Potted Troubles

[Ch3ddarbug]

Hopefully you guys can help me out. I've got a few potted plants (okay, more than a few) and am just seeking advice on how to give them the best and make them really flourish. Here's my list:

* 2 spider plants. One is spidering, the other not, but both are very healthy looking.

* 1 Christmas Cactus. I have had him bloom once. He's rather scraggly, any ideas?

* 1 Dieffenbachia. Fondly named "Casper" he's been around over 5 yrs. He started out as one of those lovely two-feet tall plants, but rotting in the middle caused me to cut him back. He has shallow roots and I'm not sure how to improve on this? I would love for him to have more than 4-6 leaves at a time.

* 1 Purple Passion. He's doing well, even after being blown around by a storm and losing most of his soil (he got new stuff).

* 1 Peace Lily. At least that was what Google said. Found him last fall on the curb, someone throwing him away. Do they not like sunlight? I put him outside and he wilted (mostly shade, early morning sun). Now that he's back inside he's fine.

* 2 Asparagus Ferns. One is easily more than 10yrs old, but he's very poorly and I'm afraid he won't last this winter. Any help on these buggers would be greatly appreciated. The oldest one has sentimental value.

* 1 Dwarf Norfolk Pine. He's the reason I sought out this place. He was fine last year and all of winter. Now he's dying and I want nothing more than for him to flourish. I love pines and I hate to see him suffering.

Any tips, tricks, and ideas are appreciated. I can also post pictures if it would help. Thanks!

[applestar]

Hopefully you guys can help me out. I've got a few potted plants (okay, more than a few) and am just seeking advice on how to give them the best and make them really flourish. Here's my list:

* 2 spider plants. One is spidering, the other not, but both are very healthy looking.

Spider plants seem to make more babies when pot bound

* 1 Christmas Cactus. I have had him bloom once. He's rather scraggly, any ideas?

They need to be kept away from artificial light to bloom. Not as strict as poinsettias but similar. But they do like a good amount of light -- just not super hot southern exposure direct sun. Where are you keeping it?

* 1 Dieffenbachia. Fondly named "Casper" he's been around over 5 yrs. He started out as one of those lovely two-feet tall plants, but rotting in the middle caused me to cut him back. He has shallow roots and I'm not sure how to improve on this? I would love for him to have more than 4-6 leaves at a time.

Don't put water in the leaves. Could you be overwatering it?

* 1 Purple Passion. He's doing well, even after being blown around by a storm and losing most of his soil (he got new stuff).

Is this the purple velvety plant? Don't let it bloom -- I thought I was doing so well that mine was happy enough to start growing flower buds... Then they opened. stinky

* 1 Peace Lily. At least that was what Google said. Found him last fall on the curb, someone throwing him away. Do they not like sunlight? I put him outside and he wilted (mostly shade, early morning sun). Now that he's back inside he's fine.

You are right. It prefers shade, especially outside. Is there an all day shade location you can put it?

* 2 Asparagus Ferns. One is easily more than 10yrs old, but he's very poorly and I'm afraid he won't last this winter. Any help on these buggers would be greatly appreciated. The oldest one has sentimental value.

Need more info. Maybe photos.

* 1 Dwarf Norfolk Pine. He's the reason I sought out this place. He was fine last year and all of winter. Now he's dying and I want nothing more than for him to flourish. I love pines and I hate to see him suffering.

I SO neglect mine! It's so pot bound right now that it easily gets dried out and is the first potted plant to fall over when there is a least bit of wind. Mine likes vacationing outside during the summer in all day shade under the crabapple and pine trees to the south. I kept it under the plum tree last year.

Any tips, tricks, and ideas are appreciated. I can also post pictures if it would help. Thanks!

Most of these are very drought tolerant, which also means they don't tolerate overwatering. (Except spider plant with the brown leaf tips every time it get dried out). How are you watering them?

[Ch3ddarbug]

* I'm very pleased with my spider plants right now. Even cut a spider off the one and potted it this morning.


* Not concerned about the cactus blooming, more worried about how to get more growth on him? And I wouldn't say the dieffenbachia gets over watered. Any idea how to make his roots longer? Sorry for the poor picture of the two. I didn't want to disturb the grass spider currently living between them. He'll get the boot eventually, though.


* Honestly, I've had a Purple Passion before and its little orange flowers didn't smell horrible to me. Heck, I don't even recall them having a smell. But this one looks ready to bloom so we'll see.


* The fern in the light colored pot is newer and doing okay. The other fern is the much older one and I'm surprised he has lasted. Please excuse the ID card, it came from his ferny friend. I've been thinking of just leaving him inside as he fairs better by the west facing window.


* Perhaps my problem with the pine is that he needs full time shade? I cut off a bunch of dead bits today and he looks even sadder.


They all received fresh Miracle Grow soil last spring, some got transplanted to slightly bigger pots. I'm sure a bout of fertilizer would help, but I wouldn't know what to use. I once asked at the garden center and was just directed to potting soil. Not very helpful. Any suggestions? Is there even perhaps something I can whip up myself? As for watering, I haven't actually watered them at all. We've been getting plenty of rain and they've been sitting in a place that gets wet, but not soaked (only just moved them back to previous locations today). Kind of like a splash back of rain water, if you will. Their moist, but not soaked, and have adequate drainage.

[Ch3ddarbug]

Apparently I won't be getting the help I seek here either. Thanks, though.

[applestar]

Hm. I usually don't respond much to house plant questions because I'm so casual about caring for them that I feel like I can't supply the exacting sort of answers most people are looking for.

I don't really fertilize as such -- I put an earthworm or two in each pot, and add used coffee grounds and leftover beverages -- juice coffee tea soda unsalted blanching and steaming water rice rinsing water etc. I repot/uppot in fresh home blended potting mix and put them outside for the summer in various sun exposure as suited, directly on the ground. Sometimes they will escape and root into the ground, making them extra vigorous, which I will cut off in the fall (sort of root pruning). When I have extra batch of AACT, I might give some to some of them.

I don't know if those are the kind of answers you are looking for. (?)