This specialist cactus and succulent feed is specifically designed to meet the needs of these plants, promote strong healthy growth and can help plants increase their tolerance to diseases. Having a balance of essential nutrients will ensure your plants are not under stress which lowers the chances of succumbing to diseases.

Plantsmith ‘ Fortifying Houseplant Tonic’ is a professional houseplant food containing 13 essential nutrients including kelp which stimulates cell growth. Shake the bottle and mix 5 ml (approx. 4 pumps) into a litre of tepid rainwater and apply at the base of the silver squill once a month. Schlumbergera have radiant, exotic bright flowers, ranging from red, pink to white, which are reminiscent of fuchsias and are a welcomed sight around the festive season. Flowering If your orchid is not producing flowers it will be due to light or temperature so do not be afraid to move your orchid to a different area in your home. It can sometimes be trial and error until you find the perfect spot. WaterIf you notice roots circling the rim of the pot, it could mean the substrate is too dense for roots to grow through or that it has deteriorated; whatever the reason change your growing medium. Repot Your Contributions are not used to harass or threaten (in the legal sense of those terms) any other person and to promote violence against a specific person or class of people. Begonia rexis an impressive tender evergreen perennial originating from Asia. It has large metallic hairy heart-shaped foliage or spiralling snail-like leaves with shimmering silver, pink, purple, burgundy or green markings which retain their impressive multi-coloured display all-year-round. The colourful foliage of Begonia rex. Image: Debi Holland Your Contributions do not otherwise violate, or link to material that violates, any provision of these Terms of Use, or any applicable law or regulation. Refresh your potting mix. Use shredded bark chips or a professional peat-free compost bark mix to support roots, and if you have one, a clear pot so roots can photosynthesise but if you really want to display Phalaenopsis in your favourite opaque pot then just regularly remove your plant from its outer pot and leave it out on a bright windowsill so roots get access to light.

Keep your Schlumbergera’s soil moist. As with many houseplants, let the soil dry out between waterings and then give them a good soak and allow the water to drain through the pot. Waterlogging can cause root rot.Our Complete Houseplant Care System contains a 500ml bottle of Fortifying Houseplant Feed & Tonic and a 500ml bottle of Perfecting Houseplant Care Mist. Everything a budding indoor gardener needs to keep their houseplants thriving. You need a large quantity of plants to really make a difference but the benefits of plants cannot be denied and so what a great excuse to fill our homes with as many plants as we can and breath easy. What chemicals can be found in our homes? Silver squill do not like soggy roots so make sure your potting mix is free-draining. A peat-free cactus and succulent soil is ideal but equally you can make your own and add sand or fine grit to improve drainage. Fertiliser Nitrogen helps produce proteins which make our cherished leafy green foliage. If a plant is nitrogen deficient you will see leaves turning pale yellow or green; alternatively too much nitrogen will send your houseplant into overdrive producing an abundance of leaves. The balance needs to be right. The Peace Lily ranked high in NASA’s air purifying study by being capable of absorbing all of the chemicals on test;formaldehyde, trichloroethylene,benzene, toluene, xylene and ammonia. Peace Lilies are particularly good at processing trichloroethylene, in fact they were proven to remove 23% in 24 hours and can keep household mould at bay. They absorb these chemicals through their leaves and expel them via their roots where they are broken down by soil microbes. Image: Debi Holland Snake plant, Sansevieriatrifasciata

Plants are the key to life on earth. Through the complex process of photosynthesis plants convert energy from sun rays, water and carbon dioxide into glucose via their green chlorophyll cells producing oxygen as a byproduct; making food from light energy. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and water from the soil and air then convert carbon dioxide into glucose and water into oxygen. Orchids have special requirements; their sensitive roots can be burned by high strength fertilisers so always use an orchid specific feed. Orchids obtain their nutrients from the air via aerial roots and what washes through the soil. In the wild these epiphytes grow on trees so do not like standing in water for long periods. Make sure you flush your diluted feed through the growing substrate a few times and let it drain out. Your Contributions do not contain any material that solicits personal information from anyone under the age of 18 or exploits people under the age of 18 in a sexual or violent manner.Your Contributions are not obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, violent, harassing, libelous, slanderous, or otherwise objectionable (as determined by us). Orchids detest soggy roots and will not thank you for sitting them in a pot of water so the best way to water is remove them from their pot and dunk or flush with rainwater whether in a sink or bath and let the water drip through. Return to their pot once excess water has dissipated. Requiring very little intervention other than occasionally removing dead leaves and flowers, water and feed sparingly with a diluted houseplant specific feed like Plantsmith’s Fortifying Houseplant Feed & Tonic once a month through its growing season. Tender Cyclamen persicumis an ideal potted houseplant for the busy Christmas season when time is short. Begonia rex For an additional rejuvenating boost, our Perfecting Houseplant Care Mist helps to create the ideal humid environment most of our houseplants are comfortable in. Containing 17 essential ingredients designed to promote good health with every spray, Perfecting Houseplant Care Mist aids growth, deters pests and helps boost plant health for improved growth and resilience.

As orchids, cacti and succulents have different nutritional requirements to other houseplants; Plantsmith has devised an especially blended formula suited to these plants, Nurturing Orchid Feed & Tonic and Invigorating Cacti & Succulent Feed. Nurturing Orchid Feed & Tonic To expedite resolution and control the cost of any dispute, controversy, or claim related to these Terms of Use (each a “Dispute” and collectively, the “Disputes”) brought by either you or us (individually, a “Party” and collectively, the “Parties”), the Parties agree to first attempt to negotiate any Dispute (except those Disputes expressly provided below) informally for at leastthirty (30)days before initiating arbitration. Such informal negotiations commence upon written notice from one Party to the other Party. Phosphorous is fundamental for promoting the development of roots. Phosphorous is also integral in helping the plant convert the sun’s energy into useable plant energy. There are a variety of different species of Schlumbergera, all of which have individual defining characteristics and flowering times. The three most common species sold in the UK are the Thanksgiving cactus, Schlumbergera truncata, Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera bridgesii and the Easter cactus, Schlumbergera gaertneri, formerly Hatiora gaertneri and they all have the same care requirements in our homes.

Dracaena are particularly useful at filteringformaldehyde, xylene, andtrichloroethylenefrom our homes. These tall, thin, slow-growing plants have spiky red-edged leaves which like lots of indirect light and can cope with underwatering so good for busy gardeners. Image: Debi Holland Areca Palm, Dypsis lutescens