Your sago palm sits by the window with stiff, glossy fronds arching over a pot that suddenly looks too small, and you are wondering how to transplant a sago palm without setting it back for a year. The plant grows slowly, so every mistake shows for a long time. The short version: Repot in early … Read more >>
Your ponytail palm sits by the window with its swollen trunk wedged into a plastic pot, roots poking out the bottom and the whole plant tipping forward whenever you turn it. If that sounds familiar, ponytail palm repotting is probably on your list, and the process is simpler than it looks. The short version: Repot … Read more >>
You water your pothos, glance down a day later, and spot a cluster of small yellow caps rising from the pot as if they appeared overnight. Mushrooms growing in houseplant soil look alarming, but they are one of the most common and least dangerous surprises an indoor gardener runs into. The short version: The mushrooms … Read more >>
A Christmas cactus sits on your windowsill or a garden center shelf, its arching green stems tipped with pink, red, or white blooms. If you sneeze easily, you may wonder whether bringing one home is a mistake. Concerns about christmas cactus allergies are common, especially for anyone who reacts to pollen or dust. The short … Read more >>
You look at the snake plant on your windowsill and notice pale, washed-out patches, chalky spots, or fuzzy white clusters where the leaves used to be a solid, healthy green. If you are seeing snake plant leaves turning white, the cause is almost always something you can identify by looking closely and checking the plant’s … Read more >>
The ivy trailing from your shelf near the window has picked up a reddish, purple or bronze tint along its leaves, and you are wondering whether English ivy turning red means something is wrong. The short version: Red color in English ivy (Hedera helix) comes from anthocyanin pigments, which the plant produces in response to … Read more >>
You glance at the Birkin on your windowsill and notice the creamy pinstripes on a few leaves have turned papery tan, while the green parts still look healthy. If you are seeing philodendron Birkin white leaves turning brown, the plant is usually reacting to a specific stress in its indoor environment, and the white tissue … Read more >>
You are standing in front of an empty corner by your brightest window, picturing a tall, dramatic plant filling the space. The two names that keep coming up are bird of paradise vs fiddle leaf fig, and both look stunning in photos. The short version: Bird of paradise is usually the easier of the two. … Read more >>
You are standing in front of two tall, feathery palms at the garden center, and from a few feet away they look almost identical. Deciding between a majesty palm vs areca palm comes down to the light, humidity and patience your home can offer. The short version: The areca palm is the better choice for … Read more >>
You water your pothos, glance down, and see tiny white worms in house plants soil wriggling just under the surface or along the inside rim of the pot. It is unsettling, especially when the plant sits on a kitchen counter or a windowsill where you see it every day. The short version: Most white worms … Read more >>