The Black Thumb

     Let's all face it.  There are many among us that are guilty of shortening the life expectancy of their beautiful plants once they get them home.  These people are known to have "black thumb".  Now we would all want to have a green thumb, but it seems there are only a few that were gifted in this way.  People joke about how they can just walk by a plant and kill it.  This is not necessarily true. In my experience you had to work at killing your plant.  It was a process that took weeks, sometimes months to happen.  The pitiful plant would be holding on hoping you would figure out how to take care of it, until it gasped it's last breath and let go and turned an ugly brown all over.

     Well, I have good news!!  With this article I hope to give you tools to be able to keep your plants alive, and thriving and growing.  The most common mistakes are; over watering, under watering, or too much sun, not enough sun.  We live in zone 8 b according to this hardiness map. If your plant comes with a care tag, be sure and read it carefully in the store before you purchase so you will know if the plant will grow in the location you have planned.  Of course this is only necessary information if you are planting outside.


     As we go into the fall/winter season your plants indoors will not need as much water.  Place the plants in front of an east facing window if possible or in a room that has an abundance of fluorescent light.  The best way to tell if a plant is doing well is to notice if the leaves are shiny and standing upright.  In other words, does it look happy?  To prevent over watering of house plants, pick up the pot and if it is light it is time to water.  If it is heavy and the soil is still soaked in water and it should be good for quite a few days.  Most plants do not like to sit in soggy soil.  They like soil that lets the overflow of water out of the pot.  Look for a container that has a saucer attached so when you water the excess can drip into the saucer.  I usually place my plants in the sink or the bathtub and fill them with water.  Afterwards I let them drain for 30 minutes or so, then dry the container and put them back in their spot.  This allows for easy cleanup.

     Do not put gravel in the bottom of the container.  I'm sure we've all heard  this will make for better drainage and keep the plant from rotting while sitting in water.  Actually the opposite is true.  By placing the gravel in the bottom and soil on top up to the plant level, you create a situation where the plant has a small space of soil to grow its roots.  It then gets root bound and also sits in a soggy container with no where for the new roots to grow. You can purchase potting soil that is good for drainage or you can mix in your own organic matter to create a soil that will allow for root expansion and water drainage.  This picture below shows too much sun on a peace lillies leaves.

     If your plant has been placed where it was in too much sun, immediately move it.  Once it has been moved to a better location you can cut off the "burned" leaves.  Use pruning scissors and cut the leaves off.  Once you cut off the dead leaves it will allow for new growth.  Reach into the middle of the plant and cut the stem as close to the base as you can.  House plants usually come back and look great if moved from the location quick enough.
     In the fall and winter a sun room would be the ideal spot for house plants.  If this is not possible, a room on the east side of the house is best.  Keep the temperature a moderate 70 - 80 degrees if possible.  Most plants can with stand colder, but they will go dormant at lower temperatures.  In the winter, plants are really just on maintenance.  You should not expect much growth or blooms.
     The fall is the best time to plant outdoor hedges, trees, grass etc.  We enter a season of rain and cooler temperatures.  We have about one month that the plants will be dormant due to cold temperatures.  Then spring arrives and your plants have had about 3 or 4 months to get their strength and roots developed.  Just be sure to water your new plants during the winter if we do not get enough rain.
    So, black thumb disease is easy to overcome.  One of your best tools of defense is Google or any other online search.  Also, go to a home town nursery and ask them about how to care for your plant.  The big box stores are not much help in the details.  Hopefully this will help you with some of your questions.  If you have any other questions, comment here and I will try to answer them.  Good luck with your new plants!!

Sherry