House Plants: Advice, Pics, Sell and Trade

They seem to like being pot bound to an extent. The aloe Vera struggled for about 2 years as I moved it round trying to find the right spot, then when it found a spot it liked it went wild. Most of this growth has come this season.

Also a massive money tree

You could have told Theresa May.

Gorgeous Alocasias! Unfortunately I had a lovely one but I couldn't keep it happy through winter. They really seem to like constant warmth and our old breezy house couldn't provide!

Na, I'm giving it to Nicola Sturgeon....

Yeah the Alocasias are doing OK, it's calatheas I have issues with. Just moved one to the bathroom to see if it'll be happier in there.

It's tough isn't it. We moved late last year which I don't think the Zebrina was too happy about. There's an Alocasia Yucatán Princess which is lovely too.

I've done the same with cat safe house plants (and garden plants in pots). Look up this - https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants - I found it extremely useful.

As well as some tricolour prayer plants, I have African Violets and Streptocarpus (both from Dibleys.com - better to buy from specialists, than ebay I have found!). Also a bunch of variants of Hoyas.

I have a couple of bottle palms, the cats chew their leaves occasionally, but I don't think the plants are particularly happy as they are no longer 'bottled', ie don't seem to be storing water. Difficult to keep, they don't like plant food I have found out recently. They last a while, but not long term. I also have a big cheese plant, technically not cat safe, but large waxy leaves are not ones that cats choose to eat. I also have spider plants (I have spider babies if you want). If you dig around you can find curly ones, and plain green ones, a bit more interesting.

Keep an eye on anything with long thin, grass like leaves (like the bottle palms). The cats (well mine) will want to chew those, and those you need to be sure are cat friendly. Dragon Tree (Dracaena) for example are toxic. Also Ferns, a lot are toxic, but not all. The 'String of Pearls' plant, highly toxic.

Avoid Lilies and that family like the plague. If you have cut flowers in the house, then take out any pollen bearing stamens. Especially lilies - if any gets on their fur, which they will then lick. Organ failure.

There is a good range of cat friendly choices out there, the ASPCA site is a great help to work out what you can work with.

A bird dropped a maple seed in one of my tomato pots and it’s now grown into a 10” plant. For free if anyone wants it, collection in SE24. Can throw in the tomato that’s growing alongside it as well, or can separate for you.

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Thank you for the detailed reply. Loads to learn but worth it! 😊

Anyone knows what’s wrong with this leaf on my Calathea sanderiana?

It was like this when it arrived a couple of weeks back, it looks like the patch is missing the red layer at the back like all the other leaves. How it’s almost dried out. The rest of the plant looks healthy.

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It's growing sideways. Turn the pot 90 degrees and it'll be happier

I think I'd cut that bit of the leaf out in case it's fungal. Maybe it just got damaged by being knocked or crushed?

I’ve cut the whole leaf, hoping a new one will grow in its place!

As for it growing sideway, I have noticed that, it must have been pushed against other plants in the nursery, I’ll actually have to move it to a different spot, it didn’t seem to like being next to my bed.

I have another question, I was just checking the soil of the plants to see if they need watering etc, and I spotted 3 little guys crawling out of the soil of my other prayer plant. I am pretty they are either white or silver. I managed to kill them all but if there are 3, what are the chances of more?

And any idea what they might be?

I had a detailed look on the whole plant and the leaves are fine, ok a bit dusty but they don’t have anything on them.

I meant your photos are rotated!

Mealybug?

But as a matter of fact, the plant is also glowing sideway.

I haven’t found any traces on the stems or leaves though. In any case, I am gonna get some insecticidal soap to give them a good spray.

Bit annoyed as they probably come from the nursery but hey ho...

It's often advised to place new plants in quarantine for a week or two to see what crawls out. I never do.

Hi folks, looking for some plant advice. The wife and I kill lots of plants as we're both rubbish for some reason despite reading on the plants we kill. We have a new one we're trying not to kill and need some general advice like does it need a sunny spot or just a light spot out of direct sunlight how much water etc.

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Ha, it’s been just over 2 weeks so even if I did, it wouldn’t have helped... I am just glad it’s not spider mites, as the nursery seem to have a spot of bother with spider mites on their prayer plants judging from their latest reviews.

Recent sun has made everything on the window sill go mad

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Go on admit it, you live in a jungle!

Loving it! 😊

Hehe I wish, other side of those trees is a main road and a railway bridge

looks like a parlour palm? I've been following the instructions here with no issues:

https://www.patchplants.com/gb/en/plants/parlour-palm-27/