A Herbal Journey - Blog of Note

Here is a great blog I just found through a friend connection: it is called A Herbal Journey, and has some excellent information on herbs and their use, particularly in the pagan community! Lists of plant folk names abound! Please enjoy! The link is below.

A Herbal Journey

Peace Lily 101

Here are some basic tips for keeping your Peace Lily looking its very best:

1 - Keep the plant evenly moist (not dry to the touch, not soggy, but lightly damp)

2 - Water Peace Lily frequently

3 - Fertilize each time you water for increased flowering production

4 - Wipe leaves clean with a damp cloth or sponge

5 - Shower or rinse this plant monthly, but especially in the spring and summer

6 - Remove the flowers when they turn green

7 - Avoid leaf tipping by watering only with distilled water or filtered

8 - Trim the leaves to mimic natural leaf shape without cutting into healthy green tissue

9 - Repot into any good potting soil. Amend soil with sharp sand (aka builders' sand) for increased drainage

10 - Do give the plant ample light but not full sun

11 - Avoid shaded areas!

12 - Do display as a centerpiece (in any room you'd like) in a decorative or seasonal pot

13 - Slightly rootbound conditions may help flowering

You Should Repot Your Plant If...

Here are some signs you will want to see before deciding whether or not it's a good time to repot. If you see only one of these signs, you may not need to repot just yet; however, if your plant exhibits MANY of these signs, repotting is a wise move! This list is intended as a general guideline for repotting, and does not include all signs a plant may exhibit when in need.

If you find I have left out an important sign, please let me know and I will add it to the list (please leave a name so I can credit your contribution!). Leave a comment or drop me a line: My email

You should repot a plant if...
1) Roots are coming up above the soil surface

2) Roots emerge from the drainage holes

3) The plant is heavy but has not been recently watered

4) Your plant's growth isn't as vigorous as usual (lack of flowering, less leaf development)

5) Leaves appear bleached of color (also this can indicate a need for water), are brown or yellowing

6) The plant is pot bound, meaning the small size of a plant's container has sufficiently inhibited or stunted the growth of the plant. Usually if this is the case, a great part of the plant beneath the soil will be solely roots, with very little soil evident.

7) The plant droops but is sufficiently watered (NOT overwatered! Be careful: a plant can also droop if watered too much!)

8) The pot has little to no drainage, or otherwise drains poorly after watering

9) You dislike the pot in general, or the plant needs a style update

How to Repot A Houseplant

Repotting a root bound plant can be very helpful to a new plant that’s outgrown its living quarters. Every two years or so, you will need to repot smaller plants (12-24 inches tall); repot larger plants less often. Plants such as African Violet or Peace Lily often need to be root bound to bloom, so repot these carefully and with caution! Spread out some papers or other type of protection for your table surface – repotting a plant can sometimes be a little messy!

1) Choose a pot for your plant. You can buy a porous clay pot like terracotta, or a glazed pot if preferred. Clay pots are susceptible to breakage if dropped, and also very heavy. Another consideration is that clay dries out very quickly, so you’ll need to water the plant more frequently. Glazed pots will dry out slowly and are nice to look at. Plastic pots are easy to clean, light in weight, and extremely durable.

2) Make sure your pot has sufficient drainage! Drainage holes allow a plant to drain excess water once it has been watered. Be sure to have a saucer or something to catch the water. If you like a special plastic pot, you can easily create your own holes using a drill or nail. This is very important: too much water will cause problems for your plant.

3)  Use good potting soil that is plant specific (i.e. cactus mix for most cacti and succulents, African Violet mix for African violets, etc). MiracleGro potting mixes are very good – I’ve had excellent results with this brand myself, so I highly recommend it!

4) To increase drainage, you might want to put some broken pottery (a coffee mug you don't use anymore, or the shards from a broken plant pot) or large stones into the bottom of the pot -- make sure they're large enough so as not to fall out the holes. Shards/stones etc. in the pot allow water to drain more freely. Put about 1" of soil into the bottom of your pot. Wet the soil slightly so it doesn’t fall out the drainage hole(s). Note: Repot the plant into its new container at the same level it was when in the original container. You may need to add more or less soil on the bottom of the pot to accomplish this.

This Dieffenbachia plant badly needs repotting, since the roots have almost completely filled the pot. Some fresh soil will be a great help to our green friend! If necessary, you can remove up to 1/3 of a plant's roots. Cutting away the bottom third of this root ball off would encourage the plant to create newer roots and promote healthy growth. Use a sharp serrated knife to do this.

5) Place the root ball of your plant into the new pot and surround it with more fresh soil. Make sure the plant is straight and well situated in the pot. Place a bit more soil on top of the root ball and press down LIGHTLY. Compressing too much soil around the roots doesn't allow them ample breathing room! Be sure to cover the roots COMPLETELY with soil (1-2 inches should be enough on top).

6) Leave about 1-inch of space at the top to accommodate for watering. You have repotted your plant!

7) Be sure to give the plant some water, so it can get used to its new home. A dry plant is a sad plant!

8) Choose a good location for your plant. Most plants thrive in a window that gets good morning or afternoon sun, but not full sun. Too much sun can sunburn leaves, so be careful!

9) To repot a plant you already have well established, you will need to knock out the rootball from the pot. This may require some muscle, so go do some weightlifting first! Just kidding...

To remove an established rootball (these tend to be a bit stubborn), place your fingers over the top of the soil with the plant leaves in between your fingers (see diagram).  Be careful not to bend or break any leaves! Next, find a table edge or corner to rap the pot against. This loosens the roots from the sides of the pot. If necessary, use a hand to further encourage the rootball to vacate -- just tap the bottom of the pot. Finally, the root ball should slide out into your hand. Then, simply follow steps 5 - 8 to repot the plant!  =)

Raising Plant Humidity

"How do I love thee, let me count the ways!"
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

There are many ways to 'lovingly' and effectively raise plant humidity. Some plants thrive in a humid environment more suited to a greenhouse or jungle than your home. But don’t worry, here are some simple steps you can take to ensure your plants have a higher humidity level !

1 – Place your plant on a humidity tray with rocks or pebbles, and fill the tray with slightly warm water, or room temp – but NEVER hot! Make sure the plant sits on top of the pebbles in the tray, but not submerged in water. This can cause the roots to become too wet, and will lead to root rot. Change the water every few days.

2 – Use a humidifier in the room(s) where you keep plants. You can raise humidity this way by leaving the humidifier going while you’re at work, or whenever. Your plants will surely love the benefits.

3 – Mist your plants daily, sometimes even twice a day (depending on the plant), especially in winter when conditions are naturally drier. The misting helps plants to absorb moisture through their leaves, and also serves another purpose: the leaves of some plants get a bit dusty, and misting them will help keep them looking good. Remember: A lot of house pants are tropical in origin, and will benefit from a moist, rain forest type atmosphere! Try to duplicate a plant’s original environment the best you can using humidity.

4 – Misting also helps prevent spider mites from attacking your houseplants. Specific plants, such as English Ivy or Majesty Palm, are particularly susceptible to spider mite attack. Spider mites are tiny, red insects that spin webs on your plants and damage them by discoloring the leaves, scorching them, or causing individual leaves to die. An infestation of spider mites can even lead to plant death! They only attack in very dry environments, so if you mist regularly and raise humidity, they will most likely not bother your plants.

5 – Group several plants together on a table or other surface. I can best explain this by relating a true-to-life situation: Think about what happens when you walk into a room filled with several people – say, like six or more. You spend some time in the room, realizing there’s no fresh air filtering in, there’s no breeze, and you start getting a bit hot. You realize that body heat is to blame! The ambient temperature has definitely gone up, due to humans giving off heat.

Okay, so a lot of people = a rise in room temperature. Similarly, a lot of plants = a rise in humidity

Plants don’t really have a temperature, but they do absorb moisture and carbon dioxide from the air. They also give off oxygen (good for us!) and lose water through their leaves, so other plants nearby can benefit from this natural evaporation coming from another plant. So, if you group them close together (within a foot of each other) you automatically raise the ambient humidity around your plants.

6 – Grow your plants in a terrarium or other enclosure, such as a fish tank. Each of these items function much in the same manner: They trap moisture around your plants, raising their humidity level. This also means you won’t have to water the plants as much. And also, terrariums make a great way to display your plants!

7 – Place your plants outside during rainstorms. Plants that benefit from the occasional shower will love a bit of rain! Plants that love humidity include: ivy, palms, ferns, and many others.

8 – Place plants in rooms such as the bathroom or your kitchen: these rooms are naturally moist, since features include sinks, toilets, baths and showers – all of these in close proximity to plants help increase humidity! A hot shower can be excellent for plants in the room, so be sure to keep the door closed and build up the steam!

Just be sure to never put your plants INTO a scalding hot shower. When rinsing plants, stick with slightly warm water, so as not to damage tender roots.

Cacti and Succulent Care

Let me ask you a question: do you love cacti? Are you utterly intrigued by the odd, weird shapes and flowers produced by these plants, but somehow you always kill them? Read below to find several ways to prevent this, and to help your beloved plants thrive!

1 - The most important step to not kill your cacti is this: DO NOT OVERWATER! You may want to water all your plants at the same time, on the very same day. However, this can’t be done with cacti (that is, unless cacti are the only plants you keep) because they typically need much less water than other houseplants.

I've said it before, I'll say it again (and again, and again): Overwatering is the NUMBER ONE cause of houseplant death, particularly cacti!!

Most cacti don’t like a lot of water. The reason for this is that cacti hold water inside their leaves and stems. Over time they use this stored water until it is depleted. If you accidently give your plant too much, the roots may begin to rot, so be careful.

2 - If your plant is very small, only give it enough water to completely cover the top of the soil, about once every 2 weeks or so (when it’s located in a sunny window - read on to learn about how much sunlight cacti needs). This may seem like too little, but don’t worry!The plant will tell you when it needs more water by ‘thinning out’ or wrinkling its leaves. Over time, you will anticipate the plant’s need for water and be able to water it before this occurs.

3 - If it is a larger plant, cover the surface of the soil with water – fully and evenly – until it sinks to the bottom. *Larger plants will need more water than smaller ones, since their size causes them to utilize more water. Make sure the soil is fully saturated. Water these larger plants once every month or so, unless the plant is plump and cold to the touch. This means the plant has sufficient water stored.

4 - Let the soil dry out between waterings! If your plants’ soil feels wet to the touch, don’t give it any water yet. Simply use your index finger to check the moisture in the soil. Place your finger down into the soil itself. Is it wet or dry? This method will help you keep track of your plant’s moisture level.

5 - Make sure your cacti are planted in the right kind of soil. Cactus soils are lighter and contain perlite (little white bits) which help make the soil airier and also allows for greater drainage. The soil usually contains sand as well, further adding to plant drainage. Drainage is VERY important to cacti – they prefer to be left on the drier side (i.e. think desert conditions!)

Regular potting soil will not cut it! It will retain too much water and rot your plants! Taking the extra step to have the right kind of soil will help make all the difference! If you buy a new succulent plant, check the soil. Most of the time, these plants will already be in cactus mix, but it’s a great idea to check just in case.

6 - Mind the plant pot! If you need/want to repot your plant into a decorative container you bought specifically for your new purchase, check the pot to be sure it has a drainage hole. If you leave it in the pot from the store, check for drainage holes!

7 - Give your cacti good sunlight! A western or southern window will do nicely for these houseplants. Cacti need lots of (direct) sunlight to do well, so be sure to put them in a bright, sunny window. If you don’t have a west/south window, put your plants in the brightest location you have! Shaded areas are not good for cacti, so keep this in mind when you go plant shopping! Follow these simple steps, and you'll never suffer another dead cactus ever again!

Snake Plant 101 - Taking 'Easy' to a New Level

Snake plant (Sansevieria), A.K.A Mother-In-Law’s Tongue, is a succulent plant, which means the leaves retain lots of water, similar to a cactus. You can recognize snake plants by their long, pointed, upright leaves which look very much like snakes, giving the plant its name. It is green in color, but sometimes has yellow edges.

1) When it’s time to buy a new plant, be sure to select a healthy looking plant that is a deep green. Pale leaves mean the plant may already be suffering at the store, and there’s no reason to waste your money on snake plant that’s growing poorly before you even get it home!

2) Often times when you buy a new houseplant, you should repot it into a new pot with fresh soil ASAP. If the roots appear above the soil, the plant definitely needs to be repotted. Also, if the pot from the store is simply a cheap plastic pot, I recommend you repot your new plant. It will be much happier that way!

3) Give snake plant sufficient light. The plant will thrive in a sunny window facing east, west or south. If you have only a north facing window, don’t despair! Snake plant handles a variety of light situations very well. If you can only provide minimal light, the plant will be fine. Later, when the opportunity presents itself, move snake plant to a sunnier window. The more sun it gets, the faster it will grow!

4) Water sparingly. A succulent holds lots of water inside its leaves, and if you give it too much water, the plant will rot. By sparingly, I mean water every two to three weeks (In the summer time, the plant will use more water, especially if it's in a very sunny location. In winter, the plant uses less water, so be sure to adjust accordingly). Use room temperature water so the roots don’t get shocked. Wet the top of the soil thoroughly, but be sure not to drown the plant! You are better off watering the plant too little than too much!

5) Feed the plant with a tiny amount of general all purpose plant food (the kind you dissolve in water) in the spring and summer. Because this is the primary growing time for snake plant, it will thank you for the extra growth boost the fertilizer provides. Put the fertilizer in your favorite watering jug, and just fertilize every time you water. In fall and winter, stop fertilizing – snake plant doesn’t need to be fed at this time of year.

6) Snake plant is extremely forgiving, and in fact will thrive more on neglect rather than too much attention. If you miss a watering, don’t worry! Water the next time you remember. Snake plant will survive in low light conditions, or even full sun! Therefore, snake plant is one of the most common and easy-to-care-for plants you can buy.

Important tip: As I already mentioned, do not overwater! The plant will die if it can’t absorb excess water in the pot. Overwatering is the number one cause of plant death!

If you be sure to give good light and small amounts of water to snake plant about every two to three weeks, it will prosper and bring you joy for many years!