Tag: Home Improve

Calatheas are stunning plants, but not because of any flowers or spectacular leaf patterns (although some species are variegated). Instead, the 60 existing Calathea plants are among the most famous exotic houseplants known as “prayer plants.”

Special nodes at the base of their leaves serve as joints, opening each leaf pair wide during the day, angling them to maintain just the right amount of sun, then folding up into a prayerlike pose at night.

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These are very easy plants to care for, but they’re not without a few problems if you fail to maintain their basic care needs.

When this happens, the plant will get stressed and cry for help through one or more clear signs. Of these, perhaps the most common sign is yellow leaves.

Calathea Leaves Yellowing

Unless you have variegation that includes yellow, it’s never good to have yellow leaves on a Calathea.

This common warning

It is my favorite day of the week here on the blog! Scroll stoppers! & this week it’s extra cozy. There is something about a corner of the room that is packed with textiles, antiques, interesting textures, & more. I gathered up 5 cozy cottage core corner scroll stoppers that stopped me in my scroll this week on Instagram & that I hope inspire you as well…

When I saw this photo from cafedesignblog I about fainted. One because it’s cozy, but you guys… our master bedroom that was supposed to be done by now, has a very similar layout with a tiny French door and walls around it like this. This got me so excited to finally get moving on our bedroom! This has to be the coziest corner ever.

Coming from a home that has not one finished bathroom, this cozy bathroom corner [yes, bathrooms can be cozy!]

The wonderful genus Haworthia (ha-WORTH-ee-a) has become a welcome alternative for many who love aloe plants but also have pets. These lovely plants look just like small aloe plants, yet they hold some wonderful secrets.

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One of the most important ones is that this genus is non-toxic to cats and dogs. However, there’s another little secret surprisingly few people have even thought to ask about. That is the succulent Haworthia flower.

Does Succulent Haworthia Flower?

Believe it or not, Haworthias do flower, although this remarkable event isn’t as showy as with many other succulents.

But what makes this something of a secret is that it’s not easy to get that flower, so you know your plant’s happy when one appears.

What Do The Flowers Look Like?

Most Hawothia flowers are small and white, borne on a tall, slender stalk in the middle of the leaf rosette. This can vary

Earlier this year I highlighted some of my favorite ground-cover sedums. But I can’t ignore the taller, upright sedums, or stonecrops, which are extremely showy in fall. Upright sedums are low maintenance, have minimal disease and pest problems, bloom from late summer into fall, and are beloved by bees (many of which were buzzing all around me as I snapped these photos!). They thrive in full sun with well-drained soil and have low water needs, making them perfect for xeric or water-wise landscapes. Most gardeners are familiar with Autumn Joy sedum (Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’, Zones 3–9), but there are so many more spectacular upright sedum species and varieties to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites. (Please note that while many upright sedums were reclassified to Hylotelephium, you may still find them sold under Sedum online or at your local nursery.)

Plants are often collected due to unique features, and the genus Calathea is a perfect example.

While these plants are relatively easy to care for, you can’t always keep your Calathea plant pest-free. Among the most common issue you will face – Calathea spider mites.

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The foliage of many Calatheas is unique, like Calathea Roseopicta and Calathea Warscewiczii. All 60 or so species are commonly referred to as prayer plants, due to a curious mechanism that causes their leaves to fold upwards in a prayer pose at night.

While we don’t fully understand why this mechanism exists, it’s made Calatheas some of the most popular indoor plants among home gardeners. 

How To Get Rid Of Spider Mites On Calathea Plants

Having an infestation of spider mites doesn’t mean you’re a bad plant parent, but it can pose a potentially serious risk to your Calathea and other nearby plants.

Here’s