Steven A. Frowine

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-23-2024

Once you know what makes houseplants happy, growing them is a snap. If you start with one of the 10 easy houseplants I suggest and then follow the guidelines and tips in this Cheat Sheet, you’ll have a green thumb before you know it. You can then join the large and growing clan of dedicated houseplant lovers, and you may even decide to branch out with more difficult plants or crafts, such as creating your own corsage. Good luck and welcome to the club!

Article / Updated 02-22-2024

A corsage is a wearable flower arrangement. Although some people think corsages are unfashionable (or even corny), I guarantee that if you make one for yourself or your partner for a special occasion, you’ll get loads of compliments. Many houseplants’ flowers and foliage make stunning and long-lasting corsages, and you can create one yourself relatively quickly. Some examples are anthuriums, various ferns, many orchids, and gardenias. Follow these steps: Remove the flower you want to use from its plant, keeping about 3 inches (7.6 cm) of the stem. Wrap the stem with florist’s wire as shown in the first photo. Start at the top and work your way down to the base of the stem. Two or three passes are sufficient. Cut the excess wire with wire cutters or utility scissors. Wrap florist’s tape around the flower stem as shown in the second photo. You can purchase this tape at craft stores, online, or from florists. As with the florist’s wire, start at the top and work your way down to the base of the stem. Cut the excess tape with utility scissors. If you want, you can add a fern frond or some other delicately textured green foliage to the corsage (see the third photo). Hold the frond against the stem and at the back of the flower. Fasten the foliage to the flower stem by wrapping them both with another layer of tape. For a decorative touch, you can add a ribbon, and don’t forget to provide a florist’s pin like the one shown in the fourth photo. Now you’re ready to go to the ball! Place the finished corsage in a sealed rigid plastic container or in a plastic bag and keep it in your refrigerator until it’s ready to be worn. For more houseplant know-how, check out the Houseplants & Succulents For Dummies Cheat Sheet or buy the book.

Article / Updated 07-28-2022

The best advice for planning your first vegetable garden is to start small. Just be sure you locate your garden in a sunny spot where expansion is possible. As for actual size, it depends on what you want to grow. Here's what you can put in the following standard-size gardens: A 6 x 8 foot plot can support a couple tomato plants, maybe some bush beans, and some lettuce. A 10 x 18 foot plot can hold all that, plus a couple space-consuming squash plants and cucumbers, and maybe some carrots or beets. A 20 x 24 foot plot can hold all that, plus peppers, leeks, broccoli, turnips, and maybe some herbs. A 40 x 60 plot allows you more of everything, plus some bigger items, such as corn (corn isn't worth growing unless you can have a dozen or more plants because otherwise they don't pollinate or pollinate completely, and you end up harvesting gap-toothed ears) and asparagus or rhubarb. Sketch out your vegetable garden plan on paper before planting. Figure out how much space to allot to individual plants — and don't forget to allow for space between the rows, or paths, so you can tend the plants. (Mature sizes of various vegetable varieties are noted on seed packets and often in catalog descriptions.) Allow for succession planting: If something is harvested early in the summer, lettuce, say, or peas, you can then free up that space for another crop, such as carrots. Succession planting is a good trick, but to pull it off, you may need to do some research as well as some trial and error — and be willing to invest the time and effort. You could also plan for a constant vegetable harvest by intercropping, or interplanting. This method is simple: Just have two different plants share the same part of the garden in an alternating or checkerboard pattern. This setup can look rather nifty, but it has practical advantages as well. Smaller, faster-maturing plants can grow with larger, slower-growing ones and so you always have something to harvest. And plants that appreciate a little shade can grow in the shelter of taller ones (have pole beans next to lettuce or spinach, for example).

Article / Updated 07-28-2022

Don't be afraid to repot your orchids while caring for them. Despite their reputation, orchids are tough, and repotting helps them thrive. You'll know it time to repot orchids when Orchid roots are overflowing the pot The plant itself is going over the edge of the pot Potting material is getting soggy and drains poorly The ideal time to repot most orchids is when the plant starts new growth — usually right after it finishes flowering. Prepare the potting mix Choose a potting mix that suits your particular type of orchid. Whether you mix it yourself or buy it ready-made — it must be wetted before you use it. Otherwise, it'll never hold moisture properly and will always dry out. Here's how you prepare the orchid mix for potting: Pour the amount of potting material you intend to use into a bucket that has about twice the volume of the mix. Fill the bucket with hot water. Hot water penetrates the material better than cold water. Let the mixture soak overnight. The next day, pour out the mix into a colander or strainer. Rinse the mix thoroughly to wash out the dust that was in the mix. Now the mix is ready to use. Time to repot When you're ready to repot the orchid, spread out some newspaper over a work surface. Gather up a knife, scissors, new orchid pots (or old ones that are thoroughly cleaned), wooden stakes, and soft ties. Now, follow these steps: Remove the orchid from the pot. You may need to use a knife to circle the inside of the pot and loosen the roots. Remove the old, loose, rotted potting material and any soft, damaged, or dead roots. If the roots are healthy, firm, and filling the pot, put the orchid in a pot just one size larger than the one you removed it from, placing the older growth toward the back so the new lead or growth has plenty of room. If the roots are rotted and in poor condition, repot the plant in a container of the same or one size smaller than it was removed from. If you place a poorly rooted plant in a container that's too large, the growing material will stay too damp, which will result in root rot. Some orchid growers like to add a coarse material like broken clay pots or Styrofoam in the bottom of the pots to improve drainage. You don't have to do this if you're using shallow, azalea-type pots. Place the plant in the pot so it's at the same depth as it was originally. The new shoot should be level with the pot rim. Press the fresh potting material into the pot and around the orchid roots with your thumbs and forefingers. The orchid should be secure in the pot so it doesn't wiggle — otherwise, the new roots won't form properly. Place a wooden or bamboo stake in the center of the pot, and tie up the new and old leads with soft string or twist ties. When orchids are in bloom, the staking techniques will vary, depending on the type of orchid. Monopodial orchids are those with one growing point that always grows vertically, not sideways (such as phalaenopsis, angraecums, and vandas). The potting process for these orchids is similar to the process just outlined, except that the orchid should be placed in the center of the container, rather than toward the back.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-01-2022

To have the garden of your dreams, make sure you pick the right plants for your hardiness zone and select the right fertilizers for your plants. If your garden is shady, this Cheat Sheet offers a list of plants made for the shade. When you're planning and measuring your garden use the handy conversion chart for metric and standard measurements.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-15-2022

Growing orchids at home isn’t as difficult as you might think. This handy Cheat Sheet will help you get started. Take a look at the list of fragrant orchids to decide which sweet scents you want around your house. You'll also find some helpful tips about knowing when and how to fertilize and water your orchids.

Article / Updated 11-15-2019

Many people think fertilizer is some type of elixir that will save even the most abused orchid. Actually, if the orchid is in poor health, fertilizers are rarely the answer. Fertilizers are most useful as a boost to help an already healthy orchid grow better. The number and types of fertilizers on the market can make your head spin! You'll hear a lot of mumbo-jumbo about why one fertilizer is better than another. Fortunately, the choice isn't nearly as complicated as some manufacturers seem to make it. If the orchid's roots are damaged, applying fertilizers will make the problem worse. If roots aren't functioning well, they can't absorb the fertilizer, and if the fertilizer isn't used by the orchid, it can accumulate in the orchid potting material. This buildup of fertilizer salts can further dehydrate and damage the remaining roots. The following suggestions apply to most orchid-growing situations: Look at the label and choose a fertilizer that has the words nitrate nitrogen or ammoniacal nitrogen, not urea: Although all forms can be used by plants, recent research shows that the nitrate and ammoniacal forms, not urea, are most beneficial to orchids. Look for a fertilizer with 20 percent or less nitrogen: High amounts of nitrogen, much more than 20 percent, are not necessary to grow the best orchids no matter what media they are grown in. Too much of any nutrient cannot be used by the orchid plant and, as a result, merely ends up as a pollutant. Don't worry about the amount of phosphorus in the fertilizer: It was earlier thought that a high-phosphorus fertilizer was necessary for better orchid bloom. This has now been found not to be the case. In most cases, a fertilizer with supplementary calcium (up to 15 percent) and magnesium (up to 8 percent) is a real plus: For most water sources, adding trace elements, including sodium, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, iron, and molybdenum, has been found to be beneficial to orchid growth: Don't worry about the exact amounts; just check the fertilizer container or label to see if they appear in small amounts. Any fertilizer that meets these requirements will do. To find out if your chosen fertilizer does, carefully look at the fertilizer container. By law, the manufacturer is required to list what chemicals are included in the fertilizer. Do not use water that has passed through water-softening units on your orchids. Such water may contain high amounts of sodium that can be harmful to orchids. Here are some pointers to help you know when it's time to fertilize your orchid: Fertilizing frequently at a more dilute rate is better than fertilizing less often at a higher concentration. Never apply more fertilizer than is recommended by the manufacturer. Drench the potting material, several times in a row, every few weeks or so with fresh water that contains no nutrients to wash out any excess fertilizer salts. Very dark green leaves that are succulent and floppy can be a sign of overfertilizing. When the orchids are actively growing, fertilize them. If the orchids are diseased and in poor condition, stop fertilizing.

Article / Updated 11-15-2019

The right potting mix for orchids provides plenty of drainage, air circulation, or moisture — depending on the needs of your particular orchid. Orchid mixes consist of a variety of potting materials, each of which has its pros and cons. You can mix your own blend from the recipes below, or you can buy ready-made orchid mixes. Knowing your potting material options The phrase potting material isn't just a fancy way of saying dirt. Potting materials can consist of gravel, dried plant fibers, bark, and more. You won't find potting soil in orchid mixes, because most orchids have roots that need more air space than soil can provide. Orchids also need potting material that drains rapidly and at the same time retains moisture. Because orchids usually go at least a year, and many times longer, between repotting, they also need materials that are slow to decompose. No single potting material works best for every orchid or orchid grower. The following table shows some of the most common potting materials used, along with some of their pros and cons. Pros and Cons of Potting Materials for Orchids Potting Material Pros Cons Aliflor Doesn't decompose; provides good aeration Heavy Coco husk chunks Retains moisture while also providing sufficient air; slower to decompose than bark Must be rinsed thoroughly to remove any salt residue; smaller grades may retain too much moisture Coco husk fiber Retains water well; decomposes slowly Does not drain as well as bark or coco husk chunks Fir bark Easy to obtain; inexpensive; available in many grades (sizes) Can be difficult to wet; decomposes relatively quickly Gravel Drains well; inexpensive Heavy; holds no nutrients Hardwood charcoal Very slow to decompose; absorbs contaminants Holds very little moisture; can be dusty to handle Lava rock Never decomposes; drains well Heavy Osmunda fiber Retains moisture; slow to break down Very expensive; hard to find Perlite (sponge rock) Lightweight; provides good aeration and water retention; inexpensive Retains too much water if used alone Redwood bark Lasts longer than fir bark Hard to find Sphagnum moss Retains water and air; readily available Can retain too much water if packed tightly in the pot or after it starts to decompose Styrofoam peanuts Inexpensive; readily available; doesn't decompose; rapid draining Should not be used alone because doesn't retain water or nutrients; best used as drainage in bottoms of pots; can be too light for top-heavy plants Tree fern fiber Rapidly draining; slow to decompose Expensive; low water retention Make your own orchid mix Following are recipes for two basic mixes that suit most orchids. The growing mixes are based on the texture or particle size of the mix, which is connected to the size of the orchid roots and their need for water retention. Fine mix This mix works well for smaller plants of all types of orchids, slipper orchids, most oncidiums, miltonias, and any other orchids with small roots that like to stay on the damp side: 4 parts fine-grade fir bark or fine-grade coco husk chips or redwood bark 1 part fine charcoal 1 part horticultural-grade perlite or small-grade Aliflor Medium mix This is your middle-of-the-road mix. If you aren't sure which mix to use, try this one. This mix is also good for cattleyas, phalaenopsis, and most mature orchids: 4 parts medium-grade fir bark or medium-grade coco husk chunks 1 part medium charcoal 1 part horticultural-grade perlite or medium-grade Aliflor If you'd rather just buy your mix ready-made, prepared potting mixes are readily available from most places that sell orchids, including home-improvement stores. Most mixes contain fir bark, perlite, charcoal, and sometimes some peat moss and are suitable for most orchids.

Article / Updated 11-15-2019

When shopping for an orchid pot, you'll find many types to choose from. Some orchid containers are more ornamental, while others have functional differences. The most common container is the basic pot — plastic or clay (terracotta); each material has its advantages, and choosing one may depend on the type of orchid you are taking care of. In general, if your orchids tend to dry out too often, use plastic pots rather than clay and use a fine potting mix. If you tend to be a heavy waterer, use clay pots with a coarse mix. The big differences between standard garden pots and those used for orchids are the number and size of drainage holes in the container. Orchid pots have larger holes and more of them, both in the bottom and sides of the pot, to ensure better drainage. Some containers are shallow — shorter than standard garden pots — and with a larger base, which is especially useful for top-heavy orchids. Other pots are tall and narrow to meet the needs of orchids with super-long roots, such as Asian cymbidiums. Types of orchid pots include: Net pots are made of black plastic mesh. These pots are reminiscent of the green strawberry baskets from the produce section of the supermarket. Clear plastic, which allows light to reach the roots and enables you to observe root growth Pots with a net basket insert for great drainage and air circulation Pots with bi-level drainage, which have a domed bottom studded with drainage holes Wooden baskets, usually constructed of teak or some other rot-resistant wood. When potting in a basket, line the basket with sheet moss, and then add your potting mixture. Whether you choose clay or plastic, make sure that your orchid pot is rigid and strong enough to support top-heavy blossoms or root-bound growth. (Plenty of orchids enjoy being a bit root-bound.) You can find many different types of containers for growing orchids.

Article / Updated 05-01-2017

Planting bulbs is simple. But before you start the planting process, be sure the chosen spot has good, well-draining soil. Bulbs rot in soggy ground and struggle in sandy soil; although adding some organic matter can ease these problems considerably, it is still in your best interest to select a location that resembles an ideal environment for your bulbs. Learn how to plant bulbs for the best results with these steps: Dig an appropriately sized hole. If you're planting only a few bulbs or you're spot-planting (tucking bulbs in among other plants in a mixed bed), use a trowel. If you're planting lots of bulbs, break out the shovel and make a trench. Not all bulbs are the same size, so not all bulbs should be planted the same depth. The general rule is three times as deep as the bulb's height. This guideline varies a bit based on your soil type. In sandier soils, you can plant a little deeper; in heavy clay soils, a little shallower. If you forget how deep to plant your bulbs, consult the supplier's label or catalog. Too shallow, and your bulbs may poke their heads above the soil surface too early and get damaged by wintry weather; too deep, and they'll take longer to emerge. Roots grow out of the bottom of the bulb, so the quality of the soil underneath it is more important than what you pack the hole with. If you're amending the soil with organic material like compost or sphagnum moss, dig somewhat deeper-than-recommended holes so you can accommodate this addition. Distance apart varies with the type of bulb and the sort of display you have in mind. If you crowd the bulbs underground, the eventual show may suffer. Certainly, don't let the bulbs touch one another. The general rule is at least three bulb-widths apart "on center" (from the center of one bulb to the center of the next). But experience can tell you what the bulbs you've chosen tolerate and how dense you like your displays. Add a fertilizer. Use a fertilizer that has a higher phosphorus number, such as a 5-10-5 fertilizer. Phosphorus (the P in the N-P-K on fertilizer labels) is important for the root growth as well as flower production. Just sprinkle the fertilizer in the bottom of the hole and scratch it in so it mixes with the soil a bit. If the ground is bone dry, water a day or so before planting so the ground is damp but not muddy when you're planting the bulbs. If you want to wait to fertilize, you can scratch the fertilizer into the surface of the soil in the spring as the bulbs are growing. Securely place the bulb’s basal plate against the bottom of the hole. You want the nose, or growing point, to point up and the roots, or basal plate from which they'll grow, to point down. (If you can't tell, plant the bulb on its side — the plant will figure it out in due course! Botanists call this nifty skill gravitropism.) Make sure the bottom of the bulb is in contact with soil; if you leave an air pocket, the roots can dry out and the bulb won't grow or won't grow very well. Backfill with soil and water generously. As you scoop soil back into the hole, firmly press it in place to prevent air pockets. Water well (some settling will occur) and then add a bit more soil as needed. Indicate where you've planted your bulbs so you don't plant other flowers in the same place. Mark the locations with permanent nonrusting, nonrotting labels like those made of zinc or copper.