Acidic Houseplants

I provided the few acidic houseplants that I know of. I will continue looking and as I find more this page will be updated.

Philodendron*

Philodendron

One of the most popular varieties of house plant, philodendrons come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and foliage color. Native to the West Indies and tropical areas of the Americas, philodendron thrives in diffuse light, humidity and acidic soil with a pH of between 5.5 and 6.0. Coffee is a good home remedy for perking up slow-growing philodendrons, whether the grounds are mixed in with the potting soil or it is simply watered with a solution of half coffee, half water.

Some varieties are trained to grow on a pole to create a slender upright shaped plant. These pole plants must be continuously pruned to keep the vines on the pole.

These fast growing plants have vining tendencies. Most people prefer a full, leafy looking plant, so it is important to trim back new growth on the vine tips. This keeps the plant full and helps prevent the plant from looking stringy.

*Update: It was recently pointed out by an Anonymous viewer that this is a Pothos. Upon further research I learned that this plant is often called devil's ivy or variegated philodendron. Philodendron is what I have always known this plant as, hence the confusion. Thanks to Anonymous for pointing out that this is indeed a Pothos.

Snake Plant

Sansevieria trifasciata

Tall and sword-shaped variegated leaves distinguish the snake plant as one of the most popular houseplants. It is known for being low-maintenance and tolerant of neglect, although it responds nicely to an occasional cup of coffee. Native to tropical west Africa, snake plant grows best when given acidic soil with a pH of between 4.5 and 7.0. It requires low to moderate light and the occasional watering, especially if watered with a strong solution of three parts coffee to one part water. Best temps: 60-85F, 16-29C.

Be careful not to over-water.

This plant is known to be a good remover of formaldehyde, xylene and toluene from the atmosphere.

Spider Plant

Chlorophytum comosum

Also known as Airplane plant, this popular hanging plant, is known for its cascading fountains of thin, variegated leaves. Native to South Africa, they prefer well-draining, mildly-acidic potting soil and moderate to bright indirect light. Occasional watering with diluted coffee is beneficial to spider plant, helping to achieve their ideal soil pH of 6.1 to 6.5. The recommended ratio of coffee to water is one part coffee to three parts water.

Spider plants like to be root bound and will grow much better if there’s just a little extra room around the roots. Potting a small plant into a large pot can actually kill the plant!

Some varieties of Spider plants can be very sensitive to the chlorine found in tap water. And, sodium can also damage the plant. If you’d prefer you can water your plant with distilled water, filtered water or allow tap water to sit over night before using it.

Banana

Musa species

All species of banana plant prefer acidic soil, especially indoor varieties such as red torch banana (M. coccinea) and purple banana (M. velutina), which enjoy a soil pH of between 5.0 and 6.5. Native to Southeast Asia, banana plants are grown for their dramatic tropical foliage, as well as their fruiting capability. A half coffee, half water solution can be substituted for water during the growing season, although pure water should be given in small amounts throughout the rest of the year.

Many times bananas grown indoors will suffer from brown leaves if their humidity requirements can not be met.

Ghost Man

Pachypodium namaquanum

In its native habitat of Madagascar, the succulent ghost man thrives in highly acidic soil with a pH of between 3.5 to 5.0, although under home cultivation it can withstand much lower acidity.

Usually unbranched, heavy trunk about six feet (180cm) tall with spiraled tubercles and long spines in threes. Flowers emerge in a ring at the apex, dull green among the downy green leaves.

It does flower, however, usually only under ideal conditions: plenty of sunlight and temps 60-85F, 16-29C. The flowers are not fragrant.

 To achieve a suitable acid level, strong coffee can be given sparingly during the growing season. Ghost man is a succulent plant with a wide, fleshy trunk covered in one-inch long spines. A ring of deciduous leaves top it during the winter growing season following the short-lived appearance of numerous tubular, scarlet flowers.

Read more...

The Indoor Garden Needs Attention

In January, with the house closed up, the air has a tendency to get a bit dry. Some tips I have learned over the years are:

• Cluster houseplants together when humidity is low.
• Most houseplants are happiest when the relative humidity is 50% or higher. Although I can’t do much about this, I have found that sitting a pot of water among the plants all clustered together seems to help.
• Most flowering plants need to be within 3 feet of a sunny window.
• Repot any plants that are stressing from over crowded conditions.

Here are a few more growing tips for houseplants. Please feel free to add your own tips at the end of this page!

Light

• Most flowering plants need to be within three feet of a sunny window.
• Most plants require 12 to 16 hours of light per day.

Water

• In late fall, begin watering houseplants sparingly until the light begins to increase in the new year. Drooping plants are a good sign of when plants need water.
• More houseplants die from over watering than from anything else.
• Water plants with room-temperature water. I fill up a gallon milk jug with water after watering so that its ready for next watering.
• Water houseplants in unglazed clay pots more frequently.
• Frequent mistings under the leaves of houseplants will discourage spider mites.

Humidity

• Most houseplants are happiest when the relative humidity is 50% or higher.
• Group houseplants near each other to form a support group to cope with the low humidity of most winter homes.

Fertilizer

• In winter, feed sparingly; house plants will be sensitive to overfeeding at this time of year.

Pests

• To get rid of bugs in houseplants, push a clove of garlic into the plant's soil. If the garlic sprouts and grows, just cut it back.
• If spider mites are becoming a problem, a solution of 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup buttermilk, and a gallon of cool water, applied in a mist, is a good organic deterrent.
• Your houseplants may sprout bugs once brought inside your house because they no longer have outdoor predators.
• Remove aphids from houseplants with a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water and add a drop of dishwashing detergent. Apply this to troubled plants with a soft brush.

Winter Months

• In colder regions, houseplants that have been outside for the summer should be brought in at the end of of July. A sudden cold spell will be too much of a shock for them to survive. This is also a good time to take cuttings.
• It's also good to bring in plants before you start heating your home. This gives them a chance to adjust. Wash them thoroughly before bringing them in to rid them of any pests and eggs.
• You can also dig up your rosemary, basil, tarragon, oregano, marjoram, English thyme, parsley, and chives to grow them inside as houseplants. Keep them in a cool, sunny spot, and allow the soil to dry out before watering. Snip off the leaves as needed in the kitchen, but do not strip them completely.
• Divide and re-pot any pot-bound plants so they will grow well during spring and summer. Prune judiciously to create a compact, attractive specimen.
• Provide extra protection to houseplants on window sills if it is very cold. Place cardboard between the plants and the glass. Be sure the plants don't touch the windowpanes.
• As houseplants are growing more slowly in December light, cut down on watering by half until active growth resumes. Hold off on fertilizing as well.
• If your plants seem a little worse for the winter, provide lots of sunlight, fresh air, and frequent bathing.

More Houseplant Tips

• Save the water from cooking pasta. Let it cool, then use it to water houseplants. If the soil of your houseplants get algae, loosen the dirt in your pots periodically.
• Pouring coffee or sprinkling coffee grounds helps acid loving plants.
• Open the doors and windows when temperatures permit to give your house a change of air. This will benefit you and your houseplants. Re-invigorate your houseplants by removing the top 1/4 inch of soil and top-dressing with fresh potting soil.

Read more...

Growing Herbs as Houseplants

Every time I pickup a garden book I start getting giddy about what new things I might learn. This giddiness is something that has been with me for years and hasn’t let up once even though for many years I didn’t even have a garden.

Growing herbs has the same effect, or rather, the prospect of growing herbs.

The same picture always comes to mind when thinking about growing my own herbs. The scene is in the kitchen at a bright sunny window. On the ledge is a long tray holding several pots of lemon grass, basil, thyme, and parsley.

I have no idea why I always picture these particular herbs, but the lemon grass (pictured here) really stands out. I think it’s the combination of colors and textures that appeals. Have you ever seen trays of various types of grasses growing in health food stores? My image is kind of like that.

This past summer I grew parsley and dill out on the deck in a container, along with several varieties of coleus. When the cold weather hit the coleus was the first to go. The dill followed shortly thereafter, but the parsley lasted a long time, even with snow on it. The container was an experiment of sorts in texture and color. And no plans were ever made to actually use the herbs.

I’ve grown basil with tomato plants in a container and they looked beautiful together even before the Basil bloomed. But I kept them for their blooms instead of actually using them in any food dishes.


Well, this year is proving to be no exception to opening myself up to all the possibilities of what I want to grow. I can already feel that familiar giddiness and not one garden catalog has been opened yet.

Our kitchen is on the north side of the house so that little indoor herb garden that is planted so vividly in my mind will not come to pass in this house. Setting up grow lights might work but some rearranging is going to have to take place. In the meantime, I might start something in my office, which sits on the south side but behind the dogwood tree. I still get about six hours of sunlight which is considered full sun, so it should be okay, but more would be better. I also have enough room to set up a grow light here if I need to.

If you are interested in growing your own indoor herb garden here are a few tips I have picked up over the years and will hopefully try this year.

Good quality potting soil. It provides good drainage, because herbs don’t like wet feet. Organic is best if you plan on actually eating the herbs. Also, with good potting soil you don’t need to place stones or pebbles in the bottom of the pots for drainage.

Water the plants when the top of the soil feels dry.

Fertilize sparingly. Herbs don't require much when grown outdoors, but they will appreciate an occasional feeding. In keeping with the idea of eating the herbs then an organic fertilizer would be best.

Temperature is easy, Herbs should grow well in temperatures that are comfortable for people. No problem here, I like it toasty warm too.

There are some herbs that won’t grow well indoors but unless you plan on going gonzo extreme in exotic herb choices you should be okay. I think size is the biggest limiting factor. Some of these herbs can take over a room if you let it. Just read the labels for the herbs you want to grow and make certain you and they can tolerate each other indoors.

Another tip to consider is that some herbs are rapid growing, spreading like crazy, such as any member of the mint family. But seeing as how these are going to be in their own containers this should not be a problem. Most herbs don't mind being a bit crowded in the pot and the size of the pot will curb the growth to an extent.

Good choices for herbs to grow indoors are mint (the variety is amazing), chives, thyme, rosemary and oregano.

There are many uses for Mint. The leaves can be rubbed on itchy skin. It has a cooling, slightly numbing effect. Also, you can rub them on your gums to relief a toothache.

Mints can be used to aid digestion either by simply chewing the leaves or steeping them in hot water to make a tea that if drunk before bedtime will almost guarantee no indigestion.

Peppermint tea is great for menstrual cramps, diarrhea, and tummy aches.

Dried or fresh leaves in your cupboard will keep mice away. Growing pots of pennyroyal mint will help keep mosquito populations down.

Chives are mainly used in cooking. As a member of the onion family with a very mild taste, it goes well with potato dishes. I have even heard it used in pasta dishes. The flowers are an interesting shade of pink and since I will be growing herbs mostly for decoration, this plant will add a nice contrast to the mostly green foliage.




Thyme has a multitude of uses as a flavoring in vinegars, jelly, herbal soaks, soups, stews, gravies, stuffing and vegetables. It is a basic ingredient in Spanish, French, Italian, and Turkish cuisines, and is also widely used in Lebanese and Caribbean cuisines. It has a particular affinity to and is often used as a primary flavour with lamb, tomatoes and eggs.

Rosemary is a member of the mint family and as such, lends itself well to growing easily anywhere. It can be used fresh or dried and is used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine. It has a bitter, astringent taste, which complements oily foods, such as lamb and oily fish. Since it is attractive and tolerates some degree of drought, it is also used in landscaping.

Oregano is another, what I call, ornamental herb. The purple flowers can be used as a garnish, but its leaves are used in Greek and Italian cooking. Americans are most familiar with its use on pizza, tomatoes sauces and fried vegetables. Oregano is also used in medicine for its high level of antioxidants and is known to have antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens which is useful in food preservation.

The great thing about herbs is that when the weather is favorable for them they can be taken outdoors and planted in the garden. They can also be brought back inside at the end of the season. Just be sure to allow some time for adjustment to light and temperature changes. Also, you will want to clean up the plant and check for pests before bringing them indoors.

My indoor herb garden will probably only be for looks, but hey, isn’t that what ‘houseplants’ are for?

Read more...