Houseplants: The good the bad and the ugly

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Rayvynn5374 Germantown, MD November 08, 2009 12:09 PM	Please feel free to send suggestions and so forth...I still feel clueless! The arrowhead plant i posted about previously has finally given up his will to live. I buried him yesterday in the garbage can. Can't say he didn't put up a good fight! (The Bad) The pothos that was taking over my kitchen when I initially posted for advice is no longer in charge. She has been nicknamed "Mother Plant". The vines were over 15 feet in length very stringy, leggy and just plain wimpy. I trimmed the vines down about 3 weeks ago to about 5-6 feet in length. I took the clippings and placed them in 5 different pots because I had so many. I clipped the ends and placed them into the soil and layed the leave bases on top of the soil. Only 2 of the pots are surviving. In the other 3 pots the leaves turned yellow and the stems to mush. I tossed them out with the arrowhead. However I LOVE how the Mother Plant started getting so much new growth at the base and lower portions of the stems. So I trimmed her down some more yesterday in hopes that it would encourage more growth and she get bushy....She is UGLY right now!!!!!! But hey not everyone and everything can look good all the time right? She also developed a mold issue over the past week or so. I took a good amount of the top layer of soil out and replaced it with dry soil. The pieces i cut off yesterday were cut into 6 inch pieces, trimmed off any leaves that were on the "lower" portions at the stems and placed them in 3 tall glass vases. I took one food stake and cut it into thirds. I placed a third of the stake into each vase. I don't have window sills but I placed them where they will get the most sunlight possible. My peace lily is so full of leaves and new growth! However not a single bloom in sight. My English Ivy is doing GREAT! getting so full at the base and long at the top. I have about 5 leaves on it that have turned brown on the edges so I think I over watered it.
threegardeners North Augusta, ON (Zone 5a) November 08, 2009 01:01 PM	English Ivy likes some humidity so if the leaves are going brown at the edges chances are it is because the air is dry. Try misting it every day if you can. English Ivy is also prone to spider mites and the misting will also help prevent an infestation of them.
Rayvynn5374 Germantown, MD November 09, 2009 08:25 AM	That would explain it since we have turned the heat on here in the DC area, even if for a few days. It's also time to put the humidifiers out again! OH JOY!!!! What do spider mites look like? How do they get into the house? I'm scared to Google them and get grossed out before work!
threegardeners North Augusta, ON (Zone 5a) November 09, 2009 08:43 AM	LOL! They're tiny, tiny things. You'll see their webs choking the tips of stems and leaves before you see the actual mites.
daisylovn Wilmer, AL (Zone 8b) November 09, 2009 02:16 PM	Rayvynn5374, I find that my golden pothos propagate much better if I place them in a glass of water and allow them to root before putting them in soil. I'm told that it can be done either way bit this seems to work best for me. They are quick to root if they touch soil, but I think that is because they are still attached to the mother plant. They are also low light plants. Some sun is okay, but I find that mine don't like direct sun nor do they care for too much indirect sunlight..
Rayvynn5374 Germantown, MD November 09, 2009 08:57 PM	How often should I change out the water? also is the plant food stake portions a good or bad idea? thanks
trinawitch Canton, IL (Zone 5b) November 10, 2009 01:50 AM	Ravyn I would hold off on the plant food stakes until some roots develop, too much fertilizer could kill it off before it ever gets a chance, and I usually use the water method to root them too, but sometimes I just stick the cut stems down in the dirt water it good and walk away until new growth starts to develop, they don't like being messed with when they are trying to grow roots
daisylovn Wilmer, AL (Zone 8b) November 10, 2009 10:57 AM	Rayvynn5374, I usually change the water out about twice a week. The good thing is the golden pothos doesn't take very long to start growing roots in water. I agree with Trina about the plant food stakes.
Rayvynn5374 Germantown, MD November 10, 2009 08:38 PM	Thanks so much for advice emptying it out now and and getting rid of food stakes. My new job they have me in a cubicle with two HUGE windows!!!! Might take them to work to spruce up the cubicle!
plantladylin East Central, FL (Zone 9b) November 10, 2009 08:58 PM	I love growing plants in water. I have a couple of Pothos and some Dracaena that have been in water for a long time. I'm bad about changing out the water though .... usually I just add more water when I see that a lot has evaporated. Just be careful of jars/vases of water in your cubicle, don't keep them too close to the computer. You don't want to end up with water spilling on the keyboard, it happened to a co-worker of mine years ago, she had a vase fall off a file cabinet that was just above her work station, and it ruined the keyboard. Another co-worker dumped a large cup of coffee on his keyboard ... I'm surprised the company didn't ban all liquids from the workplace, LOL.
trinawitch Canton, IL (Zone 5b) November 10, 2009 09:15 PM	I have 5 teenagers trying to grow something in water is not exactly a good idea here!

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