Best Tips For Growing Areca Palm Indoors

Areca palm is a popular and commonly seen houseplant which gives tropical feeling to home.  It is identified by long, shiny, feather shaped leaves arched outward and down. It is on the top of NASA list on best air purifying plants.  Areca palm grows 6 to 7 feet average while growing indoors. It is also called as Golden cane palm, Butterfly palm, Yellow cane palm.

Container

Due to the height of the areca palm, choose a fairly large container for it to grow into. Since garden centers tend to cultivate these plants in bright light, gradually acclimate your areca to the lower light conditions in your home. Place your new plant in its container outdoors in a part-shade location, then move it to a bright indoor location after a few weeks. If the roots fill the pot within a few years, you can re-pot the palm tree or plant it outdoors. New growth springs from a central growing point at the top of a palm tree's trunk, which means that palms can't be pruned to reduce their height; pruning can damage or kill the plant. The only recourse if a tree grows too tall is to relocate it to an area with a higher ceiling or outdoors.

Soil

A peat-based mix is perfect, with lots of material for drainage. Palms appreciate good drainage to prevent water-logged roots.

Watering

The Areca Palm requires heavy watering; however do not allow the plant to sit in water because this could lead then to root rot. The Areca Palm will wilt drastically if you allow the soil to dry out completely. On a good note, once you water it, the plant will stand back up.

Sun / Temperature

Requires bright indirect light so keep it within 5 to 8 feet from a sunny window. If put in too much direct light, the fronds may get burnt from the sunlight. When a frond becomes yellow or dead like in appearance be sure to remove the entire frond.

Fertilizer

Feed with a weak liquid fertilizer once or twice during the growing season and not at all during the winter.

Caring

Indoor areca palm plants suffer from few pest or diseases. The main problem is root rot from over watering or allowing the pots to remain in standing water. Flecks with a soot appearance on the stem sheaths are normal, but leaves that turn yellow may mean a soil that has an overly high pH or a deficiency of potassium. If a soil test kit reveals a lack of potassium, use sulfur-coated potassium sulfate, applied to the soil at the rate on the package label. Brown leaves are usually a sign of over-fertilizing, dry air or a lack of water. Spider mites are attracted to dusty leaves, especially in winter when humidity is low, but cleaning palm fronds with a mild, soapy water can prevent the problem.

Best Tips For Growing Bougainvillea In Pot / Container

You must have noticed this plants in parks and at road side. It is easy growing, low maintainenace plant and comes in different attractive shades ranging from pink, orange,white to purple. Famous for papery blossoms bougainvillea can be grown on ground, pots, container and hanging baskets. It is also popular among bonsai lovers.

Container

Choose a pot that is at least 30cm-40cm wide. Choose a heavy pot. This will prevent the pot from blowing over in the rain. The pot should have drainage holes. Bougainvillea plants do not like having "wet feet".

Soil

Bougainvillea has an extremely fine root system, and should be planted in well-drained soils. You can use red garden soil too brought from local nurseries.  Fill the container to the top with potting soil and place the bougainvillea plant into the container. Pat the potting soil around the base of the plant and give it a generous watering. Bougainvillea plants thrive most abundantly in containers where they are root bound.

Water

Water the bougainvillea as needed to keep the plant from wilting but no more than this. Do not over-water; allow the soil to dry between watering.

Sun / Temperature

As a tropical plant, Bougainvillea requires full sun. Bring the bougainvillea plant inside when the temperature nears freezing because bougainvillea will not tolerate frosts. If you place the plant in a sunny location, it might continue to grow all winter without going into a dormancy stage. If you place the plant in a shady location, it could go dormant. If the bougainvillea becomes dormant, water the plant only enough to keep the soil lightly damp. 

Fertilizer

Bougainvillea is not much demanding. Use compost or general purpose fertilizer. In case of liquid fertilizer dilute it to half strength before use. Do not feed in winter as it tends to go in dormant stage.

Caring

There are 3 ways of caring Bougainvillea

Prunning means the act of removing entire branches or major structural parts of the plant.  This could be anywhere from several inches to several feet depending on the size of your bougainvillea.  Pruning is performed with pruning shears.  Pruning a bougainvillea is recommended when entire branches are deterring from the overall shape of the plant, or jeopardizing the structural integrity of the bougainvillea.

Trimming means   removing just the ends of branches or shoots.  This could be anywhere from an inch to several feet, depending on the size of your plant.  Trimming can be performed with hedge shears – either hand-held or electric & gas powered for very large plants.  Hand-held hedge shears are recommended for a clean edge and for precise trimming.  For professional landscapers trimming miles of bougainvillea, gas-powered hedge shears are very efficient, and get the job done nicely.

Pinching means  removing just the very tip of new shoots.  Since new shoots are only a few inches in length (that goes for all sizes of bougainvillea), pinching the tip requires removing just an inch or less.  New shoots are usually green, soft, pliable, contain tiny leaves or the beginning formation of a bud at the very tip, and ‘snaps’ off easily when pinched.  Pinching is usually performed by hand.   It can also be done simultaneously while trimming – for any act of removing the tip of new shoots is called pinching, whether by hand or cutting tool.  If you do not want to trim your bougainvillea and only want to pinch it, it will have to be done with a pair of compact hand shears or by hand.  Wearing gardening gloves is recommended when pinching by hand.

Best Tips For Growing Papaya ( Papita )

Papaya is a perennial fruit plant. It is grown for its fleshy, large and tasty fruits. It can grow up to 30 feet. Papaya plant is grown in pair as male and female are different and are required for fruit production. It fruits all year round in warm conditions. Provided enough light and water you can grow this plant at your home with ease. 

Propagation

In Pots / Container

Papaya can be grown from seeds successfully. Scoop out black and shiny seeds from the fruit with the help of a spoon. Spread the seeds on a paper towel and leave for drying. It may take up to 1 week for seeds to dry completely. Once dried, remove outer coating of the seeds and store in a cool, dry place.

Sow 3-4 seeds into each pot. Make sure they are ½ inch deep and at least 2 inches away from each other. Water the soil thoroughly. Seeds sprout within 3 weeks after sowing. Take out unhealthy and weak seedlings to leave only 1 seedling per pot.

Outdoors

Choose a sunny, well drained location for planting papaya and work with ground. Remove weeds from the place and add farm yard manure or good quality home garden compost to it. Sprinkle seeds and water it.

If you want to grow papaya using a nursery sapling then first dig a hole in the ground twice as deeper and wider as plant in the container. Add farm yard manure (cow dung etc) or garden compost to it. This will help in providing required nutrition to the plant. Cover the hole with fine layer of soil and water it. 

Soil

Papaya requires a well drained and nutrient rich soil. Generally while growing papaya outdoors, gardeners dig a hole in ground and add compost or manure to it. This makes soil more fertilized and enriched with organic matters. 

Water

Papaya has same watering needs as banana. Due to its large leaves, it would require a lot of water in summer as in warm weather amount of water evaporated will be higher.

But be careful not to over water the plant. Papaya is susceptible to root rot. In summer water the papaya plant regularly and cut down watering in winter to twice a week depending on how fast your soil drains.

Mulch the plant’s base with a fine layer. It helps in retaining water and moisture around the plant.

Sun / Temperature

Papaya loves heat, sun and humidity. While growing in partial shaded place, fruit yield and quality is not good. 

Fertilizer

Feed papaya plant regularly. You can use compost for the same. Or fertilize with commercially available fertilizer every two weeks.