Plant Care Plus

Plant Care Problem Helper

TIPS AND EDGES OF LEAVES TURN BROWN
* Humidity too Low.
* Too much fertilizer.
* Excess soluble salts may be present.
* Potting mixture allowed to dry out.
* Too much fluoride in water.

LEAVES TURN YELLOW
* Lack of fertilizer.
* Over watering.
* Draft of hot air.
* Cold draft.
Note: Lower leaves of older plants may turn yellow because of age. Remove.

LEAVES FALL OFF PLANT
* Humidity too low.
* Over watering.
* Under watering.
* New plant adapting to new environment.

NEW LEAVES ON PLANT REMAIN SMALL
* Light intensity too low.
* Light intensity too high.
* Lack of fertilizer.

LEAVES HAVE BROWN, DEAD AREAS
* Cold water has splashed on leaves.
* Sunburn on shade leaves.

NEW GROWTH IS LEGGY
* Too much fertilizer.
* Light intensity too low.

PLANT DOESN’T GROW
* Plant kept too cold.
* Light intensity too low.

FLOWER BUDS FALL OFF
* Draft of hot air.
* Cold draft.
* Humidity too low.
* Room too hot.
* Potting mixture allowed to dry out.
* Plant moved too much.

FLOWERING PLANT NEVER FLOWERS
* Light intensity too low.
* Too much fertilizer.
* Incorrect photoperiod.

VARIEGATED LEAVES LOSE COLOR
* Light intensity too low.
* Plant has not been correctly pruned.

LEAVES HAVE WHITE OR GREY BLOTCHES
* If newly purchased plant, pesticide residue present.

PLANT WILTS EASILY
* Container too small.
* Room too hot.

…Keep on Growing!

Poisonous House Plants

How to know if a House Plant is Poisonous or Just Plain Irritating
Article from the website www.guide-to-houseplants.com

Poisonous house plants should be handled with caution. Some can cause illness if eaten, and others can cause skin irritation.
Children are unlikely to eat house plants, but some brightly colored fruit may seem tempting. Call your physician immediately if your child has eaten any plant and shows signs of illness.
Cat, especially, and some dogs may play with or chew on plants. The toxic sap in poisonous house plants tastes extremely bitter and can cause a burning sensation in the mouth, so a pet is unlikely to play with them long. If your pet has eaten any of these plants and shows signs of illness such as vomiting, drooling, tremors, or any other abnormal behavior, contact our veterinarian immediately.
It’s a good idea to keep your hands away from your eyes and mouth while pruning or repotting these poisonous house plants, and to wash your hands thoroughly afterward. If your skin is sensitive, I recommend wearing gloves while handling them.

Here are the usual suspects:
*Anthurium (Anthurium species): leaves cause severe burning in mouth and skin irritation
*Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podoghyllum): sap is toxic and can cause skin irritation
*Asparagus Fern (Asparagus densiflorus): poisonous berries
*Croton (Codiaeum): poisonous sap
*Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milil): sap causes irritation in mouth eyes
*Cyclamen (Cyclamen species): tuberous rhizomes (roots) contain the toxin cyclamine
*Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia): sap causes painful swelling of mouth and throat, as well as vocal loss if eaten
*English Ivy (Hedera helix): leaves are poisonous if eaten, sap can cause skin rash
*Peace Lily ( Spathiphyllum): sap causes severe burning in mouth and skin irritation
*Philodendron (Philodendron species): can cause skin irritation
*Pothos (Epipremnum aureum): non-lethal, but causes burning sensation in mouth
*Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta): all parts are poisonous; the seeds contain the highest amount of toxin
*Schefflera (Schefflera species): can cause burning in mouth; skin irritation
*Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa): leaves cause severe burning in mouth if eaten
*ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas Zamilfolia): all parts are poisonous
You may also be interested in around the holidays..
*Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima): is not toxic, but I wouldn’t recommend eating it either (it can irritate your stomach). Poinsettia got a bad reputation because it belongs to the Euphorbia family known for its poisonous plants. So this holiday favorite has been unfairly blamed for the bad habits of its family members.

Scientific Data Supporting the Use of Indoor Plants

* A recent study by Dr. Lohr from Washington State University found that the subjects were 12% more productive when they worked in an environment with indoor plants versus no plants.

* Researchers at the Agricultural University of Oslo found that subjects that worked in a building with indoor plants reported 20% less fatigue, 30% less headaches, 30% less sore/dry throats, 40% less coughs, and 25% less dry facial skin than subjects working in a building without indoor plants.

* Plant-filled rooms were found to contain 50-60% fewer disease causing airborne mold and bacteria than rooms without plants according to Bio-Safe Incorporated.

* An 8-month study completed by researchers at Texas A&M found that the subjects working in a building with indoor plants generated 15% more ideas (measure of innovation) than those subjects that worked in a building without plants.

* the subjects in a study directed by Fengel et al. in 1990 rated the retail products on display 30% more favorably and were willing to pay 12% more for goods in an environment with plants than an environment without plants.