INDOOR PLANT CARE GUIDE

The amount of light in the room, temperature, and moisture makes it impossible for anyone to give you a specific watering unless the conditions of your home never change. Plants need more water in the summer when it's hot, dry, and the sun is out for longer in the day, and less water in the winter when it's cold and dark. Pay attention to the leaves…. Are they yellowing? Browning? Dropping? Yellowing is often an indication of too much water. Browning not enough. Dropping could also indicate stress or exposure to a draft. 

BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERWATER!  When in doubt underwater and wait till the next Sunday to see how fast it has absorbed. This is why you should try to use a MOISTURE METER  until you get a feel for them. Plants often die from being overwatered. Roots that sit in too much wetness will rot.

Before giving your plant a drink, it is best to check the moisture level in the soil first to ensure it isn’t moist right beneath the surface. Also, consider aerating the soil of your plant before the initial watering. Nurseries compact the soil to avoid shifting during transit, so aerating can help the soil breathe and allow moisture to be released.

Fish Tail Palm Care

LIGHT: Fishtail Palms need very bright indirect light from an east or west-facing window. Avoid direct exposure to the sun.

WATER: Water a Fishtail Palm well and then allow the top 25% of the soil to dry out before watering again. Never allow the soil to totally dry out or permit a Fishtail Palm to sit in excess water. Leaf edges turn brown if there are too many chemicals in the water. If this is the case, use distilled water or let water sit for 24 hours. A Fishtail Palm thrives in high humidity. It does exceptionally well in spas and indoor pool areas.

TEMPERATURE: Fishtail Palms prefer temperatures between 75-85 degrees during the day and 60-70 degrees at night. Try to keep a Fishtail Palm out of cold drafts and away from air conditioners. Nighttime temperatures should never go below 45 degrees.

SOIL: Fishtail Palms grow best when planted in a fast-draining porous soil containing a large amount of organic matter.

Hawaiian Schefflera aka Schefflera Arboricola Care

LIGHT: The brighter the light the faster and bushier a Hawaiian schefflera plant grows. Variegated Hawaiian scheffleras, like the "capella" variety, require more light than solid green varieties. Direct sun burns the leaves on all varieties of schefflera.

WATER: Water well and then allow the top 1/3 of the soil to dry out before watering again. Seemingly healthy leaves fall off and new growth turns black when a Hawaiian schefflera is over- watered. Leaves turn bright yellow when the plant needs more water. This is a very hardy plant and doesn’t mind if you miss a watering occasionally.

TEMPERATURE: Hawaiian scheffleras grow well in normal household temperatures. Try to keep the plant out of cold drafts and away from heaters and air conditioners.

SOIL: Use a well-aerated loose potting soil that retains water but still drains quickly.

POT SIZE: Hawaiian scheffleras prefer to be root-bound in small pots. This also helps prevent over-watering.

INFO: If you want to keep your Schefflera Amate small in size or a specific shape, feel free to prune it at any time. Use a clean pair of pruning shears and wear gloves. Be sure not to trim more than 30% of the plant–any more may shock your Schefflera.

Kentia Palm Care

LIGHT: A Kentia palm can survive in low light conditions, but grows better and develops more fronds in medium indirect light.

WATER: Water a Kentia palm well and then allow the top 25% of soil to dry out before watering again. Over-watering, resulting in root-rot, is the major reason Kentia palms die. Kentias, like most indoor palms, are sensitive to salt, fluoride, and chlorine in the water. Allow your water to sit out over night before using it or use distilled water if your household water has a high chemical concentration. Never use water that has passed through a softener, it is too salty.

TEMPERATURE: Keep the room temperature between 65 and 85 degrees for a Kentia Palm.

SOIL: Use a well-aerated potting soil that drains quickly but still retains water; add sand if the soil appears heavy and claylike.

INFO: A Kentia palm is one of the most elegant and expensive palms that can be used indoors. Ranging in size from 4ft. to 12ft., a Kentia is slow growing, durable, and very forgiving.

Dracaena “Lisa” Cane Care

LIGHT: Place your Dracaena where it will receive medium to bright indirect light and avoid extended periods of direct sun. It can tolerate the lower end of moderate light spaces but watering will need to be reduced.

WATER: Dracaena trees prefer the soil to dry between waterings, but not completely through the pot. Typically, watering every 10-14 days will keep the soil with a nice even level of moisture. You never want the soil to be soggy as this plant can be prone to root rot, however allowing the soil to get bone dry will result in brown tips on the plant's leaves. The Dracaena also appreciates a humid environment, and will appreciate a humidifier, pebble tray, or regular misting.

TEMPERATURE: These plants prefer temperatures between 70°-80°F (21.1°- 26.7°C).

SOIL: Dracaena marginata plants grow well in a loose, quick-draining soil. These plants are from Hawaii and often arrive planted in lava rock. Remove 1/3 of the lava rock and replace it with a good potting mix.

POT SIZE: Dracaena marginatas grow better when root-bound in small pots. Don't be in a rush to re-pot any dracaena plant.

PRO TIPS: When it doubt, let it drought! The most common mistake made with these plants is overwatering.

Dracaena trees are sensitive to salts, minerals, and chlorine in tap water. Let the water sit for 24 hours in a bucket or your watering can before giving it to the plant. This will allow for some of the unwanted materials to evaporate.

If the tips of the Dracaena Lisa Cane turn brown, the unsightly parts can be pruned into a "V" shape with no damage to the plant.

Dracaena Marginata Care

See Dracaena “Lisa” Care.

Dracena Tarzan Care

See Dracaena “Lisa” Care.

Dracena Reflexa “Song of India” Care

LIGHT: A Dracaena reflexa likes bright indirect light but no direct sun.

WATER: Like all dracaenas, the reflexa likes to be kept on the dry side. Allow the top 50% of the soil to dry out before watering. Over- watering, resulting in root rot, is the main reason this plant dies. Does well in basic household humidity, but grows faster and leaves look better in higher humidity.

SOIL: Use a loose, quick-draining soil to prevent over-watering and root rot. If your regular soil seems heavy, add some sand.

POT SIZE: Dracaenas like being root-bound in small pots. Move your plant to the next size pot once the roots have filled the existing container.

TEMPERATURE: 65°F (18.3°C) - 85°F (29.4°C). Temperatures below 55°F (12.8°C) can damage the leaves. Avoid cold drafts and heaters.

Dracena “Compacta” Care

LIGHT: A Dracaena compacta plant grows best in medium light. In low light area they grow very slowly or not at all, tend to lose bottom leaves more quickly, and are easily over-watered. Rotate dracaenas weekly so that they don’t grow toward the light, become one sided, and lose their beautiful shape..

WATER: Like other indoor houseplants, a dracaena compacta uses less water in low light than in brighter light. Keep the plant on the dry side to prevent root rot and Leaf Spot Disease. Allow the top ¾ of the soil to dry out before watering. In low light this could be two weeks or more. Compacta plants do better when watered on a regular schedule. Dark brown tips usually indicate the following: too much chlorine or fluoride in the water, water is too salty (never use water that has passed through a softener), or too much plant food. Muddy brown leaf tips on new growth means the plant needs more water.

TEMPERATURE: Dracaena compacta plants like warm room temperatures 60-75°F (16-24°C). Cold winter drafts and heaters can damage the leaves.

SOIL: Use a good, loose houseplant soil that drains quickly.

POT SIZE: Dracaena plants like to be root- bound in small pots. If you move the plant to a larger container (with drip holes in the bottom) remember it will take the soil longer to dry out.

INFO: More expensive than other dracaenas.

NASA lists dracaenas as excellent plants for removing benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air.

Cat Palm Care

LIGHT: Bright light, never direct.

WATER: Maintain moisture but never soggy. Brown leaf tips can be caused by dry soil, dry air or tap water that contains fluoride. Increase humidity around the palm, if the air is too dry. Use distilled or rain water to water your palms. Palms are sensitive to salts that accumulate in the soil. This build up of soluble salts come from the chemicals in tap water and fertilizers.

INFO: Won’t need to be repotted frequently, likes to be root bound.