Plant Care Tips

* Don't underestimate the value of the right amount of light for plants. Although a plant may not show the effect of too little light right away, in time decline is unavoidable.

* Most plants, with the exception of cacti, like lots of humidity. To raise humidity around plants, put them on a tray of wet gravel. Put enough gravel in the tray so the pots won't sit directly in water.

* As flowers fade on blooming plants, clip them off to direct the plant's energy toward growth and flower production.

* Often, heat or dry conditions can cause plant foliage tips to turn brown and dry out. If this occurs, use scissors to cut off the browned tips at an angle. Remove the plant from the heat source and water as needed.

* If your plant has a pest problem, it's best -- in terms of effectiveness and safety -- to contain the pesticide.

Putting plastic around your plant takes care of both concerns. After several days, remove the plastic. Plant Beauty Tips

* To keep houseplants shapely, give their pots a quarter turn every time you water.

* For a curvaceous plant, prune off any wayward or misshapen stems.

* Large, smooth-leaved plants frequently collect dust. Wash or wipe away dust to keep the plant attractive

and to keep it photosynthesizing at its best!

* Hairy-leaved plants such as African violets also collect dust. Because moistening the leaves can cause unsightly spots, remove dust with a small paintbrush or by blowing it away.

* To maximize the aesthetic appeal of your plants, try matching plant to pot. Long, lean leaves look great in a slim pot, whereas wild, untamed plants really shine in a more generous pot. Also be sure to consider plant placement before choosing a pot. Sleek textures are classy for inside, while roughly textured, sturdy choices work well outside.

Bonsai Care Tips

Hawaiian Umbrella Bonsai

Our dwarf version of the Hawaiian Umbrella tree is one of the easiest bonsai to maintain. It does extremely well in low light environments making it perfect for the office or home. In warm weather, all indoor trees grow best outside. Never allow your indoor bonsai to freeze.

Watering

Your Hawaiian Umbrella Bonsai should be watered thoroughly every two or three days. Never let a bonsai totally dry out. Water your bonsai properly by using a watering can or hose attachment that has a fine-spray end. You should thoroughly soak your bonsai's soil. Water should be running out of the drain holes. Misting foliage periodically is recommended, but should not be considered watering.

Fertilizing & General Care

Fertilizing the Hawaiian Umbrella Bonsai is desirable -- especially in the spring. General care is also important for maintaining a beautiful bonsai. Bonsai should be periodically trimmed to keep their miniature shape.

Insects & Diseases

Insects and diseases can attack your Hawaiian Umbrella Bonsai, so it's a good idea to inspect your bonsai regularly. A brisk spraying of the trunk and foliage periodically helps keep your tree clean. If any problems appear, most garden centers have products available for treatment.



Golden Gate Ficus Bonsai



Our Golden Gate Ficus comes directly from Northern China. Because they're tropical plants, they thrive in sunny areas. For best results, place your indoor bonsai near windows facing southeast or west. If you don't have a place where your tree can get proper sunlight, using a grow light for 10 to 12 hours daily is highly recommended. In warm weather, all indoor trees grow best outside. Never allow your indoor bonsai to freeze.

Watering

Your Golden Gate Ficus should be watered thoroughly every two or three days. Never let a bonsai totally dry out. Water your bonsai properly by using a watering can or hose attachment that has a fine-spray end. You should thoroughly soak your bonsai's soil. Water should be running out of the drain holes. Misting foliage periodically is recommended, but shouldn't be considered watering.

Fertilizing & General Care

Fertilizing your Golden Gate Ficus is desirable -- especially in springtime. General care is also important for beautiful bonsai maintenance. In order to keep their miniature shape, bonsai should be trimmed periodically.

Insects & Diseases

Insects and diseases can attack your Golden Gate Ficus Bonsai, so it's a good idea to inspect your bonsai regularly. A brisk spraying of the trunk and foliage periodically helps keep your tree clean. If any problems appear, most garden centers have products available for treatment.

Dwarf Jade Bonsai

The word bonsai means "little trees in pots." The small leaf and compact foliage make the dwarf jade one of the most desirable indoor bonsai. The jade does well in both high and low light environments making it well suited for the bonsai beginner. If possible, this indoor bonsai should be in a sunny window facing SE or SW. In warm weather, you can place bonsai outside, but never allow your indoor bonsai to freeze.

Watering

The Dwarf Jade Bonsai doesn't tolerate over watering; thoroughly water your Dwarf Jade Bonsai once to twice weekly. Water your bonsai using a watering can with a fine spray end. Water should be running out of the drain holes. Misting foliage periodically is recommended, but should not be considered watering.

Fertilizing & General Care



During the spring, fertilizing your Dwarf Jade Bonsai is highly desirable. General care is also important for beautiful bonsai maintenance. In order to keep their miniature shape, bonsai should be trimmed periodically. Insects & Diseases

Insects and diseases can attack your Dwarf Jade Bonsai, so it's a good idea to inspect your bonsai regularly. A brisk spraying of the trunk and foliage periodically helps keep your tree clean. If any problems appear, most garden centers have products available for treatment.

Bamboo Care Tips

Lucky Bamboo

The Lucky Bamboo is a distinctive and beautiful tropical plant that has naked branches ending in tufts of sword-shaped leaves. Its stalk won't grow any taller once cut, as it's the leaves of the plant that grow and slowly develop into stalks themselves. Once a leaf has developed into a stalk, it can be clipped at its base -- where it was sprouted -- and placed in distilled water to start more bamboo.

Long-Lived Bamboo

The "parent" stalk in turn produces more little leaf sprouts. If a piece of Lucky Bamboo starts turning yellow, clip below the infected area or above, as it may start from the bottom. Then simply discard that portion of the yellow stalk. Because it is relatively long-lived and easy to care for, the Lucky Bamboo is a great low-maintenance, high-value gift idea!

Lucky Bamboo Facts

* Botanical name is Dracaena

* Symbolizes health, love, and luck

* Tropical plant of the lily family

* Originates in Southeast Asia

* Leaves grow about one inch per month

Lucky Bamboo Tips

* Grows best in low-light conditions

* Enjoys an indoor environment

* Dislikes direct sunlight

Bract Color

* Choose plants with thoroughly colored and expanded bracts. (Bracts are the colored portions of the plant, while the actual flowers are the yellow centers). Avoid plants with too much green around the bract edges, as this is a sign of a plant shipped before it was sufficiently mature.

* Look for plants with dense, plentiful foliage all the way to the soil line. An abundance of rich green foliage is a vital sign of good plant health.

Shape and Proportion

* Proper proportion of plant height and shape relative to container size is the key to an aesthetically pleasing poinsettia.

* Plants should appear balanced, full and attactive from all angles.

* A generally accepted standard is that the plant should be 2 1/2 times taller than the diameter of the container.

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Durability and Freshness

* Select plants with stiff stems, good bract retention and no signs of wilting, breaking or drooping.

* Be wary of plants displayed in paper, plastic or mesh sleeves, or plants that are too closely crowded in a sales display. A poinsettia needs its space, and the longer a plant remains sleeved, the more the plant quality will deteriorate. Crowding can reduce air flow around the plants and cause premature bract loss or other problems.

* Examine the plant's soil: it's best to avoid waterlogged soil, particularly if the plant appears wilted. Such a condition could signify irreversible root rot.

* When transporting the plant, protect it from chilling winds and temperatures below 50° F. Re-inserting the poinsettia into a sleeve or a large, roomy shopping bag will usually provide adequate protection for transporting the plant home when it is cold and windy.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Poinsettia Care

* DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can't be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.

* DO provide room temperatures between 68 - 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.

* DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

* DO use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.



* DO fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.



* DON'T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.

* DON'T expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.

* DON'T overwater your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.

* DON'T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.

* DON'T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.

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How to Re-Bloom Your Poinsettia

When the poinsettia's bracts age and lose their aesthetic appeal, there's no reason to throw it out. With proper care, dedication and a certain amount of luck, you too can re-bloom your poinsettia!

By late March or early April, cut your poinsettia back to about 8" in height. Continue a regular watering program, and fertilize your plant with a good, balanced all-purpose fertilizer. By the end of May, you should see vigorous new growth.

Place your plants outdoors, where they can bask in the warmth of spring and summer, after all chance of frost has passed and night temperatures average 55° F or above. Continue regular watering during the growth period, and fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks.

Pruning may be required during the summer to keep plants bushy and compact. Late June or early July is a good time for this step, but be sure not to prune your plant later than September 1. Keep the plants in indirect sun and water regularly.

Around June 1, you may transplant your poinsettia into a larger pot. Select a pot no more than 4 inches larger than the original pot. A soil mix with a considerable amount of organic matter, such as peat moss or leaf mold, is highly recommended. In milder climates, you may transplant the plant into a well-prepared garden bed. Be sure the planting bed is rich in organic material and has good drainage.

The poinsettia is a photoperiodic plant, meaning that it sets bud and produces flowers as the Autumn nights lengthen. Poinsettias will naturally come into bloom during November or December, depending on the flowering response time of the individual cultivar. Timing to produce blooms for the Christmas holiday can be difficult outside of the controlled environment of a greenhouse. Stray light of any kind, such as from a street light or household lamps, could delay or entirely halt the re-flowering process.

Starting October 1, the plants must be kept in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. Accomplish this by moving the plants to a totally dark room, or by covering them overnight with a large box. During October, November and early December, poinsettias require 6 - 8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60 - 70° F. Temperatures outside of this range could also delay flowering.

Continue the normal watering and fertilizer program. Carefully following this regime for 8 to 10 weeks should result in a colorful display of blooms for the holiday season!

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The Poinsettia is NOT Poisonous

The widespread belief that poinsettias are poisonous is a misconception. The scientific evidence demonstrating the poinsettia's safety is ample and well documented.

Studies conducted by The Ohio State University in cooperation with the Society of American Florists concluded that no toxicity was evident at experimental ingestion levels far exceeding those likely to occur in a home environment. In fact, the POISINDEX Information Service, the primary information resource used by most poison control centers, states that a 50-pound child would have to ingest over 500 poinsettia bracts to surpass experimental doses. Yet even at this high level, no toxicity was demonstrated.

As with all ornamental plants, poinsettias are not intended for human or animal consumption, and certain individuals may experience an allergic reaction to poinsettias. However, the poinsettia has been demonstrated to be a safe plant. In fact, in 1992, the poinsettia was included on the list of houseplants most helpful in removing pollutants from indoor air. So, not only is the poinsettia a safe and beautiful addition to your holiday decor, it can even help keep your indoor air clean!

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© Paul Ecke Ranch All Rights Reserved

* Doesn't need soil or fertilizer

The Do's and Don'ts of Poinsettia Care

* DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can't be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.

* DO provide room temperatures between 68 - 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.

* DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

* DO use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.

* DO fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.

* DON'T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.

* DON'T expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.



* DON'T over water your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.

* DON'T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.

* DON'T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom.

* Prefers distilled or purified water