Just as outdoor plants enhance views and shelter us with their foliage, houseplants can define the landscape indoors. Use them to create a room divider or to set an area apart from the rest of a room. Place them to highlight a sunny spot, or in an entryway to welcome guests. An arrangement of potted plants by a window can beautifully frame a view. To make the beds of potted plants more attractive, place a layer of small, round pebbles, moss-covered stones, or Spanish moss on the surface of the soil. This makes the potted plant look neat and tidy and also keeps the soil beneath the pebbles moist and shady.
ORCHIDS
CARING FOR YOUR ORCHIDS
Place your orchid in a well-ventilated spot with partial shade. To prevent rotting, your orchid will come in a cachepot with a false bottom and drainage hole. Your orchid will appreciate regular misting on its leaves and potting medium. Keep orchids away from radiators, air conditioners, and strong drafts. In the spring, water your orchid every week. Set it in a sink and put room-temperature water evenly over the potting medium, avoiding any blooms. In the summer, water two to three times per week to keep the plant from drying. In the fall, gradually reduce watering to two or three times a month. An orchid needs to be repotted when its roots overcrowd the pot or when the plant seems too large for its home. Repot your orchid every other year after it has finished blooming and before new leaf or spike growth has started. Select a pot that is a little larger than the current one and use a general-purpose orchid mix as your potting medium.
DENDROBIUM ORCHID
These orchids require a period of dormancy during the winter to bloom again in the spring. Allow your plant to rest in a sunny spot and do not water at all.
PHALAENOPSIS ORCHID
Of the more commonly available orchids, only phalaenopsis will rebloom from its old spike. The spike should be cut between the scar where the first flower was and the node on the stem. One of the lower nodes will then initiate and generally produce flowers within 8-12 weeks.
GARDENIAS
Place the pot in a well ventilated spot that receives at least 5 hours of sunlight a day. If you wish to keep the plant outdoors in the summer, keep it in a shady area with good air circulation. Gardenias thrive in temperatures of 60 to 70°F; a nighttime temperature of 65°F is ideal. Keep the plant away from radiators, air conditioners, and strong drafts.
IVIES
TOPIARY SCULPTURE
Place your ivy in a well-ventilated spot with bright indirect sunlight. Keep it away from radiators, air conditioners, heat, and strong drafts. In the summer, you can place the plant outdoors in a protected area, making sure to keep it out of direct sunlight which will burn the leaves.
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