so I imagine that the citrus-based veggie wash would not harm the ficus either. Of course, if the plant is making your eyes burn, it makes sense to take precautions to protect yourself while you are working with it–wear safety glasses, gloves, and a mask, and don’t continue to work with it if it still bothers you.
Ficus lyrata is not picky about soil, any good potting soil will do, and it is
generally suggested that a smallish pot will help keep the plant from getting
too big.
I have a potted plant with a fungus growing in the soil. It
is bright neon yellow and grows like a mushroom, but with no cap on top.
The plant is in the basement near a window. The soil is damp and I’ve
avoided watering for awhile to let it dry out. What do you think the
growth is, how to get rid of it, and will it be harmful to my plant? I
keep plucking them, but they grow back.
I have had questions about the yellow houseplant mushroom before, and I
am guessing you are seeing the same thing. It is called Leucoprinus
birnbaumii.
Michael Kuo’s website, MushroomExpert.com has information about Leucoprinus. Excerpt:
“This little yellow mushroom and its close relatives are the subject of
many frantic e-mails to MushroomExpert.Com, since it has a tendency to
pop up unexpectedly in people’s flower pots–even indoors! The brightness
of its yellowness exhibits some rebelliousness, but it often creates a
striking contrast to the green houseplants that surround it.
“Leucocoprinus birnbaumii won’t hurt you, unless you eat it. It won’t hurt
your plant. It won’t hurt your pets or your children, unless they eat it.
There is no getting rid of it, short of replacing all the soil in your
planter (and even then it might reappear). Since it makes such a
beautiful addition to your household flora, I recommend learning to love
it–and teaching your children to love it, too.
“You might also impart the idea that mushrooms are very, very cool–but
shouldn’t be eaten. Perhaps your child would like to become an awesome
and famous mycologist some day. I would love to encourage your child’s
interest in mushrooms by putting his or her drawing of Leucocoprinus
birnbaumii on this Web page (at least temporarily).
“Leucocoprinus birnbaumii is probably poisonous; do not eat it. Handling
it, however, won’t hurt you.”
I have been nursing a Jade plant cutting that dropped off an overwatered and rotting larger plant. It has been thriving in my windowsill for 6 months or so, and has grown a lot already.
In the last week or so, I have noticed a strange white speckling on the upper surface of almost all of its leaves. Upon close inspection, it does not look like insects; it looks sort of like a detergent residue, and if I scrape my nail against the surface of the leaf, a lot of it will come off, albeit with effort.
Do you know whether this is something I need to treat?
I wouldn’t assume the spots are a problem. As the following link to North Dakota State University Extension (now archived) mentions, it might be salt crystals that you are seeing:
“Those dots are salt crystals and can be wiped off with a damp cloth or just ignored because they are not causing any harm to the plant. All water (except distilled) contains some salt. When fertilizer is added to the root system, the plant takes up the nutrient salts with the water. As the water moves through the leaf pores during transpiration, the salts often are left behind on the surface.”
However, if you were to use a hand lens (not just the naked eye) and discover insects, there are resources with information on identifying and treating insect problems on indoor plants.
1. Pest and Diseases of Succulent Plants
2. Washington State University’s PestSense site lists several common houseplant pests, with information about treatment.
Always test any spray on one leaf before spraying the entire plant. Wait a few days after the test spray. Some plants are more sensitive to various soaps or oils.
3. The Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides also has a guide to Growing Houseplants Without Using Pesticides.
My 100-year-old Jade plant is about 5 feet tall and recently has been producing a sap from its leaves. White and sticky. Is there anything I can do to help this? Is it normal? Or is it endangering the plant? It is in kind of a cool spot; should I move it to a warmer place? It is a succulent, right? I would also like some information about repotting if necessary.
The pests most likely to cause a white, sticky substance are aphids, whiteflies, scale or mealybugs. These are known to affect jade plant, or Crassula ovata, which is indeed a succulent. They won’t destroy plants, but can weaken them and allow other problems to surface. If none of the pest descriptions below resemble what you are observing, you can take affected plant samples to a local county extension agent. Without knowing the specific pest, we can’t suggest specific treatments. Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides has general information on caring for houseplants. Note their description of mealybugs, which do produce a sticky substance:
“These insects look like little bits of cotton that are greasy or waxy. They are oval in shape, have a segmented body, and are about 1/4 inch long. You’ll usually find them hidden between leaves and stems or under leaves. They move slowly. They make a sticky liquid called honeydew and also cause leaves to become distorted and spotted.”
As for temperature and repotting, The New House Plant Expert (by D. Hessayon, 1991, p. 212), says that succulents like a difference between day and nighttime temperatures. They like to be kept cool in the winter, with 50-55 degrees F ideal, but as low as 40 is alright. Jade plants should only be repotted when essential. Repotting should occur in the spring; shallow pots rather than deep ones are preferable.
Extensive care information can be found on Succulent-plant.com. There is also excellent general information on indoor care of succulents and cacti from Brooklyn Botanic Garden.