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Plant Care Tips - How to Take Care of Philodendron Plants - urban garden, plant care, rooftop garden, interior plantscaping, roof garden - Foliaire Inc.

Plant Care Tips: How to Take Care of Philodendron Plants

  • July 21, 2022/
  • Posted By : worcesterint/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Blog

Philodendron plants are a popular option to add to your home or office, providing a tropical addition to any space. Two popular varieties are:

1) the Swiss Cheese Plant, which has rounded leathery leaves that develop deep lefts and oblong perforations as they grow older;

2) the Split Leaf Philodendron, also known as Monstera, has a unique leaf pattern of large split leaves.

While either plant variety would make a great addition to any room, you must ensure you offer it the right amount of light, water, and heat to grow and thrive.

Keep reading as we share some of our top plant care tips for these plants, so you can discover how to add one or both of these tropical varieties to your interior plantscape.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Light
  • Indoor vs. Outdoor
  • Soil
  • Watering
  • Temperature
  • Fertilizer
  • Spread vs. Vertical
  • Potting
  • Common Problems
  • Key Takeaways

Light

Split Leaf and Swiss Cheese philodendron plants require bright but indirect sunlight to grow and thrive. If you offer too much sunlight in the summer, the foliage will be more likely to get burnt. You may be surprised to learn that this plant can also grow outside in the shade or semi-shade of the woodlands, which you can keep in mind if you add it to an urban garden.

Indoor vs. Outdoor

Both the Swiss Cheese and Split Leaf varieties are native to the tropical climates of Mexico and Central America. They can easily acclimate as year-round indoor plants regardless of where you live. However, if you live in an area with cold winters and plan to include them in a roof garden or other outdoor plantscape, they will need to be brought indoors over the colder months.

When you bring them outside again in the Spring, even indirect sunlight might be too intense for them at first. Plan to keep them in heavy shade – like under a tarp – for the first two weeks. That way, they can adjust to being outdoors again.

Soil

If placing your philodendron plants within a container, use a peat-based potting medium for the base. For those who live in milder climates, you can plant directly in the garden in light sandy soil.

In either case, the plant will need a pH between neutral and acidic to grow, but whatever type of soil you use, ensure that it is porous and well-drained.

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Watering

During the main growing season – generally Spring and Summer – one of the most important plants care tips is to ensure that you water your Split Leaf or Swiss Cheese plant weekly. Continue watering the plant until the excess water seeps through the drainage holes, then stop adding water. Give the soil time to dry out between each watering session.

In the fall and winter months, you won’t need to water either variety of plants as often, but misting an indoor plant may be helpful to increase the humidity in your house.

Temperature

The perfect temperature for philodendron plants in your indoor plantscape is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. As mentioned above, this temperature is needed alongside bright and indirect sunlight to give your plants the best chance to grow.

If the temperature in your area dips below 65 degrees for much of the year, you might find it impractical to include it in your outdoor plantscape.

Fertilizer

We recommend using a balanced fertilizer three or four times yearly to help your plant reach its maximum potential. When secured to a stake or pole, you’ll find that the Split Leaf variety can grow up to 10 feet tall. However, you’ll need to ensure you follow all of the plant care tips we’ve shared today to experience this.

A balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer is your best bet for the Split Leaf and Swiss Cheese plants, which can occur every few weeks within the main growing season. Create a mixture of the fertilizer and water, which you can then pour into the soil during your weekly watering.

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Spread vs. Vertical

There are generally two styles of training for the Split Leaf and Swiss Cheese philodendron plants. They can train to climb a stake or pole (vertical style), or they can spread out over a large area (spread style). Decide which style will work best in your space.

Do you have a tall space to fill, such as an accent wall, or a large area to fill – such as a plant container in the lobby of an office building? Whichever style you choose, it’s important to stay consistent.

If you plan to use the vertical style, tie the plant to the stake from the beginning. Later, it will be hard to re-train a spreading style plant into the vertical style.

Potting

Roughly every two years, you’ll need to repot the Split Leaf or Swiss Cheese plant, so it continues growing. These plants outgrow their current pot every couple of years. You’ll want to upgrade to a slightly wider and deeper pot to offer it the extra space.

We recommend using pots made from terracotta or clay, as they offer the plant extra airflow and drainage. The main thing to look for is that the pot has drainage holes.

To pot or repot your plant, add a peaty potting medium to the bottom third of your pot. For the vertical style, create a stake for the plant’s stem and gently set the roots into the pot. Cover the roots with the soil before using plant ties to secure the stem.

Common Problems

The Monstera Deliciosa or Swiss Cheese variety makes a fantastic addition to your interior plantscaping. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind about this plant. It may attract common pests, such as scale and mealybugs.

The best way to avoid this issue in the first place is to catch it before it gets established. Regularly examine the plant to nip trouble in the bud. Use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol to rid the plant of mealybugs. Use a horticultural oil or Murphy’s soap to remove the scale.

The other issues you may experience are in regards to the leaves. The tips of the leaves may turn brown when the soil is dry. You can avoid this issue by following our plant care tips above for watering. Yellow leaves are also a problem when the soil is dry, and for both of these issues, you should remove the impacted leaves straight away before trying to remedy the problem.

Finally, wilting leaves are a sign of a watering problem, which could be either overwatering or underwatering the plant. Be very mindful of how much water you add to the pot to avoid damage to your plant.

Key Takeaways

Philodendron plants can enhance your indoor plantscaping or urban garden. With a little care and attention, you’ll find it a very attractive plant to add to any room in your home, creating a tropical atmosphere in any space.

Make sure you keep an eye on how much you water the plant and always place it in indirect sunlight. By keeping the watering, soil plant care, and temperature tips we shared above in mind, you’ll find that this plant will continue to grow year after year, creating a centerpiece for your home or office.

Philodendrons are one of the most exciting indoor plants to consider investing in this year. We hope these tips will make caring for either variety of plants a little easier for you shortly.

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View Our Other Plant Care Tips

  • How to Find the Best Garden Decor
  • Top 10 Pet-Safe House Plants
  • How to Care for Your Lawn and Garden
  • How to Take Care of Tropical Plants
  • How to Take Care of Ferns

 

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

Foliaire is a full-service interior and exterior greenscape design-build firm in Boston’s historic South End. For the last 40 years, we’ve provided the highest rooftop garden and plantscaping services for clients across the Boston Metro area.

We customize and plan our roof garden projects and interior plantscaping to fit your unique space and tastes. That’s how we’ve built a reputation of unparalleled style and elegance for corporate plantscaping and residential community projects.

In addition, we’ve received several environmental design awards and have appeared in several publications. You can find us in Architectural Digest, House and Garden, Horticulture, and Interiorscape.

Follow us on social media @Foliaire for more valuable plant care advice:

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Plant Care Tips - How to Take Care of Tropical Plants - Foliaire Inc. - landscaping Boston, hanging plants, tropical plants, exotic plants

Plant Care Tips: How to Take Care of Tropical Plants

  • June 23, 2022/
  • Posted By : worcesterint/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Blog

Tropical plants are a fantastic addition to any home or office but require proper plant care. Have you reviewed plant care tips for tropical plants before? If not, you may be surprised by some of our top advice.

In today’s blog, we’ll help you keep your tropical plants in top condition. Keep reading as we share some of our best plant care tips for these types of plants.

The Diversity of Tropical Plants

Tropical plants are perfect for your home or office all season. One thing to remember when it comes to exotic plants is that all of them are different. You’ll need to take the time to learn the top plant care tips for your specific tropical plants.

Many exotic plants have special instructions you need to follow to ensure survival. By learning how to water and care for your plants, they can be a vibrant and exciting addition.

Watering Tropical Plants

If you’re wondering how to take care of tropical plants, you’ll want to ensure their soil is porous and evenly moist. Generally, potting them in sandy soil or other well-draining soil is best. The soil shouldn’t be too wet either, but this can be quite challenging to perfect.

While most tropical plants can stay dry for a few days, avoid giving them too much water. When tropical plants are overwatered, they’re more likely to die. Try to water your plants when the soil becomes dry to the touch and frequently check on the soil.

This advice is especially true for hanging plants since they tend to dry out faster. We encourage you to take consistent care of your exotic plants. They need a fair bit of attention to survive.

One of the best ways to maintain moisture is to invest in a supplemental indoor plant watering device. This step will ensure you don’t forget to water your plants. A soil moisture gauge is also worth buying if you struggle with judging water levels. It will help enhance healthy plant care.

Humidity and Indoor Tropical Plants

Tropical plants in the wild usually live in hot and humid locations worldwide. Keeping the humidity levels right can be difficult if you live in a much cooler environment. Therefore, you need to consider how to take care of tropical plants.

The good news is that exotic plants adapt quickly to their new environment. Even your hanging plants will likely thrive wherever they are.

Some of these plants are more sensitive, so you might need to add more humidity in a dry atmosphere. Tropical plants benefit from regular misting to keep the humidity level high, especially during winter.  

A pebble tray with water is another simple and creative way to improve the humidity around your plants. Use an indoor humidity monitor to keep track of these levels, which will help you monitor them daily.

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Light and Tropical Plants

you must place some tropical plants in bright light to grow and thrive. However, you’ll find that others will quickly adapt to your darker home light levels.

A sunny window might seem like the perfect place to put your plants. For some plants, though, this could soon burn off their leaves and damage them.

Rubber trees and dracaenas are two plant species that will need a fair amount of light. If you leave them for too long without light, their leaves will lose color and turn brown.

As soon as you notice a plant getting burned by the sun, move it out of its current spot. That way, you’ll be able to save it before it’s too late.

Do You Need Fertilizer for Tropical Plants?

Many exotic plants people keep in their homes today require special soil. You’ll need to research this before buying these plants, as you may need to purchase this soil simultaneously. Otherwise, regular well-draining soil will do for your hanging plants. Just be sure to keep them well-watered and in good condition.

Fertilizer is important to use in the spring or summer months, ideally in February or March. We recommend adding fertilizer annually as part of your plant care tips. In the winter, you generally won’t want to use fertilizer.

Many people today opt to use organic plant fertilizer, a top plant care tip for anyone with exotic plants. You can also find fertilizer designed for indoor plants to help them grow and thrive.

Some plant owners take things one step further and make homemade fertilizer with compost tea bags. It’s a great way to save money while offering your plants a more natural solution.

Key Takeaways

Following the plant care tips we’ve shared above, you’ll find that you can skillfully care for your tropical plants. These tips should apply to most exotic plants.

However, ensure you follow the specific care instructions for your unique plantscaping. We know how beautiful exotic plants can look in any home or office. It’s something we highly recommend adding to your space this year.

You can follow us on social media @Foliaire to learn more plant care tips on garden decor and garden care.

Ready to unlock your garden’s full potential?

Contact Us

Boston’s Plantscaping Specialists

Foliaire is a full-service interior and exterior greenscape design-build firm in Boston’s historic South End. For the last 40 years, we’ve provided the highest quality office plantscaping services for clients across the Boston Metro area.

We customize and plan our living walls and interior plantscaping to fit your unique space and tastes. That’s how we’ve built a reputation of unparalleled style and elegance for corporate plantscaping and residential community projects.

In addition, we’ve received several environmental design awards and have appeared in several publications. You can find us in Architectural Digest, House and Garden, Horticulture, and Interiorscape.

Follow us on social media @Foliaire for more Boston exterior design and plant care tips:

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Plant Care Tips - Top 10 Pet-Safe House Plants - Foliaire Inc. - indoor plantscaping, interior plantscaping, plant care tips, pet safe house plants, pet friendly house plants, plant watering

Plant Care Tips: Top 10 Pet-Safe House Plants

  • May 19, 2022/
  • Posted By : worcesterint/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Blog

As a pet owner, it’s critical to add pet-safe house plants for your little furry friends.

Indoor plantscaping is something that more homeowners than ever before are researching. These plants can exist in various rooms in your home, adding some color or interest to your space.

However, you need to ensure you only add pet-safe house plants to your space. Keep reading to learn our top 10 pet-friendly house plants, all of which will help enhance the mood and atmosphere of your home.

What We’ll Cover In This Article:

  • Rattlesnake plant
  • Spider plant
  • Parlor palm
  • Succulents
  • African violet
  • Gloxinia
  • Venus flytrap
  • Boston fern
  • Watermelon peperomia
  • Bromeliad
  • What to do if your pet consumes a toxic plant
  • Key takeaways

1) Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea)

The colors and unique leaves of the Rattlesnake plant make it one of our favorite pet-safe indoor house plants. It can incorporate low-light rooms and will brighten up any space. The good news is that it’s safe to keep around pets, but you’ll want to make sure you plant it in sandy, fast-draining soil for best results.

Keep an eye on the leaves, and remember that one of the top plant care tips is to water the plant as soon as the soil feels dry. It would be a good option to add to your living room or study and add more texture to even the plainest rooms.

2) Spider Plant

The Spider plant is a popular option with veterinarians, and you’ve no doubt seen it before in your local vet’s office. Thanks to its air-purifying qualities, it can help remove toxins from the atmosphere.

Make sure you keep this plant away from constant, direct sunlight to don’t kill off your new interior plantscaping home addition. This plant is very easy to take care of, so it’s one of our favorites for first-time pet or plant owners.

3) Parlor Palm (Neanthe Bella Palm)

If you want to add a little indoor plantscaping to your bedroom, the Parlor palm is one of our favorites to add to a nightstand. It only needs a few hours of light a day, which is ideal from an indirect source.

This plant is very slow-growing, so it’s a good option for anyone new to adding pet-friendly house plants to their space.

4) Succulents

Succulents are some of the most popular pet-friendly additions to any home. However, you need to ensure the succulents you add are pet-safe indoor house plants.

Haworthia and Echeveria are two of the best options and are super easy to manage. Ensure they get direct sunlight and water them when the soil turns dry.

5) African Violet

Kitchens are a great spot to add some indoor plantscaping. The African Violet is a colorful plant that will bloom well in indirect sunlight.

They are ideal all-year-round plants for any home and are one of the most attractive options for comparing pet-safe house plants.

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6) Gloxinia

The Gloxinia is native to Brazil and blooms in bold shades of pink, red, purple, or blue. You’ll need to keep this plant’s soil moist, but it will only require you to follow basic plant care tips, such as feeding the plant every two weeks.

This plant will be a great option to add to your living room if you are looking for a way to add a splash of color to your home. Unfortunately, Gloxinia is somewhat demanding and requires additional attention.

They also tend to attract unwanted insects. This beautiful flowering plant is perfect for those who already have a good track record of caring for plants.   

7) Venus Flytrap

This pet-friendly house plant is easy to maintain, so first-time interior plantscaping homeowners will love adding it to their homes. Just make sure you add it to someplace where it will enjoy about four hours of direct sunlight each day.

Terrariums and solariums are ideal environments to show off this plant. An even better location might be a conservatory or hothouse.

Peat moss is the best option for the soil. You’ll want to make this plant a focal point in your interior plantscape design.

8) Boston Fern

The Boston Fern consistently comes up in lists of the top indoor plantscaping plants. It’s one of our favorite pet-friendly house plants. You only need to feed it occasionally, so it’s a great choice for busy pet owners.

It’s okay if your dog or cat accidentally bites it as it’s not toxic to either of these animals. You can read our guide on fern plant care to learn more.

9) Watermelon Peperomia

The Watermelon Peperomia is one of the best options for pet owners within this family of plants. It should remain out of direct sunlight, but you won’t have to worry about watering it too often.

You could place this in most rooms in your home. You only need to test the soil from time to time to see if it needs any care or water. This plant prefers to sit in somewhat dry soil.

10) Bromeliad

The final plant we recommend for pet owners is the Bromeliad, which offers a tropical feel to any room. It’s a bright and colorful plant, and the blooms stay in place for a few months.

Any room in your home that could do with a splash of color will benefit from this pet-friendly house plant. We recommend adding this plant to your kitchen or living room. You can open the windows and offer it some indirect sunlight in that setting.

One thing to keep in mind in terms of plant care tips for this plant is that you will need to mist it to keep it in peak condition. Wait until the soil is dry, then completely drench the plant thoroughly for watering.  

What to Do If Your Pet Consumes a Poison Plant

If you know your dog or cat has eaten a poisonous plant, here’s what to do:

1) Remove your pet from proximity to the plant.

Note the plant’s name, if you recognize it, or take a picture of it to help medical professionals in treating your animal.

 

2) Make sure your pet is breathing, alert, and behaving normally.

Call your veterinarian or a phone hotline to help with pet poisoning, like Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435. Remember, hotlines like these charge for their services so a consultation fee may apply. A professional can tell you whether you need to treat your pet at home or bring it in to see a veterinarian.

3) Call your veterinarian or the nearest emergency veterinary clinic immediately if your pet is not behaving normally.

Avoid any at-home remedies or antidotes that your veterinarian did not approve. That includes making your pet vomit. Vomiting may be the right approach, but it might also be dangerous based on what your pet ingests and what’s happening in its body.

Act Quickly to Save Your Pet’s Life

Remember, the sooner you get help for a pet who’s eaten a poisonous plant, the better the chances your pet can recover from poisoning. Whether at home under a veterinarian’s orders or in a veterinary hospital, treatment will be specific to the plant that poisoned your pet.

The ASPCA Poison Control estimates that 25 percent of poisoned pets recover within 2 hours. Even with treatment, 1 in 100 poisoned pets die.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so check toxic and non-toxic plants before bringing greenery into the home or planting in the yard or garden. Your pet and your veterinarian will thank you.

 

Key Takeaways

By choosing any of these pet-friendly house plants and following the plant care tips for looking after each one, you’ll find that you can enjoy enhancing your home with these beautiful plants.

These plants are safe to keep around dogs, cats, and other pets, while still brightening up certain parts of your home. We highly encourage you to think carefully about what you add to your home. When you have pets sharing your space, you can keep everyone safe and healthy for years to come.

You can follow us on all social media @Foliaire to learn more plant care tips on garden decor and garden care.

Ready to unlock your garden’s full potential?

Contact Us

Boston’s Exterior Design & Plantscaping Specialists

Foliaire is a full-service interior and exterior greenscape design-build firm in Boston’s historic South End. For the last 40 years, we’ve provided the highest quality office plantscaping services for clients across the Boston Metro area.

We customize and plan our living walls and interior plantscaping to fit your unique space and tastes. That’s how we’ve built a reputation of unparalleled style and elegance for both corporate plantscaping and residential community projects.

In addition, we’ve received several environmental design awards and have appeared in several publications. You can find us in Architectural Digest, House and Garden, Horticulture, and Interiorscape.

Follow us on social media for more Boston exterior design and plant care tips:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram

Recent Posts
  • Plant Care Tips: How to Take Care of Philodendron Plants
  • Plant Care Tips: How to Take Care of Tropical Plants
  • Plant Care Tips: Top 10 Pet-Safe House Plants
  • Plant Care: How to Care for Your Lawn and Garden
  • What’s the Difference Between Plantscaping and Landscaping?
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