Forgot Password?
UserID: Password:

Inner Growth - Horty Girl's Plant Care Guide

Posts Tagged ‘Plant Care and Maintenance’

Are you on Facebook?

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Are you part of the social media craze? !

Horty Girl has officially launched its own Facebook page!

We will be offering pictures of our latest products, tips on how to take care of our plants, and from time to time, contests as well.

We would love to connect with you! Join us today on Facebook!

Click on the link below to connect to our Fan Page.

Horty Girl

Promote Your Page Too

Taking care of your plants - Horty Girl’s Easy Guide to Maintaining and Watering your Plants

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Horty Girl plants are selected and designed to be low maintenance. Some plants, such as Tropical Palms, could use attention every 1 – 2 weeks. Others, such as Succulent varieties, can be left for 1 to 2 months without any attention in your home or office.

This guide uses the Horty Girl Smart Stick to indicate if it’s time to water.  This smart stick comes with every Horty Girl plant.

Plant Type

Watering Schedule

Signs to Water

Tropical Palms

Every 1 – 2 weeks
1/3 cup of water
**Pour water at the base of the plant**

*CAREFUL WHEN POURING TO NOT OVERWATER*

Smart Stick comes out slightly moist or damp. Some leaves may start to brown on the ends.

Ponytail Palms

Every 2 - 3 weeks
1/3 cup of water
**Pour water at the base of the plant**
*LESS IS BETTER THAN MORE*

Smart Stick comes out completely dry. Outer leaf margins will curl inwards and will turn brown.

Jade

Every 1 – 2 months
Max ¼ cup of water
**Pour water at the base of the plant**

*DO NOT OVERWATER*

Plants can go extended periods without water

Smart Stick comes out completely dry. Leaves will appear shrivelled as opposed to supple.

Zebra Hawarthia

Every 1 – 2 months
Max ¼ cup of water
**Pour water at the base of the plant**

*DO NOT OVERWATER*

Plants can go extended periods without water

Smart Stick comes out completely dry. Leaves will feel crispy and hollow as opposed to firm and supple.

Marginata Dracaena

Every 1 – 2 weeks
1/3 cup of water
**Pour water at the base of the plant**

*CAREFUL WHEN POURING TO NOT OVERWATER*

Smart Stick comes out slightly moist or damp. Some leaves may start to brown on the ends

Sansevieria

Every 2 – 3 weeks
**Pour on the edge of the plant base, not over the stalks of the plant*

*LESS IS BETTER THAN MORE*

Plants can go extended periods without water

Smart Stick comes out completely dry. Leaves will begin to droop and/or wrinkle up.

Still have questions? Please send me your thoughts, questions below!

Taking care of your Sun Star (Ornithogalum dubium)

Monday, June 14th, 2010
Ornithogalum dubium - Sun Star

Ornithogalum dubium - Sun Star

Ornithogalum dubium, also known as a Sun Star (or Orange star, snake flower) is a perennial bulb plant type that bursts into a gorgeous bloom of bright tangerine colored flowers.

It prefers full sun and moderately moist soil while growing or blooming. The Sun Star typically blooms in the spring or summer and likes full sunlight.

For Ornithogalum dubium/Sun Star plant care

  • While blooming, keep soil moist and put in an area with bright indirect light.
  • Remove any spent flowers by gently pulling the spike from the main body of the plant. This may seem harmful, but once the plant has bloomed, it will die back on its own. But with proper care, it will come back into bloom each winter.
  • Prune off foliage only after it has turned yellow and is dead. Before this it is still gathering sunlight to use for the next year’s growth.
  • Once the blooming period has finished and the leaves die back, this plant requires a bit of a rest - it will need a cool, dry dormant period and you should limit watering. Some people say to not water until the plant begins growth again, which is fine - just don’t let it dry out.
  • Once it begins to start growing again, you can begin to water and fertilize the plant and wait for those beautiful vibrant blooms. Check the soil every few days to make sure it is moist - water as needed.

Foolproof method to watering your sunstar - insert the Horty Girl Smart Stick into the soil. Similar to baking muffins - Pull it out, if it comes out slightly dry or complete dry - it’s time to water your plant.

Warning: This plant is poisonous if ingested.

How’s your sunstar doing? I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment, question or your thoughts below!

Taking care of your Aloe Vera (Medicine Plant)

Friday, April 10th, 2009
Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera plants require very little water, especially throughout the winter months.

Use our Horty Girl Smart Stick method to manage your watering routine and your plants will last for years in the container you purchased them in.

To keep your plants looking fresh and clean, remember to trim old or damaged leaves.

Interesting Fact: Aloe Vera can be used to treat mild sunburns, using the gel from inside of the plant.  Cut off a section of the plant and apply the gel found inside of the plant.

How’s your plant doing? Have you ever used your Aloe plant for sunburns? I would love to hear from you! Please leave your thoughts or questions below.

The key to indoor plant care - The HortyGirl “SMART STICK” Method

Friday, November 28th, 2008
Horty Girl Smart Stick included with every tag

Horty Girl Smart Stick included with every tag

The key to a long and healthy plant life is water management.  Indoor plant care is very manageable with the most basic of information.

The HortyGirl ‘SMART STICK’ method is brilliant yet very simple and applies to all plants in all containers:
If in doubt as to whether your plant requires a watering, use our care tag stake to test for moisture.  Just as you would use a toothpick to check to see if your muffins are done; insert our plant care tag stake into the base of the plant stems.  Pull the stake out and either notice if any soil is clinging to the stake.  If soil clings to the stake, this is an indication there is moisture in the root zone.  Alternatively, feel the stake for moisture levels (dry, moist or wet).  Depending on the care for your particular plant, you can make a watering decision from there.

Light levels are the most relative factor associated with watering routines.  Plants do require varying water management in association with their unique characteristics but light levels are the most important factor.

As light levels increase and decrease; so should our watering routines.  The changing seasons require a little extra attention as this is when we need to retrain ourselves with our watering routines.  In general; plan to increase your watering in Spring then maintain this more frequent ‘summer routine’ until Fall when watering should be tapered off to a less frequent ‘winter routine’.

As a simple example for an average indoor plant; if you are watering once per week in Summer, your Winter watering will be reduced to once every 2 weeks.

Our indoor plant products in clear glass vases provide us with a ‘window’ of opportunity towards water management.

General Plant Care guidelines for glass vases with pebbles, sand, bark or decorative granules:

  • Resist any temptation to fill the vase with water
  • Water sparingly according to the label directions
  • Little to no water should remain in the bottom of the vase following watering.
Have your tried the Smart Stick Method yet?? Leave a comment below