CasaSugar

Cool Idea: Turn That Frond Upside Down

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0800

I fell in love with the topsy-turvy tomato planters when I first found them a year or two ago, but I'm so excited to see the concept taken to a sleeker level.

Ranging in price from $25 to $75, the Boskke Sky Planters are made in New Zealand from black or white ceramic. They're modern, beautiful, and completely unexpected.

Created by designer Patrick Morris, the stoneware ceramic planters can conserve up to 80 percent of the water normally used to water houseplants, thanks to the self-watering system, which only needs to be replenished twice a month at most. These planters are also a great choice for studio apartments, as they free up valuable floor space.

Have you used upside down planters in the past? What was your experience? Do these planters turn your head as well?

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Casa Quickie: Give Your Houseplants a Shower

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:30:43 -0700

While the general rule with houseplants is to not fuss with them too much, occasionally washing their leaves is a really good idea. That's because a thin layer of dust can hinder the photosynthesis process, impeding plants' ability to grow.

To clean your heartier, bigger houseplants, occasionally crowd them into your bathtub and give them a nice, gentle shower. Let them sit in the tub until they dry out somewhat, and then return them to their spots in your home. For smaller, more delicate plants, use a microfiber cloth and a spray bottle filled with water to mist, and very gently wipe, the leaves.

Source: Flickr User ndrwfgg

Cool Idea: Give Your Houseplants a Vacation

CasaSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:15:40 -0700

I have been following David Horvitz's blog for a few months or so. For all of 2009 (not necessarily every day, but frequently), he sends out small texts of simple instructional ideas through his mailing list, and then posts screenshots of them on his blog. Many of his instructions involve mailing things to far-off addresses, like "Take a photo of your head in the freezer and mail it to a museum in Greenland that has no current exhibition." I've never followed through with his suggestions. But I think this one, shown above, giving your house plants a vacation, is fun and something I might actually do. I've gotten to the point that I don't even notice my houseplants anymore, unless they're in desparate need of watering. So it would be fun to switch it up and lay my eyes on someone else's ficus for a while. What do you think? Would you do this?

Name This Plant

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:15:46 -0700

This plant, which is one of my favorite houseplants, just surprised me by blooming! The flowers are slightly sticky, and once the seedheads have dried on the plants, you can remove and collect the seeds. Can you tell me the name of this plant?

How-To: Care For Succulents

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:00:25 -0700

Last Friday, I featured Kelly's cool succulent favors in the Weekend DIYs. Kelly wrote to me to announce that she's just opened up a shop featuring her succulent designs. I'm a huge fan of these hardy plants, and I'm also loving the designs that Kelly features at SucculentLOVE. Specializing in creating fresh, modern displays for succulents, Kelly's designs run the gamut, from rustic and pretty to modern and chic. While she's currently only selling and delivering in the Los Angeles area, she's setting up a shipping system and aims to have it in place by the end of the Summer. While succulents are low-care, they certainly aren't no-care plants. To hear Kelly's tips for taking care of succulents, read more.

Succulents would rather you ignore them than lavish them with attention. This way they'll actually grow better.
When the soil is completely dried out, spritz your succulent with water from a spray bottle to keep it from getting too parched.
Full sun is best!
If your succulent develops any brown leaves, simply pull them off and let the plant keep growing.
Give your succulent a breath of fresh air once in a while by placing it on a porch or a balcony.

Source

Before and After: Simple Spring Changes

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:00:35 -0700

Last year, I decided to install a "window box" on the inside of my bedroom window. In part, I did it because the outside view is completely saturated in plant life, and wrestling exterior window space away from the bougainvillea is a thorny proposition. I also like to take risks with some quirky interior accents, especially if they can be changed out fairly easily. For the past year, these Aucuba plants enjoyed the sunny window spot. I decided that I wanted to make a Spring change, though.

To see my change, read more.

I transplanted the Aucubas to some larger containers (they needed it!) and replaced them with these cheerful ranunculus flowers. I don't plan on leaving the flowers there for much longer than a month, since I'll soon put them in a pot in my garden. For now though, they should do well. If you want to try some ranunculus flowers inside, keep in mind that they prefer nighttime temperatures in the 40s and 50s, and daytime temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees. They need bright light, but hot, direct sun should be avoided. Good luck!

Name This Houseplant

CasaSugar — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:00:59 -0800

Helxine soleirolii, an old-fashioned houseplant with tiny, round leaves, also has a more common (and very poetic!) name. This two-word name is related the crying of irritable infants. Can you fill in the blank with the full name? Hexine soleirolii is also known as: Baby _________

Garden Therapy: Winter Tips

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:15:49 -0800

Since snow and ice don't make for a successful garden, most of us have to resort to satisfying our green thumb through nurturing indoor plants and kitchen window herb gardens in the Winter. To make the most of your Winter plants, try these indoor gardening tips.

Indoor plants will turn to follow the light, so you should rotate an indoor plant to encourage proper growth. Otherwise, your plant will likely lean to one side.
Concerned that your plant isn't getting enough light this Winter? If your plant has small leaves, thinner stems than usual, and its color is lighter than it has been in the Summer months, it is likely light-deficient. Try moving it closer to a window.
Another option is to supplement natural sunlight with artificial lighting, such as with a table lamp.

Source

Name This Flower

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:15:41 -0800

This flower is a favorite around the holidays. Can you tell me its name?

How-To: Take Advantage of a Corner Space

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:45:59 -0700

Currently, this is my favorite spot in my house. However, before I moved this chair into the corner, our giant television, which sat on an equally imposing Tansu chest, took up this entire area, and basically obscured the window. These tall, thin windows, which flank either side of our fireplace, are a lovely architectural feature, and I was, frankly, horrified that they'd been covered up by a television.

However, my husband was adamant that the television belonged in the living room. That is, he was adamant on this point until he came home one evening to find that the television had magically moved to the study. And guess what? Now he's adamant that the study is the best home for the television. While I don't advocate secret rearrangements, I do feel that if you're convinced of the advantages of your vision for the space, sometimes it's worth a mini battle (especially if you're certain of the outcome, as I was). With that in mind, I wanted to outline some ideas for taking advantage of a room's corner space. To see some of my thoughts, read more.

Decide what you want to use the corner space for. Storage? A reading nook? A mini art gallery? After you've decided what purpose the space will serve, make a list of what items will help the corner to reach its decorating potential.
According to feng shui, the Chinese art of arranging objects, furniture, and homes to create the best flow of energy, corners are said to create "secret arrows," which can cause anxiousness. Whether or not you believe in feng shui, corners can be rather harsh points in a room, and it's best to soften them. One easy way to do so is with plants, which I've done in my reading corner.
When using plants, use plant stands to create varying heights for the foliage.
If you're interested in using your corner to display objects, such as a dish collection, small art objects, or photos, invest in a corner shelf unit. I'm definitely a fan of the Harmony Media Unit, which provides media storage as well as a place for either displaying mementos or placing your flatscreen.
Another option is to use this area for seating. The Mellow Corner Sectional from CB2 is a great, affordable option.
Further soften your corner with textiles. My modern-looking armchair looked too staid and stuffy, in my opinion. By draping a vintage patchwork quilt over the back, it encourages residents to curl up with a good book, and tuck their legs under the colorful quilt.
Give it some light. If you're displaying art, or using this corner for a reading nook, make sure that you have a lamp to cast some light on the subject.