Colorful Houseplants to Ring in the Season

  

 

  

As we turn our attention to the new year, what better way to welcome 2024 than by creating a healthier, green environment to live and work in. By their very nature, houseplants offer numerous wellness benefits, including elevating our moods, reducing stress, and improving air quality. Here are a few of our favorites.  

 

 

Aglaonema are one of the easiest houseplants to grow. Also known as Chinese Evergreen, you can grow this plant in low, medium or bright light situations and still enjoy its colorful foliage. Just avoid direct sun. Aglaonema will tolerate dry soil but does best with regular watering.  

  

With its red flowers and dark green foliage, Anthurium delivers some of the best of holiday colors. Anthurium thrives when placed near a bright window. It will do okay in low light situations, but don't expect it to flower as well.  Allow the soil to dry slightly between each watering.  

  

Dieffenbachia is a low maintenance houseplant that will add a tropical touch to any room. This plant can handle low to bright light conditions but avoid placing it in direct sun.  

  

  

Kalanchoes are succulents with thick green leaves and bright, cheerful flowers. These plants prefer bright, indirect light to flower well. As with all succulents, it's best to avoid over-watering. Let the plant dry, then water thoroughly.  

  

Peperomia plants make great additions to your desk or table. Easy to grow, Peperomia will do well in low to medium light. Water this plant thoroughly, then let it dry out slightly before you water it again.   

  

  

A super easy plant, you can grow Pothos in a container on the counter or as a hanging plant. Pothos do well in low light as well as bright indirect light. They like to be kept moist, so don’t let them dry out. 

  

Spathiphyllum, also known as Peace Liliy, grow naturally in the shade so they are a good choice for an area that doesn't get a lot of natural light. Water enough to keep the soil moist. Avoid letting the soil dry out completely. Peace Lilies are among the easiest plants to grow in your home or office. They are also one of the best plants for improving air quality indoors. 

  

As a rule, all of these houseplants will do well when kept at normal room temperatures. You'll want to keep your houseplants healthy and growing by feeding them every two weeks with houseplant fertilizer such as Peter’s 15-30-15 or Schultz’s 10-15-10. On the weeks you don’t fertilize, water with Superthrive, a vitamin solution that includes Kelp. This supplement will help your plants thrive.   

  

  

 

 

Gift ideas for Gardeners

  

When it comes to gardening, having the right tool for the job makes all the difference. This is true whether the gardener on your list enjoys growing tomatoes, vegetables, flowers, or roses, having the right tools will make every job easier. A good set of pruners, a gardening knife, a pair of trimming scissors, scoops, trowels, and gardening gloves are sure to be appreciated by gardeners of all ages and levels of experience.  

For versatility, it’s hard to beat a garden knife, also called a Hori Hori knife. Once you use it, you'll want this tool with you every time you work in the garden. It's great for digging, weeding, planting, opening bags of soil or mulch, cutting garden twine and much more.  

A good set of pruners is another essential tool for every gardener. They'll use them to prune roses, perennials, shrubs, and small tree limbs. Choose a quality bypass pruner for the best results.  

Trimming scissors are a good tool to have for some of the finer work in the garden, such as deadheading and light pruning. They are also useful indoors for keeping houseplants neat and trimmed. This is the tool we use at the 'Bin for all our pruning and trimming chores.  

Garden scoops and trowels are useful for many tasks, including digging, weeding, filling pots with soil and planting. These tools are hand-forged with hardwood handles and will last.  

If arthritis has made gardening more difficult, choose ergonomically designed tools. They’re lighter weight and have handles designed to offer maximum joint protection.   

For the gardener who has everything, buy them a garden trug. Trugs are a must-have garden accessory. They can used for collecting cut flowers and plant cuttings, as well as for harvesting your homegrown tomatoes and vegetables. 

Another unique gift would be one of these portable potting trays, filled with seeds, a seed starting kit, a bag of seed-starting soil, a grow light and a heat mat, everything they'll need to start some seeds after the first of the year.  

Finish up shopping for your gardener with a good pair of gloves and add some hand lotion while you're at it.  

Still not sure? A Flower Bin gift card is always a good choice.   

  

These are gifts your gardener will really use and they'll think about you every time they do.