How to Care for Houseplants: Tips from Readers of '1000 Secrets'

Make Friends with Laurel A few years ago, I planted a laurel tree in a pot. I liked the idea of growing bay leaves for cooking, and it was interesting to watch the plant develop. I ordered the seedling from a garden store, making sure it had a well-developed root system. I made good drainage in the pot and filled it with a mixture of sand, leaf soil, and turf soil in equal proportions. Fortunately, the tree took root and started to grow, albeit slowly. I water the laurel often, but I avoid overwatering. Once or twice a month, I add baking soda to the water at a rate of 0.5 tsp per 1 liter of water. In the summer, I take the pot out to the balcony, slightly shading the plant. During this period, in the evenings, every 2-3 days, I generously spray the crown with settled water to prevent pests. Every 3 years, I repot the tree into a larger pot. The idea of growing laurel indoors turned out to be successful. It not only provides me with fragrant seasoning but also purifies the air in the apartment. Evergreen Solanum I have solanum bushes - evergreen nightshades - growing at home. Its white flowers and small red or yellow fruits look original and liven up the room. The main trick in caring for solanum is to ensure adequate soil and air moisture, but without excess water. The humidity around the solanum should be at least 65%. It is not recommended to pour water into the tray, as the plant may rot. To ensure proper humidity, I spray the bushes with room temperature water every other day and keep them in trays with wet expanded clay. This way, the pots do not come into contact with water. When planting, I also added a thick layer of drainage and more sand to the soil. Judging by the abundance of fruits and active growth, my solanums are satisfied with the conditions. For Geraniums to Bloom Abundantly I want to share a secret for abundant blooming of geraniums. It lies in watering with a iodine solution. Iodine accelerates the formation of inflorescences and increases their number. The solution is easy to prepare: 1 drop of iodine per 1 liter of settled room temperature water. For one geranium bush, watering with 50 ml 1-2 times a week in summer and spring is sufficient. The solution should be applied carefully: an hour after the main watering, strictly along the inner walls of the pot, to avoid damaging the stem and roots. Green “Bait” All my friends have long since married, and I have had no luck. I decided to figure out which flowers contribute to coziness in the home and which might drive away potential men. I didn't believe in omens for a long time, so my house was filled with various flowers. I started giving away my favorites. First, I got rid of the male-attracting plants: pothos and ivy. As a precaution, I took a couple of cacti to work, which promise loneliness. Instead, I bought a flower of passion and love - hibiscus, and also repotted oxalis - the flower of love. I took a cutting of chlorophytum from a friend. It is called “family happiness,” and it cleans the air well. You can laugh at my superstition, but soon after such rearrangements, a wonderful man appeared in my life. We recently got married. Now I plan to buy a ficus, which is considered the patron of the home hearth and a symbol of a calm atmosphere in the family. Repotting is a Must! A few years ago, I was gifted a gardenia with beautiful white flowers. I didn’t repot the flower immediately, and after two weeks, the leaves of the gardenia turned yellow. I decided to repot it and found that the roots had begun to rot. Now I always repot purchased flowers, regardless of the pot size, and I advise you to do the same. If Cats Ruin Flowers We have always had cats in our house, and I love growing houseplants. However, sometimes there was a problem: the cats confused the flower pot with the litter box. I had to use various methods to wean my pets from this bad habit. I noticed that it is best not to place the food bowl next to the litter box, as cats do not like such proximity. You can fence the flower with a “fence” made of sticks or take a plastic bottle, cut off the top, and fence the flower. You can also cover the surface of the pot with paper so that the cat cannot reach the soil. Cats do not like the smell of garlic, so I sometimes sprinkled chopped garlic on the soil around the flower. Punishment is not the best method, but if I caught the cat by the flower, I would gently tap its nose and take it to the litter box. It is also recommended to cover the windowsill with double-sided tape, but I did not do that. There are special sprays available that repel cats from plants, but they can negatively affect the flowers themselves, so I prefer not to use them. “1000 Secrets.”