Anthuriums make great houseplants
as they are easy to care for and hardy.
They do best in low-level lighting, so
keep them out of the direct sunlight.
The potting mix should contain lots
of organic material. When feeding
your anthurium, water using quarterstrength nutrients every other watering.
Anthuriums are tropical plants and you
must keep them in the temperature
range of 60 to 72°F.
Saintpaulia (African Violets)
African violets produce some of the
most beautiful flowers in the plant kingdom. They are small plants with little,
velvety leaves. Af rican violets create
clusters of small, vibrantly colored
flowers in every shade and combination imaginable of blue, purple, violet,
white and pink. These indoor gems can
brighten any room or windowsill and
there is a variety that is sure to please
your sweetheart.
African violets are a great plant
to grow indoors. They grow best in
medium to bright indirect sunlight.
This could be a sunny windowsill or
under T5 fluorescent light bulbs. Soil
should be kept moist but not soggy.
Humidity should be kept at 50 to
60%, accomplished either by frequent
misting with water (every two or three
days), by keeping a humidifier in the
room or sitting the plant’s pot in the
top of a tray with expanded clay pellets
that you can keep damp. When feeding
your African violets, use half-strength
fertilizer every other watering so the
leaves and roots don’t burn. They must
have at least eight hours of darkness
to flower. Pinch spent blossoms to
encourage new growth.
Orchids
If you are looking for a unique, breathtakingly beautiful flower for your
spouse or loved one this Valentine’s
Day, look no further than the orchid.
There are hundreds of orchid varieties and hybrids, each with the ability to
bloom some of the most strange and
beautiful flowers on Earth.
Orchid flowers come in all
shapes, sizes and colors.
They look like some
sort of alien bloom
from another planet.
As there are so many
different types of
orchids, each with its
own specific needs, I will
focus on the more popular varieties, Phalaenopsis
and Dodendrum. These
orchids produce small to
medium-sized flowers from one
or more flower spikes. Orchids
evolved in a way where their roots
are airborne. They cling to trees and
rocks, getting their moisture from
rainfall, fog or morning/evening dew.
To grow orchids indoors they should
be planted in an inert medium with
lots of air such as sphagnum moss,
wood chips, coco coir or expanded
clay. Anything too compact will retain
too much water and not enough air,
drowning the roots. Orchids grow best
in medium to bright indirect sunlight.
Placing them in a sunny windowsill
or under fluorescent light bulbs will
meet this requirement. Orchids like
a warm, humid environment between
65 and 82°F and 50 to 80% humidity.
Misting your orchid twice a week with
room temperature water will help them
thrive. Do not overwater your orchids
and only use half-strength fertilizer
every second or third watering.
If you are
looking for a unique,
breathtakingly beautiful
flower for your spouse or
loved one this Valentine’s
Day, look no further
than the orchid.”
Venus Flytrap
Maybe your spouse or loved one will
enjoy something different than your
typical romantic flower. Maybe the
Venus flytrap is right for them. Venus is
the Roman goddess of love and beauty.
She could eat any mortal man alive. The
Venus flytrap is also strangely beautiful
and is a carnivorous plant. They evolved
in an environment where there is little
to no nutrients available in the soil, thus
they evolved the ability to lure and catch
insects and small amphibians into their
leaves. The leaves are open with little
hairs that when triggered close tight
around their prey, which is then slowly
digested, feeding the plant.
Venus flytraps are best grown in terrariums. They require moist roots, high
humidity, full sunlight, poor, acidic soil
and a food source such as small feeder
crickets. Terrariums help maintain
humidity, temperature levels and light
levels and house the food source. Do
not water with any nutrients and use
only distilled water as the Venus flytrap
has no tolerance for chlorine.
There are so many different plants and
flowers that can make a great gift for
your significant other. Whether you
get them an African violet, a flamingo
flower, a stunning orchid or the carnivorous Venus flytrap, the gift of gardening
is always a great one.
Matt LeBannister developed a green thumb as a child, having been born into a family of
experienced gardeners. During his career, he has managed a hydroponic retail store and
represented leading companies at the Indoor Gardening Expos as a marketer. Matt has been
writing articles for Maximum Yield since 2007.
Maximum Yield USA | February 2014
149