Sick Buildings: Poor Air Quality Where We Work

What is a Sick Building? As our buildings and homes became more energy efficient and better insolated and we started to use synthetic rather than natural building materials, the quality of the air we breathe began to deteriorate. Research by the EPA and other experts states that there may be over 100 toxic fumes and … Read more

The Real Story of Valentine’s Day

  Valentine was a priest who lived near Rome in 270AD. At that time the Roman Emperor, Claudius, decided to issue a decree that forbid people to get married. Why would anyone issue such a ridiculous decree?  Well there was a lot of unrest at the time. Armies and insurgents from within and without were … Read more

Selaginella Plant

Selaginella, Spike Moss, has scalelike green, lacey leaves on trailing or erect stems.

How to grow and care for a Selaginella plant, also called a Spike Moss plant. Learn lighting needs and how to water, fertilizer, propagate, and prune this moss like plant. See a picture and read answers to questions about Selaginella plants.

Philodendron Imperial Red

A close-up photo of a lush Philodendron Imperial Red plant, featuring its deep red leaves with prominent veins and a thick green stem.

How to grow and how to care for a Philodendron Imperial red. Learn how much light, water, and fertilizer a philodendron imperial red needs. Tips on how to propagate and plant advice on keeping this toxic plant plant away from cats, dogs, and small children at Houseplant411.

Light for Houseplants Medium

Any plant that can grow in low light grows even better in medium light, so both low and medium light plants appear on this list. To benefit from medium light, a plant should be placed directly in front of a window with a northern exposure, within 1-3 ft. of a window with an eastern exposure, 2-5ft. of … Read more

Aphids

See a picture, learn to identify, and read about Aphid houseplant pests in the Glossary of Houseplant411.com.

Fungus Gnats

This small dark skinny pest flies and jumps around plants and people driving us all crazy. Fungus gnats develop in moist potting soil, feeding on root hairs and emerging as adults every 30 days. The best way to get rid of fungus gnats is to allow the soil to thoroughly dry out. This eliminates the … Read more

Hardiness Zones for Plants

A hardiness zone is a geographically defined area in which certain types of plants can grow as defined by climatic conditions, including their ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone. The hardiness zones are helpful in that extremes of winter cold are a major factor in determining whether a plant can grow in … Read more

Humidity for Plants

Humidity is important to grow plants. Learn how to increase the humidity around your plants from Houseplant411.com/Glossary