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Care Instructions
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Vased Arrangements
- Keep your vase filled with clean, cool water. Remember to water daily!
- Display your flowers in an area without direct sunlight, extreme heat, or cold.
- Change water every other day to prevent cloudiness and bacterial growth. Freshly trim the stems (about ¼”) at an angle. Remove any foliage that will sit below the waterline to avoid build-up and debris.
- Remove any wilted flowers as they occur since they can spread mold onto the others.
Basket/Container Arrangements
- Remember to water daily with clean, cool water.
- Display your flowers in an area without direct sunlight, extreme heat, or cold.
- There’s no need to change the water, as floral foam resists bacteria. But be careful to water into the liner.
- Remove any wilted flowers as they occur since they can spread mold onto the others.
General Care for Most Houseplants
- Ensure adequate light for the particular genus and species of plant. Avoid direct sun for most houseplants.
- Water regularly. Mist the plant or the air around it regularly if it is a humidity-loving plant. Such plants may also benefit from having their pots set on a tray of water-covered pebbles, increasing the humidity level around them.
- Keep plants out of drafts and away from direct sources of heat or cold such as furnace vents, fireplaces, or drafty windows in winter, etc.
- Check regularly for yellowing or browning leaves, disease or insects, and treat accordingly.
- Consider repotting in the spring. Depending on the genus and species, some plants benefit from annual repotting; others need only be repotted if root-bound.
African Violet
Water: Keep soil moist. Don’t wet leaves.
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 65F to 75F
Fertilizer: Feed every two weeks
Grooming: Pinch off old flower stems and leaves
Repotting: Annually to refresh soil, but keeping plants moderately root-bound
Challenges: Gray mold is a danger when too wet
Anthurium (an-THUR-ee-um)
Water: Keep soil moist and humidity high
Light: Moderate to bright indirect light
Temperature: 65F to 80F Best with little variation from day to night and away from drafts and heat sources
Grooming: Remove blooms and foliage as they die
Repotting: Annually in spring
Challenges: All parts of the plant can be toxic, so keep away from children and animals
Bromeliad (bro-MEH-li-ad)
Water: For those with a center “cup” formed by a rosette of leaves, let the soil dry between waterings. Keep a small amount of water in the cup. For “noncup” bromeliads, keep the soil evenly moist.
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 65F to 75F
Christmas Cactus
Water: Keep soil moist. Misting may be beneficial
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 60F to 70F
Grooming: Remove faded flowers
Reblooming: Keep plants in darkness for at least 12 hours each day during fall, and maintain nighttime temperatures from 50F to 55F. Increase night temperatures to 60F to 70F once buds set.
Croton
Water: Keep soil slightly moist. Mist leaves regularly
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 60F to 85F
Repotting: Annually in spring
Challenges: Some species have been shown to cause dermatitis-related problems in some people, and plants’ red stem juices can stain clothing
Cyclamen (SY-kla-men)
Water: Keep soil moderately moist. Keep leaves dry but the surrounding air moist
Light: Bright indirect light
Temperature: 50F to 65F
Grooming: Remove faded blooms and leaves, pinching the stems off at the crown
Dieffenbachia (dee-fun-BAHK-ee-uh)
Water: Keep soil moist. Mist the leaves frequently and surround the pot with damp peat. Wash the leaves occasionally
Light: Partial shade in summer; brighter light in winter
Temperature: 60F to 75F
Repotting: Annually in spring
Easter Lily
Water: Keep soil moderately moist. Mist leaves occasionally
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 65F to 70F day; 50F to 60F night
Repotting: After flowering, keep the plants in well-lit locations and water as the foliage matures. In late spring, plant in the garden. They may reflower in summer, but it’s likely that new blooms won’t appear until the next summer.
Challenges: Extremely poisonous for cats. Eating small amounts of any part of this plant or getting in contact with pollen can cause dangerous symptoms and lead to death from kidney failure.
Hanging Baskets
Water: Keep water consistently moist but not soggy.
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Temperature: 60F - 90F
Grooming: Pinch off/deadhead faded flowers (Calibrachoa do not need deadheading)
Hydrangea (hy-DRAN-jee-uh)
Water: Keep soil moist. Mist leaves
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 65F to 70F day; 50F to 60F night
Grooming: Pinch off faded flower stems and leaves
Reblooming: After flowering, plant outside in the ground where they will get full morning sun and light afternoon shade. Indoors, cut back the shoots to two nodes, or pairs of leaves, on each. Repot and grow in a south-facing window.
Challenges: Keep plants out of reach of children and pets. Ingesting large amounts of bark, leaves, or flower buds can cause nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and sweating
Ivy
Water: Keep soil moist. Mist frequently, especially in dry indoor air. Wash the leaves occasionally
Light: Bright; avoid direct sun in summer
Temperature: 50F to 70F
Repotting: Every two years in the spring
Kalanchoe (kal-ahn-CHOH)
Water: Let the surface of the soil dry between waterings
Light: Bright light, including some direct sun, which can cause leaves to turn reddish
Temperature: 60F to 75F
Grooming: Snip off bloom-bearing stems after flowers fade
Repotting: Anually in late spring/early summer
Challenges: Too-wet or too-cold conditions encourage gray mold
Marginata
Water: Keep soil moist. Mist regularly.
Light: Moderate to bright indirect light
Temperature: 65F to 75F
Repotting: In spring every two or three years
Hardy Mum
Water: Consistent moisture but not soggy soil. Water whenever the soil dries out about an inch or two down. In the summer be sure to water deep at least once a week - twice a week when temps are over 100F.
Light: Full sun, a least six hours of direct sunlight.
Temperature: Temperatures below 20F for a long period will end your mum season, but planted mums will come back in the spring.
Planting: Plant in late summer or 6-8 weeks before the first frost.
Maintenance: Cut back all branches to the ground either at the end of fall or in earliest spring before new spring growth starts to come on.
Nephthytis (neph-THY-tis)
Water: Keep soil lightly moist. Avoid overwatering
Light: Moderate indoor light
Temperature: 60F to 75F
Repotting: Every two years in spring
Norfolk Pine
Water: Keep soil lightly moist. Mist branches occasionally
Light: Bright light, including several hours of direct sun if possible – but only if humidity is high.
Temperature: 55F to 75F
Repotting: Annually when young; every three years for larger plants
Orchid
Water: Keep soil moist. Mist leaves lightly and keep humidity high
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 70F to 80F, cooler at night
Grooming: Remove faded blossoms. Clean leaves with warm, soapy water
Repotting: Orchids like to be potbound. Repot only if growth is suffering or potting medium starts to decompose
Reblooming: Most varieties will rebloom, though each has its own timing and triggers, such as cooler nights or light
Palms
Water: Keep soil slightly moist. Mist regularly in dry air
Light: Moderate to bright light. Parlor and Kentia palms can thrive in low light
Temperature: 65F to 80F
Repotting: Only when completely root-bound
Peace Lily/Spathiphyllum (spath-uh-FY-lum)
Water: Keep soil moist. Mist leaves frequently
Light: Semi-shaded in summer and brighter, indirect light in winter
Temperature: 65F to 75F
Repotting: Repot in spring if root-bound. Peace lilies also can be divided at this time
Philodendron (fil-o-DEN-dron)
Water: Keep soil moist. Mist leaves regularly or surround pots with damp peat.
Light: Moderate to bright indirect light
Temperature: 60F to 80F
Grooming: Push the aerial roots into the compost where possible to provide moister for the upper leaves.
Repotting: In spring, every two or three years
Poinsettia
Water: Keep soil moderately moist. Only water when soil is noticeably dry. Avoid hard water when possible.
Light: At least six hours of bright indirect sunlight daily.
Temperature: 60F to 70F
Challenges: Cold air and overwatering can lead to gray mold.
Shelf Life: A potted poinsettia can last for two to three months in your home.
Pothos
Water: Let soil dry slightly between waterings
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 60F to 80F
Repotting: Annually, if necessary, in spring. To control the size of the plant, clip off up to a third of the vines and some of the roots without repotting.
Prayer Plant
Water: Keep soil moist. Mist regularly
Light: Partial shade; these plants do well in fluorescent light.
Temperature: 65F to 75F
Sansevieria (san-suh-VAR-ee-uh)
Water: Allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Don’t wet the heart of the plant.
Light: Bright, with some sun, but will grow in shade
Temperature: 65F to 75F
Repotting: When pot is outgrown
Schefflera (shef-LER-uh) and Arboricola (ar-bur-ah-KOW-luh)
Water: Let the top layer of soil dry slightly between waterings
Light: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 65F to 75F
Repotting: Repot young plants annually, then every two or three years, in spring
Spider Plant
Water: Keep soil moist
Light: Moderate to bright indirect light
Temperature: 65F to 75F
Repotting: Annually in spring
Succulents
Water: Keep soil fairly dry; water thoroughly when soil is dry to touch, draining excess water
Light: Prefers bright sunlight. Will tolerate limited lower light
Temperature: 40F to 80F
