Make Seasonal Plants Last Year-Round With Oversize Pots


Updated 08/02/11 11:05 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

Growing Tropical Plants in Cold Climates

Today, Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary posed with their children outside Grasten Castle. The castle grounds are lush and lovely, but come Winter, it will be quite a different scene. Chilly temperatures and snow cover often mean that gardeners give up on planting favorite shrubs or vines that prefer a more temperate climate. In areas like Denmark, New York, Vermont, and Read more

Do You Decorate With Orchids?


Updated 03/15/11 10:02 AM · Posted by · 2 comments

Decorating With Orchids

For years, my experience with orchids was spotty at best. Oftentimes they died shortly after blooming, and I never had any that rebloomed. But three years ago I was given an orchid that has, since that time, rebloomed eight times, and just this past week, another orchid displayed three new flowers. When I met with gardening expert Flora Grubb last week, she told me that the real secret to orchids Read more

Do You Entertain Your Plants?


Updated 07/12/10 5:51 AM · Posted by CasaSugar · 6 comments

Do You Sing and Talk to Your Plants?

Have you ever whispered sweet nothings into the ear . . . of a plant? If you're sheepishly nodding your head, you shan't be shy because chances are, you're not alone. While studies have shown that entertaining growing shrubs with music proves to liven their roots, it seems talking to them also does the trick. Our little green buds may not have a heart or blood pumping through their veins, but Read more

Casa Beta: HydroSpikes' Worry-Free Watering


Updated 05/25/10 4:03 PM · Posted by CasaSugar · 2 comments

HydroSpikes Water Your Plants When You're Away

Returning home after a fantastic vacation is disappointing, especially if you're greeted by a house full of dead plants. For an upcoming trip, I'm planning ahead and instead of troubling a friend or paying someone to water my house plants, I picked up a product that seemed to be the perfect solution: HydroSpikes. I gave the automatic watering system a trial run to see if it really does the trick. Read more

Casa Quickie: Evade the Drafts


Updated 04/24/09 9:26 AM · Posted by CasaSugar · 1 comment

How to Keep Your Indoor Plants at the Right Temperature

Houseplants tend to be comfortable with the same temperatures their owners prefer. They can handle the daytime heat, the nighttime chill, and, of course, room temperature. But just as you shrug your shoulders when brushed with a burst of chilly wind, houseplants can be decimated by a cold draft. So, you shouldn't keep yours near a drafty window, a door that is constantly opening and closing, or a Read more

Cool Idea: I.V. Self-Watering Plant Pot


Updated 09/30/08 12:41 PM · Posted by CasaSugar · 8 comments

Cool Idea: I.V. Self-Watering Plant Pot

I once showed you how to make a self-watering planter from a recycled soda bottle, and while the DIY was pretty easy and inventive, I will admit it wasn't the most handsome pot I've ever seen. I'm not someone who thinks we should need to make sacrifices when it comes to good design, so I kept my eyes peeled and was silently hoping for a sexier alternative. Then came the Vitamin I.V. Self-Watering Read more

Plants That Purify: Bamboo Palm


Updated 03/05/08 7:14 PM · Posted by CasaSugar · 10 comments

Plants That Purify: Bamboo Palm

We all could benefit from a cheap and beautiful way to improve a home's indoor air quality. That's why I'm bringing you an ongoing series on house plants that are particularly good at purifying the air. Next up in our series is the bamboo palm. To find out more about this hardy house plant, just read more Read more

Plants That Purify: English Ivy


Updated 01/15/08 6:26 AM · Posted by CasaSugar · 7 comments

Plants That Purify: English Ivy

We all could benefit from a cheap and beautiful way to improve a home's indoor air quality. That's why I'm bringing you an ongoing series on houseplants that are particularly good at purifying air. Next up in our series is English ivy. To find out more about this hardy houseplant, just read more Read more

Plants That Purify: Dracaena


Updated 11/26/07 3:15 PM · Posted by CasaSugar · 8 comments

Plants That Purify:  Dracaena

We all could benefit from a cheap and beautiful way to improve a home's indoor air quality. That's why I'm bringing you an ongoing series on house plants that are particularly good at purifying the air. Next up in our series is the dracaena. To find out more about this hardy house plant, just read more Read more

Plants That Purify: Ficus


Updated 11/22/07 6:43 AM · Posted by CasaSugar · 9 comments

Plants That Purify:  Ficus

We all could benefit from a cheap and beautiful way to improve a home's indoor air quality. That's why I'm bringing you an ongoing series on house plants that are particularly good at purifying the air. Next up in our series is the ficus. Ficus benjamina, or the weeping fig, is one of the most popular trees that are grown indoors. Bright green leaves grow abundantly on the ficus, but leaf loss Read more