by Keri Byrum | Apr 24, 2023 | Plant Spotlight |
The variety and choices of plants are endless. How do you decide which new caladium varieties you will be growing this year? I think these photos will provide you some inspiration and you make these important decisions. New Caladium Varieties These photos were taken last year, highlighting several of the best new caladium varieties available on the market. In no particular order… Caladium ‘Dawn to Dusk’ Caladium ‘Dawn to Dusk’ For Caladium ‘Dawn to Dusk’ I felt that I had to show how amazing this caladium looks when the sun hits it. This was planted at a spot in our garden where the afternoon sun lit it from behind and it became even more beautiful. Caladium ‘Crystal Moon’ Caladium ‘Crystal Moon’ White caladiums in the shade. Need I say more? If you are looking to brighten and add some pizzazz to a shady area, look no further than white caladiums. These Caladium ‘Crystal Moon’ look like lightbulbs in the garden. Caladium ‘Wish Granted’ Caladium ‘Wish Granted’ Caladium ‘Creme brulee’ Caladium ‘High Society’ Caladium ‘Little Gem’ Caladium ‘Painted Desert’ Caladium ‘Rain or Shine’ Caladium ‘Sweet N Sassy’ Where to Buy New Caladium Varieties All of the caladiums in this post are from Classic Caladiums. You may see some of these at your favorite garden center, but you can also purchase them directly from these folks. You can see photos of their farm here, and see other new varieties I’ve highlighted in the past...
by Keri Byrum | Feb 1, 2023 | Plant Spotlight |
Is tapeworm plant your next houseplant? Yes! From their vibrant green leaves and small white flowers, to the eye-catching branching patterns of thin stems resembling tiny worms – tapeworm plants bring a special charm into any space. With only basic care requirements for success in your home, these interesting houseplants will add plenty of character with minimal effort. The unique shrub known as the centipede plant, tapeworm plant, or ribbonbush is a sight to behold. It features small flat leaves and stems with an arching shape. Muehlenbeckia platyclada adds an air of mystery wherever it takes root. For a truly inviting home, tapeworm plants are the perfect way to add lushness and elegance. From the graceful foliage that adds texture and contrast in any space to use them as living walls or curtains for privacy – these flowering vines offer much more than just beauty alone! Not only do they help soften sharp edges of furniture but also make rooms appear bigger with ease; additionally, they provide an extra benefit since research has shown that tapeworms can purify the air, making them ideal if you suffer from allergies or respiratory conditions. What is a Tapeworm Plant? Step aside, begonias! The tapeworm plant is a quirky and fascinating species of tropical flowering plant native to Central and South America. This vibrant greenery stands out with its long, thin stem that undulates like – you guessed it – an actual wiggly worm! Each branch features finger or toe-like sections while small white flowers adorn the end of each segment; the entire length can stretch up to two feet in height. Truly distinct yet strikingly beautiful, this particular piece of foliage makes an unforgettable statement wherever planted. Previously known as Homalocladium platycladum, Tapeworm plant is a member of the Polygonaceae family. The Polygonaceae are a family of flowering plants known informally as the knotweed family or buckwheat family. While others may look different in growth habit, they all have the same small, tight cluster type flowers. How Do You Take Care of the Tapeworm Plant? Tapeworm plants grow best as a houseplant near a window to get plenty of indirect sunlight every day, and keep the humidity high by regularly misting it regularly or pairing it with other plants. Additionally, be sure there are drainage holes present on their containers for aeration and moisture control—tapeworm plants thrive best when soil is moist without standing water. Finally, fertilize from time to time using liquid fertilizer, as this helps promote optimal growth and healthiness of these delicate flora companions. I’ve found that my tapeworm plant grows like crazy when I put it outside for the summer. I usually tuck it in among a group of pots and it flourishes in the summer heat and humidity. Pruning Tapeworm Plant Pruning your tapeworm plant not only keeps it tidy and neat, but can be used to shape its growth! Snipping off the tips of stems will encourage horizontal branching, allowing you to keep a more compact look. This lateral spread also allows for increased light exposure and photosynthesis throughout all levels. (And don’t forget to read the following section on tapeworm plant propagation so you can grow more with all of those trimmings!) Tapeworm Plant Propagation You can unleash your inner botanist and propagate a tapeworm plant. Snip off four inches of an existing stem, place it in well-drained soil or compost mix, then keep the area lightly moist as you wait for new stems to start appearing. Once established—roughly 2-3 months later—provide indirect sunlight and fertilize during spring/summer only; plants tend to slow down significantly over the fall/winter, so avoid boosting them at this time. With proper care, before long, you’ll be able to enjoy your very own baby tapeworm plant. Why Do Tapeworm Plants Have Flat Stems? Tapeworm plants have found innovative ways to survive in their environment. By having flattened stems that can absorb and store water from the soil, they can make it through arid times when other plants would wilt. Additionally, this same flatness makes them more difficult for predators to spot and provides an evolutionary edge over competing species with rounder stems. How Much Sunlight Does a Tapeworm Plant Need To Grow? Tapeworm plants enjoy plenty of bright light but aren’t a fan of direct sunlight – it’s best to find the perfect balance between sunshine and shade, so they can thrive indoors. Too little indirect light will result in lackluster colors, while too much may burn their leaves. With 4-6 hours each day, these lively houseplants can stay healthy and vibrant. Pests, such as these mealy bugs, rare but must be addressed, How To Grow Tapeworm Plants As A Houseplant Tapeworm plants, a specialist known for their unique ability to store moisture in flattened stems, provide minimal maintenance fuss with the right care. To start growing this remarkable plant species, all you need is a quality potting soil and some patience. This plant can be very slow growing, especially during the winter months, but is sure to be a unique conversation piece in your plant collection. Patience is the key to success when caring for a tapeworm, but it will be worth the wait! With proper care and time, you’ll reap beautiful foliage rewards. Spruce up your home with a tapeworm houseplant – their eye-catching shapes and bright colors will add vibrancy to any room. And as an added bonus, they help purify the air in your home by releasing oxygen! Just remember to give it a good watering every few days so that these living decorations can thrive for many years of beauty. Tapeworm houseplants make an excellent addition to any indoor space – they provide character and beauty while requiring hardly any effort! With the right humidity levels, indirect light exposure, proper aeration through drainage holes in pots/containers used for planting & moderate temperatures during winter months – your tapeworm houseplant will be blooming with happiness. Go ahead and give it a try today – happy...
by Keri Byrum | Nov 27, 2022 | Small Spaces |
There are loads of amazing ideas that you need to try to make the most of when looking to improve your garden, and this can have a lot of benefits moving forward. You go a long way toward improving and enhancing your home as much as possible, and this is something that you need to make sure you focus on when you are looking to improve your property and make the right decisions for the future. Being able to make the best decisions that are going to improve and boost your garden is so important, and there are a lot of things that play a part in helping you to achieve this. Try to make sure you come up with some of the key ideas that are going to allow you to be successful with this as much as possible. Make sure you come up with some of the key ideas that are going to allow you to improve your garden, and this is something that you need to keep in mind here. Make it More Practical Trying to make your garden more practical can make a huge difference to the way it comes across, and there are a lot of things that play a role in this. You have to make sure you come up with some of the best ways of improving the practicality of your garden, and this is something that you need to try to get right as much as possible. There are loads of wonderful ideas that you can use to help you make your garden more practical, and this can make a massive difference to the way your garden looks and feels. There are so many ideas that play a part in allowing you to have a more practical garden, and this can make a massive difference. Plant Some Trees Planting trees and being able add some new life and energy to your garden, and this is why it is so important to make sure you come up with some of the best ideas that will help you make the most of this. Try to understand the best ways of being able to improve your garden, and one of the best ways of being able to achieve this is to buy palm trees, which can have such a massive impact on the way your home looks, and this is something that plays a massive role in this as much as possible. Go For a Low-Maintenance Back Garden When you are trying to improve your back garden, there are so many things that play a part in this, and you have to try to focus on some of the best options that will help you here. Try to make sure you come up with some of the best ideas that are going to help you enjoy the best possible garden, and there are so many benefits to having a low-maintenance yard, and this is something you’ve got to make the most of in order to make this work for you. There are loads of steps you can take that will help you when you are looking to improve your garden, and take the right steps that will help you make the best of this. There are so many great ways in which you are able to improve your garden as much as possible, and this is one of the ways to add appeal and value to your property in the...
by Keri Byrum | Jul 6, 2022 | Plant Spotlight |
One too many nights of restlessness introduced me to Geogenanthus ciliatus. Here I am, minding my own business while I crawl the internet looking at plants. With black, glossy leaves I was immediately intrigued. I squelched my desire to buy one online, but became determined to locate this plant. Geogenanthus ciliatus is a mouthful of a plant. I simply call it the “geo plant.” You might think the “geo plant” as having rigid, geometric edges but that is not so. Geogenanthus ciliatus is prized for its distinctive, luxurious leaves. They start brilliant green with a broad purple stripe, and then the leaves turn a dark, shiny purple as they mature. It’s almost dark. If your environment is suitable, it forms a beautiful ground cover, but it is best kept as a terrarium or potted plant due to its complex needs. According to Kew Science, it is a flowering plant belonging to the Commelinaceae plant family, often known as the dayflower and spiderwort family. Did you know that there are only three species of Geogenanthus, and only two of these are available for sale as houseplants? Having a Ciliatus is lovely, but knowing how to care for it is the first step in really appreciating its beauty. Are Geogenanthus ciliatus plants rare? Usually I would say yes, but to be honest I found my two plants at Walmart. Seriously! I couldn’t believe it either. My research for this plant found that it was named Favorite New Foliage Plant at the FNGLA’s Tropical Plant International Expo (TPIE) in 2022. This plant was exhibited by industry giant Costa Farms, so this was a good sign that more were on their way to the public! Geo is one of the plants in the Costa Farms Trending Tropicals collection (I’m a big fan of ALL of these plants!). Many of these collections from Costa Farms are distributed at WalMarts and Lowes, so there is a definite incentive to do some plant searching at these big box stores. Nonetheless, is Geogenanthus ciliatus rare? My answer would still be yes. Very few garden centers and specialty shops are going to have this on hand. Warm temperatures make it a good time to order online from a reputable source. Geo Plant in Outdoor Pots Since I bought both of the plants when I found them, it is giving me a chance to try growing Geo plant as a container plant outdoors. I am hoping that a humid Iowa summer will make this plant happy. Shown in the photo below, there is a lot of new growth so far and it seems to be doing very well. Once nighttime temperatures get around 50 degrees or so I am plan to dig it from the large combination planter and move it to its own pot inside for the winter. Care Guide For Geogenanthus ciliatus 1. Lighting Needs The harshness of bright sunshine can destroy these lovely leaves, so keep your geo plant in the shade or away from windows that receive too much direct light. Artificial lights, in fact, are ideal for these creatures since they like lower light levels. If you keep them in a terrarium with fluorescent lamps, you’ll have complete control over how much light they get. To aid with light, you might use some Ikea garden cabinets. I’ve had mine in a south-facing washroom window right now, but it’s winter. When the sunlight is too strong in the summer, I’ll have to relocate it. 2. Water Needs The foliage on this lovely plant is simply outstanding. However, you will need to put in some work to preserve the attractiveness of this plant, and one of the most crucial elements is watering. Because this plant is native to a moist environment, it requires consistent watering. As an indoor plant, Geogenanthus ciliatus will require frequent watering, so keep an eye on the soil for signs of dryness. What happened to my Geo plant below? To be honest, I don’t know. I am hoping that it was some issue that happened before I got it, but I just can’t be sure. Once I saw this start to happen I made sure the soil was moist (it was) and then decided to ease up on the watering a little bit. I was so concerned about it drying out that I think I may have been drowning it. 3. Soil Needs For Geogenanthus ciliatus, any ordinary houseplant potting mixture will suffice. I would recommend using a high quality potting mix, but I haven’t found that this is an extremely important detail. 4. Temperature This plant can tolerate a wide variety of climates, from hot to cold. However, I would advise keeping the temps within the needed range to guarantee optimal development. Geogenanthus ciliatus can endure a minimum indoor temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celcius). Because temperature variations might stunt the growth of this houseplant, always make sure that my Geo plant is placed away from chilly or draughty windows and doors. 5. Humidity Needs This species thrives in humid environments. This is the part that has me most nervous about this plant being grown as a houseplant in Iowa. Right now it is summer and we have plenty of humidity, but I am a little anxious about the dry winter months. We will see. But, I am taking advantage of our humid summers by growing this plant outdoors in a large container. Its doing great! 6. Fertilizers for Geogenanthus ciliatus Because this species has an active growth phase in the spring and summer, it requires more nutrients at those times. I would recommend applying a half-strength organic liquid fertilizer of high quality. You can aim for a 10-10-10 balanced ratio. This ensures that all nutrients are supplied evenly. Overdosage can result in chemical burns or toxicity; thus, diluting the fertilizer is crucial. It can also change the pH of the soil, resulting in an inefficient soil mix. How to propagate Geogenanthus ciliatus? Stem cutting or rhizome division is...
by Keri Byrum | Jun 2, 2022 | Plant Spotlight |
It is almost embarrassing to admit that for years I have been against flowers with spots. Too gaudy perhaps? Too in your face? Almost like a gimmick for plants? I don’t know if any of these were the reason or not, but after many years on the market I am now the proud owner of a petunia with spots and it is gorgeous! Petunia Surprise ‘Sparkle Red’ by Dummen Orange How to use flowers with spots in containers I actually think containers are the VERY best way to use flowers with spots. These little gems need to be up close to fully be appreciated. I’ve planted my petunia Surprise ‘Sparkle Red’ at the edge of a container near our front door. It is the very first flower that people stop at to admire. It is easy to combine these with other plants for a very nice composition. I actually think that a pot of just flowers with spots would be too much, but in combination with others it really helps them to stand out. Even though none of my other plants are flowering, the others provide a sort of green backdrop to which these spotted flowers really stand out. Changing patterns of flowers with spots The photo above shows 2-3 day old spotted petunia flowers (specifically, Petunia Surprise ‘Sparkle Red’ from Dummen Orange). The photo below shows flowers that have just opened today and you can see how the white pattern in these really changes. It is part of their charm to see the increasing white as the flowers age. The folks at Dummen Orange are responsible for releasing these to the market. I’ve always been a big fan of almost all of their plants and these are adding to the growing list. The habit for this is described as “semi-hanging” and reaffirms it as an excellent container plant. There are several varieties of petunias with spots available. I believe the dark purple has been on the market the longest. I’ve ignored these for long enough that I might need to get out and see if I can find one of these to grow...
