Lemon Thyme

Lemon Thyme is physically similar to the English or common thyme(Thymus Vulgaris). The only difference is in its flavor.  So, expect this article to talk only about the wonderful scent.
Keeping those plants around help a lot in repelling mosquitoes away - they might even do better than lemongrass. The trick is to crush the leaves of the lemon thyme to dissipate the lemon scent.  In the kitchen, lemon thyme beats common thyme with it's wonderful flavor. However, lemon thyme is best used fresh, as it's flavor fades away when dried.

Like the Common thyme, the lemon thyme will grow in most climates, but prefers a well-drained soil and lots of sun. It is easily grown in pots on your kitchen window sill. Find more in the common thyme profile.
Photo by izik and kthread.

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Peace Lily: Your Free Air Purifier

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I n addition to its beautiful foliage and flowers, the Peace Lily is an excellent air purifier. According to NASA's study on sick building syndrome, the Peace Lily is very keen at removing harmful gases(eg. formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene) from your room. Its wonderful ability to release oxygen made the Peace Lily to be awarded as the best desk plant in 2007. For optimum results, it is recommended to place your peace lily near your desk or even near your computer.

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Why do the leaves on my lucky bamboo plant have brown tips?

Recently one reader contacted me and asked me why the tips of his lucky bamboo was turning brown.
So here we go!

I've noticed two types of color change in the leaves of the lucky bamboo - dracaena sanderiana. Your bamboo leaf may turn brown or yellow.

Cause of Brown Leaf

The leaves turn brown because of the presence of fluoride (and sometimes chloride too) in water in the bamboo's pot. These minerals are often present in your tap water; you may want to check your local water suppliers for details on the concentration of the minerals. If you have chorine added to your water, let the water sit overnight before watering your dracaena. In extreme conditions, use mineral water when doing your weekly water change. It is believed that fluoride gets accumulated at the plant tips and kill the plant cells there. Excess of any salt will also have the same adverse effects. use diluted fertilisers to be on the safe side. Low atmospheric humidity also promotes brown leaves.

Cause of Yellow Leaf

Don't panic, yellow leaves shows that its time to fertilise your bamboo. Direct bright light and too little water(when planted in soil) also cause yellowing of leaves. Bright indirect light is better. Its not a big deal. I repeat, don't panic.

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Spathiphyllum - Peace Lily

Introduction

The Spathiphyllum or Peace Lily is a very popular houseplant. People keep them both indoors and outdoors. It produces white or greenish-white flowers called spaths during the warmer seasons.This plant is quite beautiful even without flowers.

Caring for your Peace Lily

Plant your Peace Lily in partial to full shade and keep the soil moist. Prune dead spaths.

Handling

The Spathiphyllum(whole plant) is toxic and should not be consumed.

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Jatropha Podagrica "Buddha Belly"

Introduction

 

Jatropha podagrica leaf

New leaf on Jatropha podagrica

The Jatropha podagrica is an easy plant to grow and people grow it for its swollen caudex and unusual leaves. It flowers all year round - if the temperaure is high enough - and gets more flowers during the hotter season. The plant can be placed in shade but will bloom more if it gets many hours of sun daily. This beautiful succulent originates from Guatemala.
This beautiful plant produces seed pods which explode when ripe, scattering the seeds several feet away from the mother plant.


Caring for your Jatropha Podagrica

The Jatropha podagrica does not require much care apart from an occasional watering and an annual fertilizing (it depends on your soil). Always let the soil dry before watering, else the root may rot.It can also be grown indoors in a pot if adequate lighting is present.

Handling and Propagation

 

Small Jatropha podagrica plant

The plant and its seeds are poisonous if ingested.Propagation is done very easily by seeds.

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Lucky Bamboo

Introduction

The lucky bamboo - dracaena sanderiana - is a great plant for beginners and can be kept both indoor and outdoor. The lucky bamboo originates from Africa(Ha, you thought it was from China???) and blooms when subjected to drought conditions. The lucky bambo is not related to the bamboo - you know, the true one - and is used as a decorative plant. The Lucky Bamboo is said to attract luck as stated in Feng Shui.

Caring for your Lucky Bamboo

It is a difficult plant to kill but the leaves get damaged easily from unproper care. Too much fertilisation leads to browning of the tip of the leaves. You'll get the same symptoms if you water your lucky bamboo with chlorinated water. Leave the water overnight to let the chlorine escape before watering. The lucky bamboo can be grown either potted in soil or directly in water. The latter method requires only the base of the stem to be immersed in water as the leaves cannot grow in water.

Handling and Propagation

Propagation of the Lucky Bamboo is quite easy. Just cut any piece of it, having at least two to three nodes and stick it in a pot or in water. New roots will form quickly and you'll get a brand new Lucky Bamboo.

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African violet

The African Violet is a simple hardy plant that can be kept by everyone. This plant does not stays quite small in size and is suitable for a small pot.

Velutina Variety

However, it should be kept out of rain though. When watering, never let water fall onto its leaves. The leaves will rot. I usually leave a small empty area in the pot for watering.

The soil should be always moist and the leaves tending upwards.

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