Interior Plant Tips Newsletter

Newsletter

Interior Plant Tips

Plants for use inside the house or office can be grown organically. Plants not only have far fewer problems under the natural program, but they also provide a benefit other than just looking nice and softening spaces. They also help clean the air.

Potting soil for interior plants should be the same used for outdoor potted plants. The two best mulches for potted plants are shredded cedar and lava gravel.

The fertilizer program is simple. In fact, the two most common mistakes made on house plants is too much water and too much fertilizer. Adding a mild organic fertilizer once a year in the spring is usually plenty. Compost, earthworm castings or compost tea along with a one time application of lava sand is all I use. Use about ¼” of lava sand and gently work in.

Adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon of irrigation water will help keep your potted plants healthy and vibrant.

The easiest plants to grow tend to be the most effective at air purifying. My recommended list is as follows:

Bright Areas

Aloe vera

Areca palm

Bamboo palm

Christmas cactus

Croton

Dieffenbachia

Dwarf banana

Lady palm

Orchids

Semi-Shade

Aglaonema

Boston fern

Corn plant dracaena

Croton

Heart leaf philodendron

Janet Craig dracaena

Pothos ivy

Rubber plant

Shefflera

Spathiphyllum

Spider plant

Warneckei dracaena

Shadiest Areas

Aglaonema

Heart leaf philodendron

Red emerald philodendron

Pothos

Sanseveria

ZZ Plant

An excellent book on the air purifying properties of plants is How To Grow Fresh Air by Dr. B.C. Wolverton, Penguin Books.