Blog
How to Propagate Palms: Division, Seeds, and What Doesn't Work
Palms will not grow from cuttings, leaves, or trunk pieces. Learn which species can be divided, how long seeds take to germinate, and what to do with pots that contain multiple plants.
How to Care for Lilies: From Potted Flower to Reblooming Bulb
How to care for potted lilies while in bloom and after the flowers fade: why keep green foliage and how much chilling time the bulb needs to bloom again.
How Often to Water a Palm: The Soil Test by Species
Water your potted palm when the top 1 to 1.5 inches of soil feel dry, until water drains from the hole. Learn the differences between areca and parlor palms, garden care for new plantings, and why brown tips are not fixed by extra water.
Palm Pests: How to Identify Signs and Treat Potted and Garden Palms
Potted palm pests include scale, spider mites, and thrips, and they wash off with water, a cotton swab, and soap. In the garden, sawdust on the trunk and a collapsed crown point to borers, which have no home remedy. Learn to tell them apart by their signs.
Palm Fertilizer: The Right Ratio for Pots and Gardens
Garden palm fertilizer needs more potassium than nitrogen, with magnesium and slow release, spread under the entire canopy every 3 months. In a pot, the math changes. See the formula, dosage, leaf signs, and when not to fertilize.
Cold-Hardy Palms: Which Ones Tolerate Frost and How to Protect Them
The easiest cold-hardy palm to find is the windmill palm, which tolerates about −12 °C once mature. See the minimum temperature each species survives, how to protect potted and in-ground plants, and what to do if frost damaged the leaves.
Palm tree yellow leaves: the leaf's position reveals the cause
One bottom leaf at a time that dries up within a few days is just normal leaf senescence. Yellow on new leaves, on several older leaves, or on a half-dead leaf lingering for months has a specific cause, and its position tells you which.
How to care for palm trees: guide for areca, lady palm, parlor palm, and more
To care for palms, first find out which one you have: areca, lady palm, parlor palm, and kentia require different light and watering. Learn why you should never cut yellowing leaves and what causes brown tips.
How to Propagate Chinese Money Plant: Where to Cut the Pup Without Harming the Mother Plant
The easiest Chinese money plant propagation uses the soil pups that sprout alongside the plant: cut the connection flush against the mother plant and pot it. Learn where to cut, when to use water or soil, why a leaf alone will not grow into a plant, and how to save a black cutting.
Chinese Money Plant Flowers: What They Are, Whether to Cut Them, and How to Get Blooms
A Chinese money plant flower is a cluster of tiny, pinkish or whitish buds on a thin stalk growing from the center of the plant. It is normal and not a sign of disease. Learn how to recognize it, distinguish it from mealybugs, whether cutting the stalk helps, and what is known about getting a pilea to bloom.
How to Care for a Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica): Light, Water, and Pruning
A potted rubber plant needs bright light with morning sun only, watering when the topsoil dries out, and temperatures above 55°F (13°C). Learn why it drops leaves and where to prune a tall, leggy plant so it branches out again.
Eucalyptus: How to Care for It in Pots, on Balconies, and in Gardens
Potted eucalyptus requires at least 6 hours of direct sun, a large pot with drainage holes, and watering only when the soil is almost dry. Learn which species you have, how to prune for round leaves, and what to do about dry or sticky foliage.