Archives for August 2009

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Transpiration – A plant’s breathing process. Pores in its leaves give off moisture. Plants inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen.

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Training – Entice vining plants with light, give them something to cling to, and they’ll take almost any shape you like.

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Tendril – A slender, elongated leaf or stem that clings to a support as it grows. Ivies typically send out tendrils.

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Propagation – To increase plants by such methods as cuttings, division or air-layering and seed.

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Sunburning – Exposing leaves to direct sun can turn them yellow, then brown. You may see spots on some, scorched edges and tips on others.

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Succulent – A plant, such as the Jade, that stores moisture in its plump, fleshy leaves. These don’t need watering as often as other houseplants.

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Species – A particular plant within a genus, the second or last part of its Latin name. With Aglaonema modestum, for instance, Aglaonema is the genus, modestum the species.

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Root rot – Besides water, roots also need air which they get by drying out periodically. Keep roots constantly under water and you can drown a plant. This happens frequently in soil-based systems.R

[ad#promo-content-atf-200-left] Rooting – Take a leaf, stem or tip cutting and stick it in water (one method), and soon a miniature root system will begin to take shape. Knowing this, you can propagate almost any houseplant.