Plant care · From the Silver Spring nursery
Plant care tipsfor home.
Watering, light, soil, and the plants we grow for offices and events, written so you can use it at home. Fifty years of keeping tropicals alive, in plain language.
- Tips16 guides, 8 topics
- Written byThe technicians who service our accounts
- Since1975 · DC, Maryland & Virginia
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Latest tips
From the care desk
Short, practical answers to the questions we hear on service visits every week.
Tropical Plants
How to keep tropical houseplants happy indoors: light, humidity, watering, and what to do when leaves brown.
3 min readRead the tip
Ferns and Mosses
Ferns and mosses want steady moisture and gentle light. Here is how to keep them lush without rotting the roots.
3 min readRead the tipOrchids
Light, water, and rest periods for orchids at home, so blooms last and the plant comes back next season.
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Succulents and Cacti
Succulents and cacti fail from too much kindness. Water, potting mix, and light that actually match the plant.
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Propagating through Cuttings
Take a stem or leaf cutting and grow a new plant. The steps that work, and the mistakes that kill the cutting.
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Basics of Plant Propagation
The main ways to make more plants from the ones you already have, and which method fits which plant.
3 min readRead the tipAdapting to Seasonal Changes
What changes when the seasons turn: light, water, and temperature so indoor plants do not stall or drop leaves.
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Rescuing Dying or Neglected Plants
A plant that looks gone is often still savable. How to diagnose collapse and bring it back, step by step.
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Identifying and Treating Pest Infestations
Spot spider mites, mealybugs, and scale early, then treat them without wrecking the rest of the plant.
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Repotting Houseplants
When to move a houseplant up a pot, how to do it without shock, and what to expect the first two weeks.
3 min readRead the tipChoosing the Appropriate Potting Mix
The mix in the pot matters as much as the water. How to choose soil that drains and still holds enough moisture.
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Selecting the Right Fertilizer
What the numbers on a fertilizer label mean, and how to pick one that feeds without burning roots.
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Recognizing Signs of Overwatering and Underwatering
Yellow leaves, limp stems, crispy tips: how to tell too much water from too little, and what to do next.
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Understanding Watering Frequency
How often to water depends on the plant, the pot, and the room. A simple way to check instead of a calendar.
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Positioning Your Plants for Optimal Lighting
Where you put the pot is the light it gets. How to place plants so they grow instead of stretch or scorch.
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Understanding Light Intensity for House Plants
Low, medium, and bright light in real rooms, not catalog language, so you can match the plant to the spot.
3 min readRead the tipFree download
The Houseplant Care Guide
Everything on this page, condensed into one PDF you can keep on your phone or pin by the watering can.
- LightReading a room, and which plants take low light
- WaterHow often, how much, and the signs you got it wrong
- Soil & potsPotting mixes, drainage, and when to repot
- FeedingFertilizer strength and a seasonal schedule
Need a hand?
Questions about plant care?
Our technicians answer this for offices and homes every week. Send a note, or call, and we will tell you what the plant is asking for.
Or just call
301.598.3843