The flattened stems are called phylloclades and can be fairly brittle and break off. Christmas cactus propagate very simply by division. Snap off a stem from the mother plant and leave the wound to dry up and heal over for a couple of days before pushing these stems into a pot of gritty compost. Keep moist but not waterlogged to avoid the stems rotting off. Pests Phalaenopsis,or moth orchids, have long-flowering elegant blooms that form on arching stems and with a bit of care are very easy to grow. Keep orchids moist but not wet. Increase humidity by regularly misting foliage but avoid spraying the flowers. Plantsmith’sInvigorating Orchid Care Mistprovides 12 essential nutrients to boost orchid growth and enhance flowering. This is one of the easiest houseplants to grow and boastsover 500 cultivarsto choose from. Many notable Begonia rexhave attained the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit such as‘Escargot’,‘China Curl’, and‘Fireworks’. These terms shall be governed by and defined following the laws ofEngland.Jigsaw Marketing & Media Ltdand yourself irrevocably consent that the courts ofEnglandshall have exclusive jurisdiction to resolve any dispute which may arise in connection with these terms. The Peace Lily ranked high in NASA’s air purifying study by being capable of absorbing all of the chemicals on test;formaldehyde, trichloroethylene,benzene, toluene, xylene and ammonia. Peace Lilies are particularly good at processing trichloroethylene, in fact they were proven to remove 23% in 24 hours and can keep household mould at bay. They absorb these chemicals through their leaves and expel them via their roots where they are broken down by soil microbes. Image: Debi Holland Snake plant, Sansevieriatrifasciata

Like us, plants require a combination of nutrients to thrive and when plants live in pots rather than the open ground they are totally reliant on us to provide them with a balanced diet but essential nutrients such as iron, potassium and magnesium will encourage healthy green leaves and promote flower growth. Spider plants are super easy to look after and although pretty self-sufficient they are actually working hard to rid rooms of nasty chemicals such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene so place a spider plant in a kitchen or lounge that has a fire for extra peace of mind Image: Debi Holland Dragon Tree, Dracaena marginata

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Kalanchoegrace shops in the lead up to Christmas but once they have finished flowering they can lose their appeal. Resist the temptation to ditch these low maintenance houseplants, they have worked hard flowering for a couple of months and with a little care they will bloom again. Fungus gnats thrive on moist soil. If you see these tiny flies on the soil surface, reduce your watering schedule and Spray with Plantsmith Protecting Bug Control Spray. A gravel mulch on the pot’s surface may also help. You can also apply parasitic nematodes, Steinernema feltiae, as a biological control to try and quash the infestation. The nematodes are mixed in a watering can and then applied over the soil as part of your normal watering regime. Always read instructions carefully, and wear gloves when using. Strong summer sun may leave soil parched and can scorch leaves creating brown dead-looking patches along the leaf margins; this is where excess moisture has been evaporated out of the leaf before the plant has had a chance to replenish it.

The Thanksgiving cactus Schlumbergera truncatahas spiky points like crab’s claws on the tips of stems and flowers from early November, a month earlier than Schlumbergera bridgesii,which starts blooming from December with tubular flowers and rounded, smooth stems. In 1989 NASA carried out the NASA Clean Air Study which were controlled experiments in sealed environments proving plants such as snake plants, peace lilies and English ivy, have the ability to purify air although there is debate about the amount of pollutants they can remove from our homes. Subsequently research studies followed in 1993, 1996 and 2004 that have confirmed and elaborated on these findings.Your Contributions are not unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, pyramid schemes, chain letters, spam, mass mailings, or other forms of solicitation. Orchids have special requirements; their sensitive roots can be burned by high strength fertilisers so always use an orchid specific feed. Orchids obtain their nutrients from the air via aerial roots and what washes through the soil. In the wild these epiphytes grow on trees so do not like standing in water for long periods. Make sure you flush your diluted feed through the growing substrate a few times and let it drain out.