When buying house plants whether it is from Lowes, Home Depot or a local garden center there are several things to consider. Many people just pick up a house plant without giving any thought, especially if the cost is low. But think about this, every house plant you purchase can give you years of enjoyment if it is properly inspected before you buy. Take time to choose a perfect house plant. If you hastily buy a house plant, it has the potential of causing devastation to your other house plants. And one rule to always abide by is never buy plants when you are in a hurry, thats a gardening tip everyone should heed.

Take the time to inspect the leaves on the house plant for pests. Aphids, spider mites and scale will not only wreck havoc on this house plant but on your others as well. And be sure to look under the leaves and at the nodes where many pests thrive. Here is what to look for on your potential house plant:

Aphids appear as small green or black insects, usually found on buds and new growth. These insects suck the juices out of house plants, and also secrete honeydew.

Spider mites are small insects, which appear as small white specks, usually on the undersides of leaves, or on flowers of the house plant. Spider mites will form webbing, like a spider’s web around infected house plants. The spider mites will be visible in the webbing as white specks.

Scale looks like tiny, brown, oval-shaped bumps visible on the house plants leaves and stem. The scale is actually a protective covering which protects the insect. Scales produce honeydew, a clear sticky substance which can be seen on affected house plants.

You may want to search the internet for other gardening tips on how to treat these pests if one happens to infect some of your house plants.

If the house plant seems too big for the container, pass it by, it is likely to be root bound. Remember bigger isnt necessarily better. I always pull a house plant from its container to check the root ball; reputable stores should allow you to do this. If the house plant is already root bound you will have to open your wallet not only for the plant but for potting soil and a new container. Then YOU have to repot it and hope it will continue to be healthy. If you dont mind this, then by all means buy the house plant. If you are going to repot you may want to look at the self watering containers that are available now. These are great for someone that travels and isnt around everyday to check the soil.

Examine the container of the house plant for cracks. Be sure the container will harmonize with your existing house plants containers. Try to purchase plants by shape and height when using the house plant for groupings in and around your home. Keep the small tag that is attached to the plant in a notebook so you will always have the directions on the plants needs. This is a really good gardening tip!

Now you know the secrets of buying spectacular house plants.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningHerb.com, http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, and http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com

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For many of us avid gardeners the thought of a summer vacation is both a delight and a source of great anxiety. Whether we are going up to the cottage or camping in the great Canadian wilderness, we want to ensure the continued health and beauty of our gardens. By following my prescribed garden tips you will not only vacation proof your garden but enjoy your summer holiday even more.

Your Lawn

To ensure a lush and healthy lawn upon your arrival home, make sure to deeply water your lawn on the evening before your departure. The soil should be moist to a minimum depth of 7.5 cm or 3 inches. Wait a couple of hours until your lawn has thoroughly dried, and then mow the grass to a slightly shorter length than usual. Make sure not to cut the lawn too short, or you will burn your grass. Generally speaking, never remove more than 1/3 of the grass’ length in a mowing. On the day of your departure, give your lawn a second deep watering, once again, to a depth of 7.5 cm - 10 cm or 3 to 4 inches. You should also arrange with a neighbour to water your lawn in case of a heat wave or severely dry period. Of course, you can’t predict what Mother Nature will bring, but assuming that there are brief dry periods, these precautions will insure a healthy and green lawn for up to 2 weeks.

Vegetable Gardens

Your vegetable garden needs special attention prior to your departure, as it can suffer the most and quickest with neglect. On the day prior to your departure, thoroughly check your vegetable patch for pests (insects), rot and disease. All ripe and nearly ripe vegetables must be picked. Over-ripe fruit not only encourages rot and disease, it will also attract every insect on the block.

Make sure to thoroughly weed your vegetable garden and then mulch with a mixture of well-rotted compost, grass clippings and shredded twigs. This mulch mixture will not only prevent weed growth, it will retain soil moisture and naturally fertilize your plants. The final step in this process is to deeply water your vegetable patch to a depth of 7.5 cm - 10 cm or 3 to 4 inches.

Flower Beds

Carefully scour your flowerbeds and remove (pinch back) every spent flower, full bloom and seedpod in sight. While you are at it, remove any weeds you come across as well. This will not only insure a bounty of blossoms upon your arrival home but also reduce the chance of disease.

Next, carefully mulch your flowerbeds with a mixture of finely shredded bark, twigs and well-rotted compost. This natural mulch will retain soil moisture, repress weed development and increase the soil’s fertility. Then make sure to give your beds a deep watering, once again to a minimum depth of 7.5 cm - 10 cm or 3 to 4 inches. These steps will insure your flowerbed’s vitality for up to 2 weeks in normal weather conditions.

For longer periods or for episodes of drought, weave a soaker hose through your flowerbeds and put them on a water release timer. Installing the system can be a weekend project or you can hire someone to come in and install a sprinkler system complete with a timer. This is particularly good if you repeatedly spend time away from your garden. Be careful not to put the watering frequency too high, as you will drown your garden if there is rain during the same period. A safe bet is to set the timer to release every 3 to 5 days for a deep watering.

Houseplants

Before leaving on your vacation, make sure to take all your houseplants out of direct sunlight and place them in an area of indirect light. By cutting back their supply of light you will minimize their growth and decrease the amount of water that they will require during your absence. Make sure to deeply water every plant (until water comes out of the bottom of their drainage holes). Where possible, water the plant in the bathtub or shower. This avoids the chance that water will sit in the tray below causing rot. Remember as well to remove all of its unhealthy greenery with a pair of clean sharp pruners. Another option would be to board your plants with a reliable friend, particularly one with a green thumb and similar light conditions; this is especially worthwhile for higher maintenance plants.

Hanging Baskets and Container Plants

Outdoor container plants and baskets require a more hands-on approach for their preservation. The best solution for their care is to collect all your baskets and container plants and board them at your neighbours or a close friends home. This eliminates the problem of both your neighbour/friend being entirely put out, and your nagging fear that they will forget to go over and water. Place your plants in an area easily accessible to a water source, in a morning sun afternoon shade location. This will prevent them from drying out in the summer heat.

Xeriscaping a vacationers best friend

If you are lucky enough to have a plot of land that you havent planted yet, or the desire to re-design your garden to accommodate your lifestyle, then xeriscaping is the way to go. Xeriscaping is the type of gardening that encourages very little supplement of water, other than the natural snow and rain that your garden receives. In other words, it is self-sufficient.

This form of landscape does not mean lack of water, rather managing water use. It is low-maintenance landscaping that requires some homework, on your part, to find plants specific to your region and climate.

A xeriscaped garden can be both dramatic and colourful. Plants that fit into this category include: Bearded Iris, Blanket Flower, Coral Bells, Daylily, Evening Primrose, Gold Dust Alyssum, Iceland Poppy, Maiden Pinks, Moss Phlox, Peonies, Pink Pussytoes, Ribbon Grass, Variegated Goutweed, Wooly Mountain Thyme, Purple Coneflower, Rudbeckia, Wooly Yarrow, Ground Cover, Snow in Summer, Clematis, Juniper, Manitoba Grape, Moon Flower, Morning Glory, Nasturtium, Silver Mound, Stonecrop and Virginia Creeper.

Worry-Free Vacationing

By implementing these gardening strategies and incorporating a wider variety of Xeriscape plantings, not only will your plants, vegetables and lawn thank you, you will be able to go away and relax. You see, Post-Garden Vacation Syndrome can be a thing of the past.

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