Houseplants You Shouldn't Grow and Why, According to Experts

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"While houseplants can bring beauty and life indoors, not every plant is well-suited for long-term indoor growing. Some require conditions that are difficult to replicate in a typical home, while others pose concerns for pets, children, or people with allergies.  

Houseplant expert Lisa Eldred Steinkopf notes that there's rarely a true “never” when it comes to plants—however, there are many popular varieties that are far more challenging to grow than they’re worth. Ahead, experts share the houseplants that they don’t recommend."  Comment from Martha Stewart.com

Although I have never grown these plants as houseplants, I grew them outdoors with no problems except for freeze.

Click here to go to the Martha Stewart.com article.

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When And How To Plant Spring Onion Sets And Why You Need To Get Them Early

 

Photo source:  Old World Garden Farms 

"When it comes to the spring planting of onions, one thing is for sure, if you want to have a great harvest of sizable onions – you definitely need to plant onion sets this spring instead of seeds or transplants. See when and how to plant for a great harvest!"  Comment from Old World Garden Farms 

Click here to go to the Old World Garden Farms article to learn when, how and why regarding planting onion sets.

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How To Plant Pansies For Big Early Spring Color

 

Photo source:  Simple Garden Life

"Pansies are one of the earliest annuals you can plant to bring some color to the landscape after a long winter. Their big, bright petals and wide range of colors – and their ability to handle cold temperatures make them a great choice for early spring planting."  Comment from Simple Garden Life

The faster you can get things going for Spring, the faster you will get the beautiful flowers.

Click here to go to the Simple Garden Life article.

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Florida Freeze Damage 2026 — What My Garden Looks Like After the Cold

 

This is not my garden, but a Florida garden from someone I subscribe to on You Tube

The Gardeners Garden

Orlando, Florida USDA Growing Zone 10a

"The unprecedented cold finally passed through Florida, and today I’m showing the full aftermath in my garden. This is the follow up to last week’s “before the freeze” tour, and now you can see exactly what the frigid temperatures did to my plants. Some bounced back, some suffered heavy damage, and a few didn’t make it at all. In this video, I walk through the backyard and front yard to show the real freeze damage on tropicals, ornamentals, and cold sensitive plants. If you’re a Florida gardener or live in any warm climate that gets the occasional cold snap, this will give you a clear idea of what to expect after a hard freeze and how different plants respond."

Comments from The Gardeners Garden

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Florida Freeze Recovery: 5 Things I'm Doing Right Now to Rebuild My Garden

 

Photo source:  Rooted in J's

If you are heartbroken and have a brown paradise after the Florida freeze, check out Rooted in J's video to get motivated and see what you can do to get some guidance to get it going again.

Check out their website . . . click here.

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Monstera Deliciosa Care: A Complete Guide

 

Photo source:  HereSheGrows.com

"When it comes to growing Monstera deliciosa, there’s just one prerequisite. Space. Big plants are like puppies and small children. They’re easy to accommodate when small but eventually they grow up. When you consider the seven-to-eight-foot height Monstera deliciosa aspires to indoors, you can see why some consideration should be given to where this thing is going to live. The kitchen counter won’t work for long. Aside from the space issue, the rest is gravy, which is code for easy and I love easy. The same cannot be said for puppies and small children so if you’re thinking about either, perhaps try your hand at a Monstera deliciosa first."  Comment from HereSheGrows.com

Beautiful plant!  I have grown it outdoors, but never indoors.  It is an easy plant to grow.  Mine grew really big.

Click here to go to the HereSheGrows.com article.

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Bring A Dying Pothos Plant Back To Life

 

Photo source:  Hunker.com

"If that easy-to-care-for pothos plant (Epipremnum aureum) that used to spill over your bookcase with lush green vines has been looking a little bedraggled lately, you may be wondering if this reliable plant has come to the end of its life span, or if there is anything you can do to revive it. Despite being one of the best plants for beginners due to its unfussy needs and ability to thrive under the care of even novice gardeners, pothos can start to fade if you are getting some of its basic care wrong."  Comment  from Hunker.com

Love this plant!  It grows wild in my yard like a weed.  I have also grown it as a houseplant with great results.  Any plant will eventually die with improper care.  This article is excellent to find out the correct way to care for the pothos.

Click here to go to the Hunker.com article.

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Try Cardboard Gardening to Save Money and Recycle

 

Photo source:  Birds and Blooms

"I’m a bargain hunter. A penny-pincher. A cheapskate. Nothing makes me happier than finding thrifty and resourceful ways to save money on the things I need or want. I’m also a gardener. And, as anyone who has ever tended a patch of tomatoes can attest, it’s alarmingly easy to spend a lot of money on a garden. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered a super cheap, super simple way to have a better garden. Cardboard gardening!"  Comment from Birds and Blooms

I've been collecting cardboard so I can place it in garden beds and along the fence to keep the weeds out.  Actually, I am considering covering the whole yard and just have very large container gardens.  As I grow older, it has become harder to maintain it all, too expensive to pay someone else and if you don't maintain it, city code enforcement will fine you.  So I have seen cardboard and landscape fabric as my solution.  We will see!

This article has some interesting ideas for saving money in the garden using cardboard.  Always love learning new ways of saving money in the garden.  It has gotten way too expensive no matter which way you go.

Click here to go to the Birds and Blooms article.

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How Do Birds Stay Warm in the Winter?

 

Photo source:  Birds and Blooms

"How do birds stay warm and handle extremely cold temperatures? Discover the survival superpowers of birds that brave wintry weather."  Comment from Birds and Blooms

I often wonder about how birds adapt to bad storms, especially hurricanes.  Where do they go?  If they are merely perched in a tree, wouldn't the wind blow them away?  Nature fascinates me.  I also wonder about how they move according to the season.  Why didn't nature just put them where they are meant to be and create them to adapt.  I'm a curious person, what can I say.

Click here to go to the Birds and Blooms article.

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Should You Grow Hybrid or Heirloom Tomatoes?

 

Photo source:  Birds and Blooms

"Summer is the sweetest season for the tomato lover, but with so many types and varieties available, it can be hard to know which ones are best for your garden. Terms like ‘heirloom’ and ‘hybrid’ are often used to describe tomato varieties, but what do they mean and is one type better than the other? Below we explore the pros and cons of both hybrid and heirloom tomatoes and spotlight six outstanding varieties."  Comment from Birds and Blooms

The time to think about types and varieties available is fall and winter.  I should have already started sowing my seeds, but as usual, I have procrastinated.  When it comes to the subject of hybrid vs heirloom tomatoes, I really need to educate myself since I just buy the variety that looks good to me when I'm buying seeds.

Click here to go to the Birds and Blooms article.

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Florida Freeze: What To Do Next

 

The Florida freeze this week has left my whole property brown.  On a positive note, I still have hope for my poor paradise.

This video is an excellent resource with good information on what to do next in the garden.  It is very encouraging.

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What it Means If Your Plant Leaves Have Brown Tips

 

Photo source:  Family Handyman

"Noticing brown tips on leaves of your indoor plants? Solve the problem with proper watering and fertilizing tips from a gardening expert."  Comment from Family Handyman

Plants have a way of telling us something is wrong.

Click here to go to the Family Handyman article.

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Why Your Aloe Vera Is Dying - How To Bring It Back

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"Aloe vera plants are resilient succulents that can withstand inconsistent watering and periods of neglect, but that doesn't mean they're not without their issues. If your aloe plant is on death's door, it's typically a sign that something in its environment is amiss. To help you salvage your struggling plant so you can continue enjoying its beauty (and harvesting fresh aloe!), we spoke to gardening experts who shared their tips for reviving a dying aloe plant."  Comment from Martha Stewart.com

Aloe vera is one of my favorite plants.  Even with all the neglect of the past couple of years, I still had a few big ones growing and flowering.  We had our first freeze night in years this week  and I'm afraid I have lost them.  

Click here to go to Martha Stewart.com to go to the article.

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Seed Starting Mistakes You're Probably Making

Photo source:  Better Homes and Gardens

 
"Overall, the process of starting seeds indoors is pretty straightforward; you plant, water, and wait. But there are several seed-starting mistakes that can get in the way of growing your seeds into strong, healthy seedlings. Make sure to avoid the following common errors so you can turn those images of lush plants and bountiful harvests from seed catalogs into a reality in your garden."  Comment from Better Homes and Gardens

It is always a good thing to learn from the experts to avoid making the mistakes and risk failure.

Click here to go to the Better Homes and Gardens article.

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How to Store Your Garden Hose in Winter So It Doesn't Freeze or Crack

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"Pack up your hose properly to prevent winter damage."  Comment from Martha Stewart.com

Good information to know if you live in a climate that freezes.

Click here to go to the Martha Stewart.com article.

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Front Yard Flower Bed Ideas for a Charming Entryway

 

Photo source:  Better Homes and Gardens

"A few creative touches can refresh your landscaping and flower beds at the front of your house and add curb appeal throughout the seasons."  Comment from Better Homes and Gardens

The front yard of the house in the photo is my favorite.  Love all the color and beauty of the flowers.  

Click here to go to Better Homes and Gardens to see all the beautiful ideas in this article.

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