Good luck with ‘bamboo’

QUESTION: I have a “lucky bamboo” plant in a pot of water with pebbles that looked great for awhile, but now it has grown big shoots out of each of the stalks. Can I cut off these shoots and re-pot them? The first thing you need to know about lucky bamboo that it’s not bamboo [...]

Keep African violets blooming

QUESTION: My African violets were blooming beautifully when I got them a few months ago, but no longer. How can I get them to bloom again? It’s easy to love those dainty clusters of blossoms rising from rosettes of downy leaves. African violets look like they’d be fussy plants, but quite the opposite: “They’re easy [...]

Rubber tree can bounce back

QUESTION: I have a huge rubber plant that is very old. I’ve had to tie it to stakes in the pot to keep it from growing in all directions and out of control. Can I prune it? A rubber plant, or rubber tree (Ficus elastica) can be transformed from an unmanageable mess into a more [...]

O, Christmas pine

QUESTION: I’m using a Norfolk Island pine as a small Christmas tree. What do I need to do to keep it looking nice, and how do I care for it when the holidays are over? Norfolk Island pine provides a nice alternative to the big tree at Christmas, especially if your space is small or [...]

No-fly zone

QUESTION: Some of the plants I brought in from outdoors seem to have tiny white flying bugs all around them, and are a nuisance. What are they? And what can I do about them?   These are likely whiteflies, and they often ride in on plants that spent summer outdoors. They’re more than a nuisance; [...]

Poinsettias in the spotlight

QUESTION: I like to decorate with poinsettias for Christmas. What’s the best way to keep them looking good from now until New Year’s? Poinsettias are a tropical plant, native to Mexico, so the first thing to remember is to keep them out of the extreme weather. If it’s a cold day when you bring them [...]

Just water, please

Last summer, when it was very hot, I ran my dehumidifer upstairs when it was impossible to cool and used the water to water my indoor plants. Within a week or so they perked up like they were new plants, so I’m wondering how to duplicate that water, or what do you suggest? I have tried [...]

Come in out of the cold

QUESTION: I would  like to know how to “winter over” geraniums. By now, anything you want to save from frost should be indoors. So, now that they’re already inside, here are general guidelines for keeping geraniums happy. These tips are from garden author Barbara Pleasant’s book The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual: Ideally, you would have [...]

Gardenia is a high-maintenance beauty

QUESTION: I have an issue with a gardenia plant/tree that I purchased this summer. It was blooming nicely and looked to be very healthy, but when I brought it home I transplanted it out of the 3-gallon bucket to a larger pot and placed it on our porch, and it started to show a yellowing [...]

Stem cuttings: A good way to share your garden

I have a hibiscus plant growing in my yard. I don’t remember planting it, but one neighbor is fascinated by the blooms and has asked me to give her a cutting from the plant. What’s the best way to do that? – A.J. There are many types of hibiscus, ranging from the tropical Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, [...]