Yes, you should cut off wilted, dead, or completely yellow leaves. Removing them improves the plant's appearance, stops the plant from wasting energy trying to heal dead tissue, and helps prevent pests and diseases from taking hold.
At home, it's best to only remove leaves when they come off easily or turn fully brown/dry, unless badly pest infested on a small part of the plant, or if leaves are diseased. If your plant is recovering from watering issues or repotting, hold off on pruning. Let it keep yellowing leaves until it's finished using them!
Fruit Trees (Apples, Pears, and Plums): October is an excellent time to remove dead or diseased wood from fruit trees. Pruning fruit trees helps prevent the spread of fungal diseases and improves air circulation, which is crucial for fruit production next season.
Plants prefer to rest between waterings. Keeping the soil too moist all the time can rot the roots. OVERWATERING is the #1 killer of houseplants.
Every drooping or dying leaf is still drawing energy, even if it isn't producing much. By removing it, the rhizome can focus on pushing out the next healthy flush. This is especially important in the growing season, when each new leaf is typically bigger than the last.
For many, it's best to avoid pruning in the fall because it can stimulate new growth that will be damaged by cold. On the other hand, there are a few plants to prune in October, especially if you want to keep your garden looking gorgeous right through to spring.
Certain indoor plants are notorious for their demanding environments and hyper-specific care routines. The absolute hardest houseplants to keep alive include the Maidenhair Fern, which quickly turns to dust if its delicate soil dries out even slightly, and the Calathea (or Peacock Plant), which requires distilled water and 60%+ humidity.
Snake Plant (Laurentii)
The snake plant is one of the most hardy and unkillable species of housepant and positively thrive on neglect. Native to Western Africa, the plant has sword like leaves that...
It is not recommended to spray Dawn dish soap on plants. Dawn is a heavy-duty detergent designed to strip grease. When applied to foliage, it strips away the plant's natural, protective waxy layer, which can cause leaf burn, dehydration, and leave the plant vulnerable to pests and diseases.
The classic plant that universally says "I love you" is the Red Rose. However, if you are looking for long-lasting houseplants or specific symbolic meanings in the Victorian language of flowers, there are several wonderful alternatives to express your deepest affections.
Avoid pruning plants that bloom on "old wood" (buds set the previous year), bleed heavy sap, or need winter cold protection. Pruning these in winter risks losing next year’s flowers or stressing the plant.
Beauty is entirely subjective, but a few plants consistently capture the title of the world's most beautiful depending on whether you value classic floral elegance, rare exotic geometry, or unique foliage.
Prune during the dormant season, usually between November and March. Remove crossing, dead or diseased branches. Shorten the previous year's growth by a third. Late flowering shrubs.
8 Pruning Mistakes to Avoid
Fruit bushes such as currants and gooseberries will benefit from thinning out, while perennials that lack decorative seed heads should be cut back to the ground. Autumn is also the time to prune tender plants such as lavender and rosemary, which won't withstand pruning in winter.
Orchids. Orchids are royal decorative flowers, and specimens in white symbolize "I miss you." White orchids also convey purity, innocence, and elegance. These flowers are easy to care for, which is why they will remind one of the senders.
The forget-me-not is primarily recognized as the birth flower for September. Along with the aster and the morning glory, it represents patience, daintiness, and deep remembrance.
Jasmine and particularly Arabian Jasmine (Jasmine sambac) are plants that are associated with good luck in love and are traditionally used in parts of Asia and India in the bridal bouquet to bless the happy couple. Roses are of course also associated with love and romance and make a great gift for a summer wedding.
Laundry detergent is generally not good for plants and can harm them due to high levels of sodium, boron, and bleach, which build up in soil, alter pH levels, and damage leaf cuticles. While heavily diluted, biodegradable, and low-sodium detergents may be used cautiously on non-edible landscaping or trees, they are generally too harsh for delicate plants, vegetables, and containers.
Highly fragrant bar soap, like Irish Spring, scattered around your yard and garden can repel many types of animals that have a delicate sense of smell. Gather old soap remnants and hang them from trees or around the perimeter of your garden to stop mice and deer.
To keep plants alive in water, add a liquid hydroponic fertilizer at 144 to 112 the recommended strength to provide necessary nutrients. Additionally, add a few drops of 𝟑% hydrogen peroxide to oxygenate the water and prevent root rot, and use filtered or distilled water to avoid harmful tap-water minerals.
The easiest houseplants to keep alive are the Snake Plant and the Pothos. Both are highly forgiving, survive in various light conditions, and thrive on neglect, making them practically indestructible for beginners.
While "most toxic" can be subjective, several common plants are widely considered dangerous if kept indoors. These plants are hazardous to humans and pets if ingested.
Research has shown that English Ivy can eliminate up to 78% of airborne mold within 12 hours. This makes it particularly useful in humid areas like bathrooms and basements where mold growth is more common.