Hello readers!
I am going to start featuring some of my subscribers and their plant questions. This week I am featuring Isabelle. She is new to plant parenting. When asked to describe herself, she said she is “chunky, funky, and fabulous.” She is better at painting and drawing plants than taking care of them. Her words, not mine! And we are about to change that by answering some of her pressing questions to the best of my ability! Lets go:
What soil is best for a cactus?
It definitely depends on the type of cactus that you have in my opinion, but based on the photo you provided, I would say your cactus could benefit from a cactus soil. You can use regular sand, but that will lack nutrients (aka plant food) that the soil would otherwise provide. You can get this at any hardware store that carries plant soil!
How often should I rotate plants so they don’t grow towards the sun lopsided?
This question really depends on the plant. Every plant is extremely different. I find myself turning some of my plants twice a week, while others, never. It has to do with how fast they grow and the amount of sunlight they are receiving from my experience. Keeping an eye on your plant is the best way to prevent them from becoming lopsided. However, some plants are climbing plants and will need another form of support. I can write a post about this if you are interested!
Are there plants I shouldn’t have with dogs in the house?
This is a great question. There are actually many plants that are toxic to dogs. I will list some common types that many people tend to have. Just because a plant is toxic if ingested, doesn’t mean that you cannot keep your plant. Simply, put it on a shelf that your animal cannot get to. It also depends on the pet. Does your pet have a tendency to chew on things? If so, probably should put these plants out of reach. If they don’t generally bother anything, it is your call. Even if you do not own these plants, keep an eye out for them as your walk your dog. There are ivy plants all over our apartment complex, so I always make sure not to let our pup sniff around them too much.
IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that dogs or cats are generally not going to eat plants that are poisonous to them. When they do, it can be a result of boredom, stress, etc.
- Aloe Vera
- Elephant Ear
- Pothos
- Jade Plant
- English Ivy
- Peace Lilly
- Corn Plant
- Monstera Deliciosa
- Snake Plant
- Sago Palm
Are things like miracle grow actually good for plants?
YES!! So glad you asked. Fertilizer is “food” for plants. That is why it is included in most soils you can purchase at the store. Without proper nutrients, your plant will not grow as fast and potentially even die. It is important to understand the cycle of fertilization. There is a growing season for plants, and that is when you should fertilize typically once a month. This season is generally from spring to fall. If you are like me when I started out, fertilizer SCARED me. No idea why. The best method I have found, is to buy these handy dandy fertilizer spikes. You stick them in every 60 days or so (whatever the package recommends) and they slowly release fertilizer every time you water your plant. Here is a link to some if you are interested:
I really hope these answers help you on your plant journey! I encourage my other readers to comment your questions to be featured in a future post, and like always, please subscribe to be notified of future content!