Want to meet the panel? Ok! Up first is my good friend Andy Williams:
Andy Williams: Andy and I grew up together in the same small Indiana town. He’s an outstanding patriot and Hoosier, now living in Phoenix with his wife Colleen.
When he’s not traveling the world, Andy loves watching sports and racing, particularly the Indy 500 (“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”) He’s also very smart and wickedly funny. It’s been great to have him as a friend all these years. Thanks Andy for joining us!
Our next expert is “EZ” Ed Johnson.
EZ Ed Johnson: Ed and I have been friends since our days working together in the sports department of the local paper. He’s still a sportswriter, and author, screenwriter, poet and more. We’re tickled to have him on our esteemed panel.
Next up is my great friend Tim, who I call Thack for short.
Tim Thackaberry: Tim is an esteemed member of our panel. He and I have known each other for years. He is the Director of IT at a local New Mexico insurance company. He’s very funny, very witty and smart, smart, smart.
Another expert is my dear, dear friend Dottie Correll.
Dottie Correll: Dottie and I used to work together in the office of the Mid-Rio Grande chapter of the American Red Cross. Now an octogenerian, Dottie has volunteered for the Red Cross since 1963. She should be declared a National Treasure! She also has quite the green thumb.
Our last but in no way least expert is Lewis Casey.
Lewis Casey: Lewis is a Disaster Action Team Captain for the local Red Cross (meaning, if your house burns down in the middle of the night, he shows up to take care of you). He also has a long and storied history with plants, farming, greenhouses and breakfast rice.
Here he is at the Downtown Growers’ Market 2010:
Good To Grow 
78 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 22, 2010 at 3:18 pm
[Friday - Ask the Experts] The Best, Funniest, Smartest and Only Plant Blog Panel of Experts on the Web « Good To Grow
[…] Ask the Experts: Meet the Panel! […]
January 29, 2010 at 2:44 pm
[Friday - Ask the Experts] The Best, Smartest, Funniest and Only Plant Blog Panel of Experts on the Web « Good To Grow
[…] Ask the Experts: Meet the Panel! […]
February 19, 2010 at 12:05 am
Mary Holyoke
I think it’s fake because there is no light in there and because I don’t think they have any real plants at the gym.
February 24, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Gretchen
I have a question….My daughter is doing a science fair project on Does watering plants with water or milk make them bigger? We need to find some more references. Does any one know some good books or websites that talks about this? Thank You!
February 24, 2010 at 3:24 pm
goodtogrow
Hi Gretchen! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I wrote a post here (https://goodtogrow.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/wednesday-the-plant-lady-chronicles-how-to-clean-and-shine-houseplant-leaves/) about using milk to shine leaves. I’m 100% against it. I’m even more against using milk as some sort of replacement for water. There is absolutely no reason to use milk or food products anywhere near your houseplants. If you want them to grow bigger, take good care of them and feed them vitamins. I hope your daughter’s project goes great (and I hope I haven’t spoiled her chances by being anti-milk).
March 14, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Patricia Shunstrom
I have a large golden pothos in a hanging pot. Always hardy,has been repotted several times & we have moved 4 times with it and has always done well. But this past month it is just fading away & the leaves are falling off fast. I’ve watered more, stopped watering for longer times, given plant food but to no avail. This plant I have had for over 24years! Is it time to let it go or is there something else left to do ??
March 15, 2010 at 1:36 am
goodtogrow
Oh gosh, Patricia, 24 years is so long! Did something happen recently, did you move it near a vent or was it attacked by a rabid bird or somethng?
I need a little more info – what are the leaves doing? With Pothos, as you surely know, the leaves turn all yellow, then brown and crunchy when they are thirsty. If they are getting too much water, the leaves turn yellow, but it’s splotchy or mixed with green. It could be a combination of both – maybe it got thirsty, then you overwatered and it’s reacting to that.
You know your plant better than anyone. Get the watering smoothed out, and give him some Superthrive – you can get it at your local nursery, or Lowes or Home Depot, next to the Miracle Gro. It’s a small bottle and pricey (around eight bucks for 4 ounces) but plants seem to love it. They guarantee that if there’s even one leaf left on the plant, Superthrive will revive it. Superthrive is vitamins – not fertilizer – so you just put a few drops in your watering bucket, you don’t have to worry about too much or too little. I say just a few drops because it’s expensive – plants can’t get enough of the stuff.
Let me know if that helps. Also, you’re welcome to email me at lizatheplantlady@gmail.com if you have more questions. You can always send me a photo and I can try to make a diagnosis from that. Keep me posted on his progress!
March 15, 2010 at 1:44 am
goodtogrow
Oh, and if you’re really, really worried about his chances in life, start some cuttings. If you lose the main plant, at least the babies will live on! If you have several cuttings going at once, when they’re ready to be planted, you’ll have a nice bushy, healthy plant (instead of one vine per pot).
I’ve done lots of posts about Pothos because I love them. Maybe they can help!
March 24, 2010 at 8:22 pm
janie
I have a bop that is sooooooo tall that I don’t know what to do. It was a gift 10 years ago and is very happy in its corner by the window. I have staked it up but I just can’t believe it is happy if it can’t stand on its own. Please advise.
March 25, 2010 at 5:41 pm
goodtogrow
Hi Janie! It sounds like your Bird of Paradise could’ve used some pruning over the years to keep it from getting so top-heavy. That’s ok – you can do it now. I don’t have tons of experience with these plants, so you should consult other sources as well, but I would say start small. Cut one or two of the stalks all the way down to the bottom of the stalk. What you are hoping to do is promote new growth where you’ve made the cut. Once you’ve got some new growth established, you can cut another one or two of the stalks and get even more new growth to emerge. You keep doing this until your plant is shorter and bushier, and not as tall as it is now. That’s the hope anyway – again, I’ve never had a bop of my own, so I’ve never tried. But it works for practically all plants. I do know that bop’s can be slow growers, so this process may take you a few years. I wish you well, please let me know if you have any more questions.
April 21, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Lynda
You what would be really cool…if you did a “house plant of the month” feature. I’d love to learn about different plants that can be gown inside…what kind of light they need and soil and where they would do best in the house. That would be helpful for someone who knows NOTHING (like myself) about house plants.
April 28, 2010 at 2:26 pm
[Wednesday] Dear Home Depot, Please Stop Murdering Plants (And Please Let Me Save You Millions of Dollars) « Good To Grow
[…] Ask the Experts: Meet the Panel! […]
June 14, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Steph
The verticle garden is looking good! My grandma used to have those “holey” pots with hens & chickens. They were always my fav…never saw them grow tall like that so quick. Must be a mutant New Mex variety? Anyway, I couldn’t tell from the picture….once it’s “up” how will you keep the vertical garden watered without making one helluva mess? (maybe I missed that day? my dog ate it.)
September 10, 2010 at 3:08 pm
[Friday - Ask the Experts] The Best, Smartest, Funniest and Only Plant Blog Panel of Experts « Good To Grow
[…] Ask the Experts: Meet the Panel! […]
November 12, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Page not found « Good To Grow
[…] Ask the Experts: Meet the Panel! […]
November 23, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Kathy Brown
R u familiar w/ abutilon, i.e. flowering maple? Mine is variegated, gold and green, and got it last spring, keeping it in a pot. I’ve been able to pinch it back like geraniums and mums, and it flowered profusely throughout the summer. Our winter is too cold here, so I brought it indoors in the best natural light I have (indirect). It was happy the first month, still flowering, & no shock symptoms. Then I fertilized it w/ my usual Miracle Grow, and some of my leaves are turning brn and curling (as if I let it get too dry), others are turning yellow and dropping off like a deciduous tree. Is this just delayed shock? Or does it have a semi-dormancy? …sort of like my Bougainvilla brought indoors in low light for the winter. Any other possibilities? Should I just lay low on water until spring? Please help.
November 24, 2010 at 12:04 am
goodtogrow
Did you get my email response to your question?
April 20, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Diana
Hi,
I have been “google-ing” in search of outdoor plant advice, and happened across your site. I am a relatively new resident of Pecos, NM; I am on about 1.5 acres in dire need of beautifying. Our ground here has the crappiest soil I’ve ever seen; I wish someone could see what I am talking about and steer me in the right direction. The year before last, we planted different things including bulbs, rhizomes, live plants, etc. (all supposedly just fine for my “zone”)- all dead. A landscaper who came to a party of ours recommended ‘container’ planting. Not what I had in mind.
Every fall, we get literally hundreds of tall, huge sunflowers all over our property- it’s quite a show. But the price I have been paying every spring involves pulling and yanking the depressing-looking, post-apocalyptic-looking dead stalks. The birds come and take any seeds we’ve tried to plant; we also have underground moles who I have witnessed take my irises like a trap door in the floor opening and in a blink they disappear into the ground. I am not exaggerating. I want to make this property beautiful. Our house is very pretty, as are the houses around me (it’ is a relatively new area, so the houses are all maybe five or six years old.
We do not have any kind of irrigation system set up, and we’ve tried to use our sprinkler in certain areas, but I need to know what to completely avoid planting, what to definitely plant that will beautify the property, and how to start. Your expertise is sorely needed and I don’t have the kind of disposable income where I can just hire some landscaping service. I’ve got to do this myself, and I’m more than willing to make it happen.
Please help.
Thanking you in advance for your assistance and aide,
Diana
April 22, 2011 at 12:36 am
goodtogrow
Diane, did you get my email response to your questions?
September 4, 2011 at 2:09 am
Mandy
I was wondering if you all have any advice on growing Lithops- Living Stones, from seed or keeping them alive once they have sprouted? I have 5 babies that have sprouted and am not sure how much to water them or how often. I also bought a two inch potted full grown plant from walmart and would love advice on how to keep it alive!
September 5, 2011 at 2:23 pm
goodtogrow
Hey Mandy, I emailed you.
September 5, 2011 at 3:01 pm
stephw
Of course I had to Google “living rocks”. Never knew a plant like that even existed! They’re creepy cool. Love this blog. Thanks girls!
September 22, 2011 at 2:55 am
melissa
hello i really hope you can help me or give my a few tips.I have 31 cantainer plants in my balcony.most of them i’ve had since march but the tips of the leaves turn brown and fall off and i’ve noticed that most of them have black spots.they’re are not indirect sunlight but they they do get sun from when the sun comes up till it comes down.i also live in texas and the temp.goes up to 100 or more.i’ve always loved plants and i want them to live with forever.so please help:)
September 26, 2011 at 8:11 pm
goodtogrow
Melissa, I emailed you.
October 26, 2011 at 7:00 pm
They Call Me The Big Duurty :o)
Hey there Ms. Liza,
I’m happy to report that the Mimosa plant I got from you (through Rex) is growing brilliantly in my kitchen windowsill in Kansas. It’s now nearly 18″ tall, and 2-3 pink puffballs open up each day. My 9 nieces absolutely LOVE putting it to sleep each time they visit.
I know you grew this from seed, and wanted to ask what your preferred method was for doing this. My lazy approach of shoving the spent blooms into the soil has yielded zero results. LOL Thanks so much!
-Durt in Kansas
October 28, 2011 at 1:14 am
goodtogrow
Rodney!!!!!! So good to hear from you. I love that Rex passed the Mimosa along to you.
About the seeds, I bought them. The spent blooms you pushed into the soil haven’t been pollinated so they wouldn’t produce seeds. You can try pollinating them yourself, or just go buy seeds.
October 28, 2011 at 10:04 am
Duurty
I do like a challenge…. I’ll do a bit of research, and see if I can find it a mate! Brown chicken, Brown cow….. *wink wink* *nudge nudge*
January 16, 2012 at 12:31 am
Dave Floyd
Hi,
Dave here in far NW Kansas. I have a single locust tree in my yard (maybe 20 ft tall) and a few pine trees…not much else. Weather can be harsh…summer temps 90-100…summer humidity 5-15%…wind 30-50 mph common in fall, winter, spring…winter temps mostly 20-40 but it can get down to -10F.
Anyway, this tree drops pods every other year with about a dozen seeds in each pod. I want to try to grow more of this tree. It has ferny leaves and seems to tolerate our extreme weather. No thorns like I see for some locusts when looking on-line…just a nice.tree.
I grabbed some pods today and took out roughly 100 seeds. They look dark brown and kind of hard. How do I plant them? Do I soak them in water? Plant the entire pod without removing the seeds? Plant them in moist soil? It is January and I wanted to start growing them now and plant them outside when it gets warmer in late April. Any advice?
Thanks!
January 18, 2012 at 2:40 am
goodtogrow
Dave, I sent you an email.
January 18, 2012 at 3:41 am
Duurty
Hey Dave,
The tree you’re describing is likely a Thornless Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis). The trees grow easily from seed, and require no special treatment such as stratification. You can plant them in the ground now, and they will sprout in the spring. Or, you can plant them indoors now and transplant them outside after the final frost of the spring.
Since they are collected seeds of a tree variety, the characteristics of the tree can and will likely vary. Most people report that seeds collected from inermis (thornless) trees will often produce thornless trees with high regularity. That said, it is likely that some of the seedlings will have some thorns. There are also podless varieties available, but obviously those can’t be reproduced from seed.
In my personal experience (15+ years in the Horticulture and Landscape fields in NW Kansas), I have noticed that almost every honeylocust tree will eventually have thorns. Most of the “thornless” trees start producing thorns as the tree reaches full maturity and begins to decline. They are quite easily removed from the trunk and, unless you’re climbing the trees, they cause no real problems as far as having them in the landscape.
Kansas arborists are no longer recommending this tree for planting in Kansas like they have in the past. Thyronectria canker has started moving in the Western parts of Kansas, and this disease can quickly kill honeylocust trees. The progression of the disease is linked with drought stress, so keeping the trees well-watered will do wonders in keeping healthy trees.
As you probably know, there is no one “perfect tree” for Kansas. They Honeylocust is still a great tree, but I felt it necessary to inform you of the major disease that has and will likely continue to affect the species.
I hope this helps!!
-Duurty
January 18, 2012 at 4:41 am
goodtogrow
Duurty!!! It’s good to see you back here. That was so kind of you to respond to Dave’s question. Thank you. I emailed it to him as well, in case he didn’t come back to this blog.
How are your Mimosas doing? Did you stick them outdoors so bees could get to them? Cross them with say, a Schlumbergera? What wild concoctions did you create over in Kansas?
January 18, 2012 at 4:43 pm
They Call Me The Big Duurty :o)
You’re most welcome. Trees are SUCH a blessing out here in NW Kansas! Anyone wanting to plant more of them is a Saint in my book!
The Mimosa is still single, but looking. She has recently moved to a new location with increased square footage and some wonderful southern exposures. (Repotted and moved next to the patio doors.) While she’s enjoying the sunlight and warmth, (nearer the woodburning stove) it will take her a bit to acclimate to the decrease in humidity.
It’s currently a balmy 22 degrees and cloudy in Kansas, so she’ll not be traveling outdoors much. Last week, she was treated to a vacation in the greenhouse, where she was repotted, staked and allowed to commune with the other plants. If I’m not mistaken, I caught her giving “the eyes” to the Baobab Tree. It doesn’t surprise me that he would be her type.
February 2, 2012 at 5:09 am
Dave Floyd
Hi again,
Sorry I am slow to respond, but I wanted to say thank you to Liza, Tina and “Duurty” for the advice on my locust tree, both here and also via email. Actually, the tree I have does have something wrong with it, and now I am wondering if it is the canker that Duurty mentioned. Overall the tree looks good but every couple years another branch starts to die off. The tree was here when I moved in and that was a drought year and I know that I never watered it much right away. I guess that didn’t help but I was busy keeping an eye on snakes, prairie dogs and other gremlins on my property so at the time the tree was the least of my concern.
At any rate, I plan to try to germinate the seeds inside and hopefully some of them will be large enough to move outside later. I can put a drip system on them once I move them outside so maybe that will help them withstand disease down the road.
I’ll let you know how this all turns out…
I appreciate your answers and willingness to help!
Dave
February 5, 2012 at 6:08 pm
goodtogrow
I’m glad Duuurty helped! He’s a great man. Tina is a wonderful woman. Please let us know if you need anything else!
March 9, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Dave Floyd
Hi all,
Just wanted to update you on the progress of my honey locust seeds here in NW Kansas (Goodland). About four weeks ago I planted three seeds in each of six pots, down about one-half inch as advised. Half of those seeds I simply planted in the potting soil, and the other half I soaked in water for 24 hours before planting. I kept the soil moist but not wet. After three weeks, I was getting impatient and lightly sifted through the potting soil. Much to my dismay, the seeds were unchanged and showed no signs of germinating or swelling. It was like I placed them in the soil the previous day.
After looking around more on the web I found others who placed seeds in boiling water before planting and it seemed to work for them. So last weekend I boiled water in a glass jar in the microwave and then placed the seeds into the water. After it cooled down in 20 minutes, I removed the seeds and reheated the water to boiling, and repeated the soaking. Then, I planted the seeds back in the same pots like before.
I am happy to say that after gently probing through the pots just now, I have at least 8 seeds that have swollen to about three times their size, and have split open and now have shoots coming out of the seeds. Those little buggers were really encased in some tough seed coats, but soaking them in boiling water seems to have made a huge difference, at least for me.
Anyway, I thought I would share that with all of you. I’ll upload a picture when the sprouts start growing.
Dave
March 11, 2012 at 1:20 am
goodtogrow
Thanks for the update, Dave. I’m glad you’re having luck with the seeds. Some seeds are tougher than others. I know I had to boil my Mimosa seeds to get them to sprout. It’s not difficult, but it’s good to know in advance.
I hope you continue to keep us posted on your progress! Be sure to take lots of photos so that one day you can look at your trees and compare them to the teeny seedlings they used to be!
March 11, 2012 at 12:38 am
El Duurto
It’s my first trip to California, and I want to being it ALL home to Kansas….. But only have so much room in the greenhouse. I’m seeing a lot of planters full of what looks like a very large-leafed jade plant. I’m guessing the leaves are 4-6 inches across, deep green with red edges. They are very glossy like a jade plant….. Any ideas what this might be? I can’t find any labels or people that know what they are, and I’d rather buy a plant than steal one and smuggle it into my luggage! Lol
March 11, 2012 at 1:18 am
goodtogrow
Rodney can you take a photo and send it? It’s probably some type of Crassula but I wouldn’t be able to say which one without seeing it. There are so many varieties!
Where in California are you? There’s a nursery in San Francisco called Cactus Jungle – those guys would know the answer!
I wonder if you couldn’t get a cutting instead of a whole plant?
Did you see that your fellow Kansasian is having luck with his tree seeds?
March 11, 2012 at 1:43 am
El Duurto
Found it! Kalanchoe lucinea!
March 11, 2012 at 1:51 am
goodtogrow
Oh funny, I have one of those as a houseplant! But it’s not deep green. Pale green with red edges. Kalanchoes are so varied!!
I’m glad you figured it out! Have a great rest of your trip Duuurty!
April 2, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Learning
Hi, I have an 8″ potted scheffelera that I received last Mother’s day, and awondering if it’s strictly a pot plant, or can it be planted outside? If so, what type of soil mix should I plant it in, and what should I feed it? I live in southern -most Texas.
Thank you for your help, and for your plant site.
Learning 🙂
April 3, 2012 at 4:54 pm
goodtogrow
Hi there! I wouldn’t recommend putting it outside. It might do ok in your climate, but Scheffleras are meant to be indoor houseplants. If you plant it outside, it could be susceptible to sunburn or freezing. I wouldn’t take that risk. That’s just my opinion. Please let me know if you have any more questions.
May 12, 2012 at 7:25 pm
vastpalette
I have a Dracaena Fragrans Massangeana (I think? green leaves, center yellow stripe, woody cane. Correct me if I’m wrong) that I have been struggling with since I brought it home from walmart. I have been researching constantly trying to figure this plant out, he is my favorite in the house!! I would love some advice. I purchased it in Feb. It had pothos planted around the cane as well and the soil was very dry. It is maybe 3′ tall. It was not root bound and I re-potted it into a glazed ceramic pot (side drainage hole with attached tray lip) using a fast draining soil for succulents/cacti/palms. The pot was the same size but of a different shape, more rounded. I watered the plant thoroughly with tap water and let the excess water drain completely and placed it on a tall cabinet across a wall with a large south facing window. I misted the leaves daily. When the soil felt dry 3 inches down (3-4 weeks) I watered again thoroughly (this time and from then on with distilled water after learning about their sensitivity to fluoride/chlorine). The dracaena leaf tips had started yellowing a little before being watered and I chalked it up to the moving/re-potting stress. Very soon after watering, the condition of the leaves got worse at a faster pace it seemed. After trimming the dying tips, the new tips yellowed moving inward, followed by browning. I decided at that point I must have watered too soon, so I would let it dry out even longer this time. In the first week of May, I used a chopstick to pull up soil from the bottom of the pot and it felt close to if not completely dry. The yellowing seemed to have stopped traveling up the leaves and the browning had almost caught up with all the unhealthy tissue. I again trimmed new leaf edges and watered thoroughly with a small transplant dose of houseplant fertilizer, letting the excess drain completely. I also ordered a grow light after noticing the top most leaves were losing their variegation. The condition of the leaves immediately started declining with the yellowing followed by browning. Since the plant was still suffering despite my letting it dry out, I decided to take it out of the pot. There was one thick tree like root with healthy looking white roots and some orange. No mushy roots. I realized then that the dracaena was actually planted very far down near the bottom of the soil with its cane buried maybe 4″ into the soil and the pothos planted above its roots. I decided at that point that the dracaena’s roots must be suffocating since it takes so long to dry down to the bottom of the pot. I found a smaller plastic pot with larger drain holes in the bottom and re-planted the dracaena closer to the surface of the soil with the pothos in the sides, using the same soil, which was at that point lightly damp. I did not water it and placed it back into its low light spot with the added grow light one foot away from its leaves. I still haven’t watered it even though the soil is getting real dry now for fear of hurting the plant more. I had trimmed new edges 2 or so days ago and are not able to tell if they are yellowing again yet. There is faded leaf tissue appearing just behind the new tips, which is how the leaves behaved before turning yellow each other time I trimmed them back. The cane is not as sturdy being planted so high in the pot but it is in a safe place away from children/pets and passerbys. I thought I would wait for the pothos to droop before I felt comfortable watering it again, but today I think they may be starting to droop just barely, but am not for certain. Since being moved around into new positions in the pot the other day I haven’t had a chance to be accustomed to how it should look normally. Can you advise me how to water this dracaena after all the stress and changes it has been through in the last 3 months? I have pictures for reference if requested. Thank you so much for any help! I love this plant! I even gave him and his pothos names the other day to help his spirits lol. 🙂
July 1, 2012 at 4:33 pm
goodtogrow
Alissa, I emailed you.
June 11, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Cathie
Hi neighbor-
I’ve enjoyed looking at your site. I found it after googling succulents in Albuquerque. I too live in Albuquerque and I keep cacti and succulents in the house and I’m wondering where you buy succulents here in town or whether you keep your own greenhouse. I am reluctant to buy at the big box stores because they usually over water them and the nurseries seem to have a limited supply. Where have you had success in buying new succulents?
July 1, 2012 at 4:35 pm
goodtogrow
Hi Cathie! I don’t have a greenhouse. When I want to buy succulents, I usually check with Kathi first, in the south valley, at Rio Valley Greenhouses (near Goff and Bridge). Osuna Nursery has the largest selection. I like Rehm’s selection, and Alameda Greenhouses has some, too. I think the folks at Jericho are really nice, some of their plants have mealy bugs but some are ok. You just have to be astute before buying to make sure the plants are healthy. Let me know if you would like some more info, and if this helped.
July 13, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Cathie
Thanks for the info- I just came from visiting my parents house in upstate NY where my dad had a whole sunroom of succulents. I came home to very dried out plants here in ABQ as it had been 100 degrees most days. i think the humidity there helps and am going to try running a humidifier in there during the driest parts of the year. Have you tried adding humidity to your indoor environment? If so what do you find to be a good humidity level?
July 16, 2012 at 11:41 pm
goodtogrow
Hi Cathie! I do have a humidifier in my foyer. I use it most often in the winter, usually once or twice a week, overnight. This time of year in Albuquerque has plenty of humidity, obviously as it’s the rainy season. If you don’t want to use a humidifier, you should mist the plants regularly – they’ll appreciate the moisture.
July 14, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Will Creed
Hi Cathie – Increased humidity has no benefits for succulents, all of which come from naturally dry climates, unlike ferns and Orchids, for example. Your plants were dried out because the soil dried out in the heat while you were away. Of course, a humidifier does no harm to your succulents and it does benefit you and your furnishings. If you get a humidifier, keep it at a level that makes you feel comfortable.
~Will Creed, Indoor landscaper
September 7, 2012 at 1:28 am
goodtogrow
I actually do think that humidity has benefits for succulents. Drought tolerant houseplants may be able to handle a lack of water better than other plants, but in my experience, they appreciate the extra moisture. Probably because they’re naturally inclined to do without. So long as the moisture is in small amounts, that is.
September 7, 2012 at 1:46 am
Will
Hi there – There is no evidence to support succulents benefitting from increased humidity. Natural selection works to select in those characteristics that help various species maximize survival in the particular environment where they live. For succulents native to dry arid regions, their cell structure is designed to thrive in low humidity. The opposite is true for plants native to humid rainforest environments.Succulents may survive in higher humidity, but they will not benefit from it.
September 5, 2012 at 5:34 pm
Cindy Zapata
Would it be ok to use a little baby oil on indoor plants leaves?
September 6, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Ken
Hello, I planted 15 honey locust seeds in some pots about a week ago and 10 have already sprouted and are about 2″ tall. My question is, can I keep them indoors until spring to plant them in the ground or will they not last that long inside the house?
September 7, 2012 at 1:35 am
goodtogrow
Hi Ken! My friend Duuurty is the expert on Honey Locusts. Where do you live? You can certainly keep them indoors until after the last frost of spring, but that’s a lot of work. Any reason you can’t plant them outside now? Depending on where you are, they could have a couple of months to get established before it gets cold. That would depend on your climate, though.
September 7, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Ken
Hey, thank you for your response. I live in Lubbock TX and moved here recently. Im not sure when it starts to get cold here, its september and we are still having 90+ degree days. If I planted them outside now would they be established enough to survive the winter months?
September 7, 2012 at 1:25 am
goodtogrow
Cindy, no! Why would you want to do that? The oil will choke them. I definitely do not recommend using oil on leaves, it’s a bad idea.
September 7, 2012 at 1:55 am
Will
Oils do tend to collect and retain dust, but they do not keep plants from breathing. Plants breath through the stomata which are the tiny openings on the undersides of leaves through which plants exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. If the oil is applied to the top surfaces of the leaves, this breathing will not be a problem
September 7, 2012 at 1:37 am
Will
Hi Cindy – There are a couple of problems with using baby oil as a leaf shine. It usually has a fragrance and it tends to leave a slightly sticky residue on the leaf surface. The stickiness attracts dust after a while. A slightly better alternative is plain mineral oil (fragrant-free) diluted with water to make it less sticky.
Some plant foliage has a natural shine that comes up nicely when rubbed vigorously with a damp cloth and plain water. There are commercially made leaf shines that dry to a hard, non-oily finish. They do not attract dust and can be wiped clean much more easily. I am partial to a leaf cleaner called Brand X and found at http://www.buybrandx.com. This product has the added benefit of being highly effective in eradicating mealybugs, scale insects and spider mites.
It is commonly reported that leaf shines clog the leaves of plants. This is only a problem if these products are used on the bottom surfaces of the foliage where the stomata are. But who would do that anyway?!
~Will Creed, Indoor Landscaper
September 7, 2012 at 4:03 am
goodtogrow
Will, I’ve been approving your comments on my site, but I’m reluctant to do so. I think it’s confusing for my readers to ask for my advice and get yours. We have different backgrounds and different opinions – that’s fine. But this is my houseplant site not yours.
I’m against using oils for all sorts of reasons, number one being that it’s just a waste of money. Plant leaves don’t need additional shining, other than dusting, they are fine. There aren’t any leaf shine products I recommend, so I hope you understand that I don’t really want anyone else recommending products that I would not, on my own blog. You can recommend anything you’d like on your own blog.
I realize you are going to get an email every time someone has a question for me. There’s nothing I can do to stop that. I hope we could work together to help educate people about plants. I would appreciate that more than you taking it upon yourself to help my visitors. Hope you understand!
September 7, 2012 at 5:26 pm
goodtogrow
Hi everyone! I would like to make clear that I’m not a horticulturist. I never claimed to be. I have 11 years experience professionally taking care of plants, so my advice is based on anecdotal experience, not academic.
Every time I answer a question, I do my very best to give honest advice based on my experiences or what I’ve learned about plants. I like to use simple terms so I don’t intimidate people, because my goal is to get people passionate about plants, not scare them away.
I’m in a position now where I feel like my advice is being challenged regularly. That’s ok – people are allowed to have different opinions. But it’s tiring, and this is my blog, and I’m doing the best I can to offer my experience to my readers. If you come here and ask for advice, I recommend you also get second opinions, and third opinions and fourth so you can make up your own mind. I’m going to tell you what makes sense to me, and from there, you’re on your own. I hope you understand that.
Ken, I’ve never grown Honey Locust trees from seed. I’ve never lived in Lubbuck, either. My advice would be to experiment. Plant half the seedlings in the ground outside now, and keep the other half indoors until after the last frost in spring. See which do better. You have nothing to lose since you didn’t spend any money on them.
If someone else would like to chime in with better advice, you’re welcome to do so. I encourage sharing knowledge on this site. But please, be well mannered and not hostile. Thank you everyone.
September 7, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Ken
Thank you, I will try that and let you know which seedlings did better.
September 7, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Cindy Zapata
Thank you to everyone who have given me advise it’s much appreciated. I believe I can take it from here.
Peace out and Thank God its almost winter!
September 21, 2012 at 2:17 am
Trea
This is a great site! Thank you for your hard work and motivating stories. I have a novice question. I think I have my first houseplant pest. I’ve seen this on two philodendrons that I have. I’ve moved them to different tables. Is this mealy bug? If so, how likely is it that there is only one creature? I don’t see any more than right at the joint of two plants that aren’t event in the same room. Yuck. http://proftmr.tumblr.com/image/31922140213
November 27, 2012 at 4:10 pm
goodtogrow
Trea, did you get my email?
November 27, 2012 at 6:50 pm
Trea
Hi! No email here, as far as I can tell. I do think those were mealy bugs. Now I’ve got fungus gnats galore. Such a high cost for beauty. 🙂
October 19, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Dave
I live in a rather dark apartment in a sunny city (Phoenix). I can’t grow most plants because the light comes only from one direction (south). While this may seen sunny, we have a balcony overhang and awnings that belong to the complex. The balcony is 20 feet long by 10 feet deep. No direct sunlight. I’m considering adding some dracaena, spathyphyllum, and aglaonema and adding supplemental lighting. Which one would you pick and why?
Thanks, guys!
Dave
November 27, 2012 at 4:10 pm
goodtogrow
Dave, did you get the email I sent you?
November 18, 2012 at 9:30 pm
Heidi
I live in Minnesota and I brought my hibiscus’ in for the winter. My yellow flowering one is fine but my red-pinkish one is not. It appears that there is bugs or something on it and it won’t flower now. I can ‘t see the bugs moving but they plant is covered with them. I took a picture but I am not sure how to post it on here. Please help!
November 27, 2012 at 4:07 pm
goodtogrow
Oh dear. Please email the photo to me. I also sent you an email.
November 27, 2012 at 11:14 pm
goodtogrow
Trea, I tried emailing you again. Lemme know if it came through this time. Thanks!
February 5, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Diana
Hello! My jade plant has been doing well in my college dorm for the last few years but right now some of the lower leaves are turning brown and a bit hard on the surface… they look kind of like dry human skin! One of them fell off when I touched it yesterday. There are a few leaves near the bottom that are fine, and the ones on the top are great, but my plant isn’t very big so I’m wondering what I could do! I have been watering it pretty regularly this month, although not too much (I usually think I over-water it).
Also – it has two main stems and is getting quite tall and top-heavy. I probably ought to prune it but I don’t really know where to prune without cutting the whole plant to bits! I have some photos too =]
Thank you!!
February 11, 2013 at 9:13 pm
goodtogrow
Diana, I sent you an email response. Most likely your Jade got thirsty a few weeks ago. We can talk more about it via email.
December 11, 2013 at 5:53 am
Zukie
Hi Liza! I looking Hyacinths already bloom! I don’t know if they already blooming on December yet? This is my Mom favorite baby, she might not pass through this winter, so I promise her I’ll give her Hyacinths pot. I live in the bay area of San Francisco, the last 2 weeks I search and went out looking for it. I couldn’t find any. This December 14 is her birthday, but I still have empty. Do you have any websites I can look up?
December 11, 2013 at 3:32 pm
goodtogrow
Hi Zukie! For Hyacinths to be in bloom this time of year, someone would need to force them. Have you checked your local plant nurseries? You should be able to find the bulbs at Home Depot or Lowe’s, if they haven’t sold out yet. You can also find Hyacinth bulbs online. You can give them to your Mom even if they aren’t blooming – part of the fun is watching them grow. It takes many weeks before they bloom. I have some started here and they won’t be blooming by Christmas, but that’s ok. Again, you don’t have to have blooming Hyacinths for them to be a thoughtful gift.
Does that help?
April 14, 2015 at 12:13 pm
erin
Hi, I don’t see any recent comments so I’m not sure this page is still active. I’ve been poring over succulent pics via Google image search, trying to ID a plant I picked up at Lowe’s in Espanola about a year ago, and your site has the first matching pic I’ve seen. It just happens that I’m in ABQ, too! Can you tell me what the plant at the center and top left of the tray in this photo is? https://goodtogrow.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc02348.jpg?w=490&h=368 Mine had two very long, very thin flower stalks when I got it, but I cut them off when they started to droop and they haven’t come back. Thanks!
April 14, 2015 at 12:37 pm
goodtogrow
Hi Erin! I thought it was a Kalanchoe hybrid, because it looks just like my Kalanchoe rhombopilosa except that it’s green. But with a little more digging, it turns out to be an Adromischus cristatus, or Baby Toes plant, or Pie Crust plant.
I hope that helps!
March 21, 2016 at 8:16 am
J ANDERS
I have a fungus gnat problem. I have great sentimental value with this plant. How can a non-chrmically treat the soil? No H202. But have rubbing alcohol, dishsoap, vinager, potatoes. What are your suggestions and directions?
May 22, 2016 at 9:05 pm
goodtogrow
The best way to treat fungus gnats is to put yellow sticky paper traps in the infected soil. They are attracted to the yellow, get stuck and die. It’s not the fastest solution, but it’s effective. Otherwise, you can replace the top couple of inches of soil – they plant their eggs there.