"Sweet desert rose, This memory of Eden haunts us all"...Sting

One of our favorite plants. We have it in a pot and bring it in, in the winter. In other words we treat it as a houseplant in SC and in northern FL where it is now. I doubt if it will over winter in Tennessee in the ground.  (more)

Houseplants Ten Golden Rules

1. Don't drown them

2. Give them a rest

3. Accept the loss of temporary plants

4. Give them extra humidity

5. Group them together

6. Learn to repot

7. Choose wisely

8. Don't over fertilize

9. Check the plant's specific needs

10. Summer outside

• 1/3 potting soil
• 1/3 vermiculite
• 1/3 small / tiny gravel

Putting hanging baskets on pulleys makes for easy watering.

When using gray water for outside use be sure not to use on edible plants, ferns or similar shade plants especially azaleas, rhododendrons, and violets.

More damage is done by over watering than under watering.  It is easier to bring a plant back from under watering than to revive drowned roots by over watering.

Water early in the morning.

When watering houseplants, use tepid water.

Tara writes: I would like to share a good tip for your plant lovers out there who prefer a natural fertilizer. Dirty goldfish water is a wonderful way to both water and fertilize your plants all at the same time. Every time I change the fish's water, I use it the old dirty water to water all my house plants.

It's been six months now since I started this and I must say that I have never in my life have had such green, lush, and healthy houseplants. I first started doing this for my lucky bamboo because I had killed too many of them by accidentally over-feeding them. Well you can't over-feed them goldfish poo apparently.

It was my mother that suggested using the fish water instead of plant fertilizer, she raises her tomatoes on the stuff and she always has the biggest, reddest tomatoes you've ever seen.

Just thought I'd share that for those who have fish tanks. Instead of just dumping the dirty water down the drain try using it to water the plants! Of course if the water had been treated with anything (like antibiotics or whatnot) for the fish's benefit it might not be good for the plants.