This is my new ivy plant (thank you husband!). Ivy is supposed to be pretty easy to take care of and it’s said to improve indoor air quality – 2 great attributes of any plant! :)
Photo Credit: AllNaturalAnnie.com
More Good to Know House Plant Info! February 2, 2010
Aside from my bamboo, I currently have one other house plant and that would be my very large peace lily. Peace lilies are another easy to keep bunch, but my care hasn’t been optimal the past few months so I guess even the easy plants can show their lack of proper care.
The main problem is that leaves have been turning brown on the tips and edges. I did some research and it looks like there are several possible causes:
- Too much water – keeping the soil constantly wet –> Solution: allow the soil to dry and try to water just before the leaves start to wilt (I try to do this and when I do, it’s so cool how quickly the leaves noticeably spring back to life )
- Hard water or softened water - excess minerals can cause brown leaf edges and tips –> Solution: switch to distilled or filtered water.
- Too much fertilizer – also adds an excess of minerals to soil –> Solution: fertilize only when the plant is looking hearty and dilute the fertilizer with H2O to about half its strength or less.
I read that you can trim off the brown tips and edges so I did just that this weekend. I have to say that I did a good cutting job because you really can’t tell and now I can determine if I have eliminated the cause! I’ll keep you posted.
Not the greatest picture, but it’s definitely looking much better…
Photo Credit: AllNaturalAnnie.com
Yellow Leaves – Not So Bad? January 22, 2010
I’m by no means a plant expert, but I try to keep a few plants thriving, or at least living. I’m definitely a big fan of bamboo for two main reasons: (1) It’s pretty and (2) It’s SO easy to take care of! Recently, the bamboo I keep on my desk started to have some yellow leaves and I got concerned. For months, the stalks had all been flourishing, green as can be and then, somewhat suddenly, there were yellow leaves, which concurred with a brief abandonment. At first, I thought my lack of attention was to blame, but after some research I found out that a bamboo plant’s leaves will turn yellow and fall off the plant as a normal part of the growth process. (Excellent news – so it was not my fault!) This process occurs throughout the year as bamboo grows new leaves and recycles its old leaves.
Lesson learned: Yellow leaves do not necessarily equal a sick or dying plant, but are a natural part of growth and they will fall off on their own (so I can stop compulsively plucking them off as they appear). You actually should let the leaves fall off on their own because the natural mulch supplies the bamboo with silica and that helps future growth.
Yellow leaves (here and there), you are now my friends (at least while my bamboo is still living)!
Photo Credit: AllNaturalAnnie.com
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