Houseplants

Kirsten

New Member
Ok I want houseplants again, preferably flowering ones since I can't afford to do a lot in the yard this year.

Other thing is I finally have areas that I can put them where my cats can't get to them and neither can the children.

Anyone have any suggestions or just personal favorites? I will say right now I am interested in the slightly less ordinary, and can not do STRONG perfumed ones because they will make me sick.

So far I want to get an aloe, I like the holistic properties and maybe a mosquito repelling plant for my back deck. Just would like some other ideas to look at.

Other part of this thread is where do you prefer to buy them? I was thinking Lowes down on 235 but there is also a nursery on 5 near Food Lion in Leonardtown that I was thinking I would look at.
 

Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
Try some African violets, they're easy to care for. Pinch off the old blooms & remember not to get the leaves wet when you water them.
 

Kirsten

New Member
Originally posted by Sharon
Try some African violets, they're easy to care for. Pinch off the old blooms & remember not to get the leaves wet when you water them.

Been thinking about them, they are coming in different colors nowadays correct? I am just used to the deep purple traditional ones. My grandmother has HUGE success with them. Can't kill them if she tried!
 

Dymphna

Loyalty, Friendship, Love
We used to have this plant that we thought died. Hubby cut it off at the dirt and put it outside. Come Spring, it reincarnated and bloomed. It eventually did die after a couple years but we've got a new one and it is growing like a vine :confused: The other one never did that. I love it though, it is beautiful. I don't know the name of it, so I won't be much help but maybe someone does...

It has velvety leaves like and African violet, bigger though. The flowers are trumpet shaped. Ours are fuchia colored, but I've seen them in white. Like I said, this one is growing like a vine, but it started out bush shaped and so did the old one we had.

I was going to take a picture, but I noticed that it is terribly wilted. I watered it, so maybe tomorrow. I did notice that despite my neglect, it has new leaves on it. :biggrin:
 

Kirsten

New Member
Wow mig that is a lot of plants, not sure I want to get that many going again.

Begonias are a possibility. I was thinking a little more windowsill for right now though. Though might sneak a few larger ones.

Eventually I want to grow some hibiscus again and carnations. I know odd combination, but I LOVE carnations. They have a nice light smell that I can handle and won't give me a migraine. I also love calla lillies. Used to have quite a few potted arrangements around my front door in Massachusetts. Had to leave most of them there initially and then no one thought to bring them in out of the cold. Lost much.

And any suggestions on where to buy? Anyone in my area have a favorite nursery?
 

Kirsten

New Member
Originally posted by huntr1
Lowes and WalMart

Hadn't thought about Wally world. I had quite a few nurseries to choose from in Massachusetts and had my favorites depending on what I was looking for.

Am I mistaken or are there just not a lot of nurseries down this way?
 

Jameo

What?!
Originally posted by migtig
I second the African violets, and they come in a wide variety of colors and even leafs now. I also have a spider plant, aloe vera, wandering jew, wedding veil and a wide variety of green leaf plants, in different shades and variations. I am also considering an orchid to add to my collection. I once had tons more plants, however, after an incident with my dog, I went thru and tossed all plants that are toxic. Yet, if that is not a concern, I would suggest ivy or ferns as well.

Are ferns toxic to dogs & cats? :confused:
 

Jameo

What?!
Originally posted by migtig
Depending on which type - but they range from mildly toxic to extremely.
Mine were in the mildly toxic range, but that enough to make an animal sick not necessarily kill them, so I tossed them. However, this was only after the dog decided to nibble on a few plants after years of owning both him and the plants. Since it freaked me out so bad, I did an internet search on all my houseplants and tossed everything in the toxic range.

Oh great, I have some kinda fern, but my dog has never bother it. Well it's out of her reach too. But my boyfriend is talking about moving in and he has a darn cat which likes to jump up in the windows - where my fern is sitting. :ohwell:
 

Kirsten

New Member
Hey Mig thanks for the idea of the Amish. I am so in need of getting acclamated to where to look for things.

Jameo most fern or "green" plants that I know of in other words not heavy flowering are fairly toxic to indoor critters, specially of the feline persuasion. Though it doesn't seem to stop the idjuts from eating them. I have 2 cats and part of the reason I am looking for windowsill plants is that my cats are older and can't jump up to where I am looking to put the plants. And my children can't get to them either!
 

Nanny Pam

************
If you lived closer to me, I'd be hookin' you up with banana plants. They are growing in my house. Most are over 9 feet tall. I also like to grow elephant ears in the house. They are very big & tropical looking. :martini:

Also have palm trees in the house. I got rid of most of them now.

I have a peace lilly that is over 10 years old, that I can't even move.
COME over here and get these plants!!!!
 
K

Kain99

Guest
Lowes carries Hibiscus! Luv em' Low maintenance and beautiful!
 

pixiegirl

Cleopatra Jones
I have a Christmas cactus in my window. I love it. It was a gift from my grandmom when Noah was born.

I also now have a potted daisy and a shamrock. :biggrin:
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
I am an African Violet freak. At one time, I have almost 40 plants and would have had more if I'd had the room. They are pretty easy to grow once you know what NOT to do: don't overwater, don't get the leaves wet, don't put them in too big of a pot, and don't put them in a south facing window. Once I get my life back, I'll be back to being the African (Violet) Queen. AV's come in thousands of varieties, with variations in flower (single, double), growing type (trailing, miniature, standard), leaf (varigated, ruffles, smooth). Go to the African Violet Society of America web site for more information and tons of links. Rob's Violets is another great resource for AV info.

Believe it or not, orchids are actually pretty easy to grow. I've seen beautiful specimens even in Wal-Mart. Bromeliads are succulent-like plants with low light needs with gorgeous flowers. Begonias also do extremely well inside and can be moved outside during the summer months. I have two miniature rose plants that I got from Wal-Mart last summer and never planted outside, so we brought them inside for the winter. They are blooming like crazy right now.

I have a spider plant that is huge and is about 30 years old now. It does throw off beautiful little white flowers in the summer. I also have a pot of aloe - it throws off at least a dozen new plantlets every year. It doesn't bloom, but it's very pretty. Both are VERY easy to grow and tolerant of uneven watering.

Pothos is another easy-to-grow plant, but is a bit more intolerant about forgetting to water it. But it has beautiful heart-shaped leaves and can grow very long vines that drape beautifully. But it would look great in a pot with some upright flowering plant.
 

Kirsten

New Member
Wow jazz so many suggestions! Ok we are definitely getting an aloe, and now dh wants to do a small potted herb garden on the windowsill I was planning to use for small plants. Want to do oregano, chives and peppermint, we aren't sure what else we want to do for herbs though.

I am not sure about spider plants. I know they are wonderful add a lot of texture to a space, I have a few places to hang them, so that isn't an issue. I just want COLOR, however may pick one up anyhow if I can find decent deals. I have many friends who have spider plants and love them. I so love hibiscus but that has to wait awhile. Maybe I can get one towards fall cheap when the places like Lowes and WalMart are trying to get rid of the plants.
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
I have 4 pots of herbs in the window over my kitchen sink. One has chives and the other two had two different types of basil, but they've both died (from neglect on my part, but they were almost 2 years old and very scraggly.) I'm going to get replacements, probably oregano, rosemary, and maybe savory, once I'm done with school in April.

Lowe's and Wal-Mart usually have excellent selections of plants, including herbs, at the beginning of the season. Check Wal-Mart for hibiscus - they usually get a shipment in towards the beginning of the season and the price is awesome. I got some real bargains from Wal-Mart at the end of the season, so you need to check them every week. The Greenery in Hollywood is another place I go - excellent quality, but they're usually a bit more expensive.

Out of the area, my favorite nursery is Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville at the intersection of 214 and 424, which is near Annapolis. Fantastic selection and a HUGE nursery that takes hours to go through it all. But they also have premium prices but you can't beat the variety of plants!
 

Kirsten

New Member
Thank You

All for all the great suggestions and ideas. I will let you know how they turn out and what we decide. And any deals I run across.
 
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