Chain Store Quality:
A chain store quality plant is one that is usually found in the floral sections of supermarkets, home improvement stores, and discount mega stores. These plants have fewer starts than florist quality plants. “Starts” are the stems, leaves, or seeds initially planted when propagating a new plant. The grower often sells chain store quality plants before the roots have fully developed. Less starts and undeveloped roots mean that the plant will always be a little thin. If you over water, there aren’t many chances for the plant to recover. The soil is usually of poorer quality and should be replaced once you bring the plant home. Always check for bugs, diseases, and very soggy soil before you purchase one of these plants. The upside is that a chain store plant is at least ½ the price of a florist quality plant.

Clean Air Plant:
A study sponsored by NASA and conducted by Dr. Bill Wolverton concluded that certain plants clean the air of harmful chemical toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. These air-borne toxins come from such common items as carpets, paint, copy machines, manufactured wood products, pesticides, upholstery, detergents and even paper towels. Biologic contaminants include pollen, mold, bacteria, and viruses that can grow in humidifiers, air conditioners, ducts, carpets, ceilings, & tiles. People who work in areas where these pollutants are present may experience headaches, nausea, fatigue, sore throat, eye & throat irritation, and other symptoms. Everyday houseplants have been shown to absorb these toxins and clean the air. The top clean air plants are: Bamboo Palm. Chinese Evergreen, Dracaena Janet Craig, Peace Lily (spathyphylum), Sansiviera (mother-in-law plant), English Ivy, Spider Plant, Dracaena Marginata, Chrysanthemum, Dracaena Warneki, and Dracaena Massangeana (corn plant).

DriWater:
DriWater is a gel-like commercial product that can provide water to your plants for up to 90 days. It automatically waters your plants whether you are at home or on vacation.
 
Fertilizer:
Plants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. As a general rule you should feed your plants every two weeks in the summer, monthly in spring and fall, and never in the winter. Plants in low light require less food than those in high light; many plants prefer a fertilizer at ½ strength; and plants in bloom often do not need fertilizer for several months.

Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphoric acid (P), and potassium (K). The label on the fertilizer explains how much of each element is in one pound of the plant food with nitrogen listed first, phosphoric acid second, and potassium third; for example 10-10-10 or 1-2-1. Any plant food with these proportions is beneficial to your plants.

Too much food is worse for a plant than too little! Fertilizers have a high salt content. If the plant is not actively growing it does not use the fertilizer, and the salts build up in the soil. This high concentration of salt can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.  Always allow water with fertilizer to drain out of the bottom of the pot, never allow a plant to sit in water that contains fertilizer, and thoroughly rinse your soil with salt free water at least three or four times a year.

Florist Quality Plants:
Florist quality plants are usually purchased at a nursery or florist shop. There are plenty of starts in the pot to ensure a full robust plant. “Starts” are the stems, leaves, or seeds initially planted when propagating a new plant. The roots are developed, and it should be planted in good soil. Usually the plant has been well taken care of by knowledgeable employees before you purchase it. You should still always check carefully for pests and diseases that may have gone unnoticed. Most reputable stores will give you at a 30-day warranty and provide care instructions.

Foliglo:
Foliglo is a commercial product that cleans and shines the foliage of indoor plants in one step. Always test any houseplant spray on one or two leaves of the plant to be sure it won’t damage the foliage. Spray and wet the leaves thoroughly with Foliglo. It dissolves dust, mineral deposits, and water stains and then dries to a natural shine. Do not use on furry leaf plants such as African Violets or Begonias or on palms. Move the plant out of the sun before spraying and be sure the soil is damp. Protect all surfaces such as floors and walls before spraying.

Green Solution:
Many of us don’t like to use commercial toxic chemical products to treat pest problems on our houseplants. The “green solution” is a mixture of water, alcohol, biodegradable liquid soap, and mineral oil. Always test any houseplant spray on one or two leaves of the plant to be sure it won’t damage the foliage.
Depending upon how bad the infestation is you can use these products in varying proportions. If there are only a few pests, dip a Q-tip in alcohol and gently swab them off.  For a more widespread problem, start by using a spray of warm water mixed with two tablespoons of biodegradable soap. If that doesn’t cure the problem, make a solution using equal amounts of water & alcohol, then add two tablespoons of biodegradable soap and two tablespoons of mineral oil. Spray all areas of the plant. Use on leathery leafed plants only, never on fuzzy leafed plants like African Violets or Begonias. Never spray a plant that’s sitting in the sun. Never spray a plant with very dry soil.

Grower's Pot
Growers ship their plants to retail outlets in these pots. They have drip holes in the bottom to prevent over watering. Never take a plant out of its grower’s plot and directly plant it into a sealed decorative container. This would encourage over-watering and root rot. Place a drip saucer inside your decorative pot and then install the plant still in its grower’s pot.

Miracid:
A commercial plant food made for acid loving plants such as azaleas.

Neem Oil:
This is a natural oil made from the pressed seeds and fruits of neem trees. It can be used as a miticide, fungicide, and pesticide. Neem oil is especially effective on whitefly, aphids, scale, mildew, & leaf spot. It only takes about two tablespoons per gallon of water.

Poisonous Houseplants:
Some houseplants contain chemicals, especially calcium oxalic acid, that adversely effect humans and animals. These problems include skin irritations from the sap, stomach irritations, & numbness of the mouth and throat when ingested. The following plants are mildly toxic and should be kept out of the reach of small children & pets: dieffenbachia, English ivy, cyclamen, anthurium, philodendron, & schefflera. The sap of plants such as ficus, peace lily, Chinese evergreen, and sansiviera may also cause mild skin irritations. The amount eaten and the weight of the child or pet determines the extent of the toxicity. One leaf eaten by a 20-pound infant is a lot more toxic than one leaf eaten by a 40-pound child.

Pokon:
This is a commercial leaf shine product that is environmentally safe. Spray it on your leather leafed plants to remove dust and water spots. Always test any houseplant spray on one or two leaves of the plant to be sure it won’t damage the foliage. No wiping is necessary and it dries to a natural shine.

Rooting Hormone:
This product encourages cuttings from your plants to send out new roots. Dip the end you will plant into water and then dip it into the rooting hormone. Tap off any excess; too much hormone is worse than too little.

Runners:
This term refers to the long trailing vines sent out by such plants as pothos, marble queen, hoya, and heart shaped philodendron.

Safer Insecticidal Soap: This is an organic commercial product that provides effective insect and disease control on houseplants. It works as an insecticide, fungicide, and miticide.

Succulent Plants:
Succulents, native to very dry areas of the tropics and subtropics, adapted to a limited availability of water by developing thick roots, leaves, and stems. These parts of the plant collect and store water in order to survive long periods of drought. This gives a succulent a very swollen appearance and its nickname, the fat plant. Succulents need little water or humidity.


Superthrive:
Superthrive is a commercial product which is a combination of vitamins and hormones that encourages plant growth both above and below the soil line. It is not a plant food and can be used in conjunction with all fertilizers. Just a few drops in your watering can is all that is needed to improve the health of all of your plants.

Yellow Sticky Cards: These cards are used to trap thrips, whiteflies winged aphids, and fungus gnats. Place these little sticky cards inside & around your infested plants, near doors, vents, and windows. Stir the soil to encourage the pests to fly around and land on the cards. Change the sticky traps as their surface becomes covered with dead insects & other debris.