How to use a coco coir

Plant lovers often use a coco coir (a coco peat) for planting, seeding and even rooting their green "phyto-friends". This product of a coconut is an excellent soil for sprouting seeds and rooting cuttings. The coir is water-permeable and loose. We can buy coco bricks or coco tablets. Today I would like to tell you about how to use a coco coir.

A coco coir

1. Take your coco brick or tablet and deep it in a vessel of water. If your coco peat is a tablet you may use a small plastic glass. My coco coir is bigger than a pill:

A coco peat takes a bath :)

 "Snip, snap, snurre...":

A "coco soil"

You will get a soft soil instead of a hard brick in a few minutes. Now this coco peat is ready for usage and you may plant your lovely flower. I planted my vanilla orchid in a "coconut" yesterday:

A vanilla orchid in a coco coir

Orchid lovers say that it is a perfect soil for a vanilla vine.


Also you can mix a coco coir with an another soil (for example, to mix with a humus).

How to root a vanilla orchid: Let's grow Vanilla planifolia from cuttings

Vanilla planifolia (a vanilla orchid) is an amazing tropical vine with big fragrant flowers. We can grow this gorgeous plant indoor. Even we can get vanilla gardens on our windowsills. Vanilla planifolia propagate from cuttings. Today I'm going to tell you about how to root a vanilla orchid.

A Vanilla planifolia variegata's cutting with a root. It's ready for planting.

Experts recommend to root the plant in a soil. We should make a mini hothouse and locate a green friend there. But this way isn't easy for amateurs. Unfortunately, we can make a mistake and a cutting will rot. However one of plant lovers told me about a simple method of a vanilla orchid rooting. It's rooting in vessel of water. In this case you need water, a glass and patience.

1. Take a glass of boiled water and deep a cutting there. (You may use even a plastic glass). Attention!  Only a part of the stem can be in the fluid. The leaves should not be in water or else a vanilla orchid may rot. 

Vanilla planifolia variegata

2. Locate it at a light place.

3. Add water to the glass from time to time.

4. Wait for a root. 

A root doesn't rot.

That's all!

It's very easy, indeed.

When a root grows to 1,5-2 inches (4-5 centimeters) you may plant out the orchid. My consultant recommends to use coco coir.

P.S. I got my small vanilla orchid's cutting 3 months ago. (It is lovely Vanilla planifolia variegata with variegated leaves). The plant had no roots. I've kept my "phyto-pet" in a plastic glass of water. True, the top became black in the month before last. 


I cut a bad part of stem. Lately my Vanilla planifolia variegata feels fine. The cutting has a good "white tail" and ready for planting.

A spruce in a pot: how to grow the Christmas tree indoor

I often think about what can happen if each of us cut a spruce for Christmas. I imagine a terrible spectacle. It's a waste area instead of a coniferous forest. Therefore I've refused to decorate the felled Christmas tree. The author of this blog has cultivated a conifer indoor. Today I'm going to tell you about how to grow a spruce in a pot.

 

A Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca Conica)

At our houses we can cultivate not only a spruce. You may choose a pine or even a stone pine, for example. However I've grown a Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca Conica). It's an amazing plant for a small space because this evergreen tree has a small size. But we'll discuss about it later.

First of all I would like to enumerate reasons why we need to cultivate a conifer indoor: 

A Christmas tree in a pot

1. We protect Nature and don't cut trees for our amusement.

2. Conifers have a wonderful smell.

3. These plants clean air, as you know.

4. You should not sweep daily because the trees don't shed needles as opposed to felled conifers.

5. Your Christmas Day will be unforgettable, thanks to natural Christmas tree in a pot.

A Christmas tree care. A spruce is not a houseplant. And Picea glauca Conica is not an indoor plant too. These green friends prefer freedom. However we can cultivate conifers in flats a short while. 

Experts allow to locate the Christmas tree in a cool room in winter. We even may accommodate it in a warm living room and decorate the plant for Christmas. We must spray it as often as possible because the plant is afraid of dry air. Of course, we can not use candles and electric garlands in the capacity of decorations. However scent of natural spruce is better than these items.

A spruce in a pot

After the Holiday we should locate the tree in a cool room again. (I've cultivated my green queen on the recessed balcony). A spruce needs regular watering. It prefers diffused light. Experts recommend to plant out  this tree outdoor in spring. 

Some of plant lovers grow small spruces in pots at gardens or at verandas in spring and summer. In cool season they locate the trees indoor.


My own experience of spruces cultivation. I gave my first spruce to a gardener 2 years ago. The plant lives in a garden. However my second Christmas tree doesn't want to grow outdoor. In last spring I transplanted it in a new pot. I used a special soil for conifers.

My coniferous queen

My beautiful Picea glauca Conica feels fine at my glazed loggia even in summer. It bears heat and bright light. The tree breathes fresh air because I open the window often. Also I water the conifer daily. 

Why this outdoor plant feels fine at the flat? I don't know. But I like this tree. Of course, I'm going to decorate my Dwarf Alberta Spruce on Christmas eve.



Have you cultivated a conifer indoor? 


   

Fragrant houseplants for you: aromatic flowers and scented leaves

Who is the greatest perfumer in the world? It is Nature, on my honest opinion. For example, rose's scent surpasses any luxury perfume. You can grow green gifts of Nature instead of spraying synthetic home fragrances. Today I'm going to tell you about excellent aromatic indoor plants.

Top 12 fragrant houseplants for your delight

A miniature rose

1. A miniature rose.

Aromatic: flowers.

The Queen of Flowers is possessed a very nice odor, as you know. Roses are garden plants. However we can grow a miniature rose indoor. (I cultivate six roses bush on my windowsill!).

This green queen prefers bright light, regular watering and fertilizing during April to August. In winter the plant resembles a bear. Usually it dens up in cold season. Rose's "den" is a shady cool place. In February/March the bush wakes up. It requires light locus and room temperature. Unfortunately this flower hates heat and dry air. I spray my miniature roses as often as possible.

A myrtle... a miracle...

 2. A myrtle (Myrtus communis).

Aromatic: leaves and flowers.

Myrtus communis known as a Common myrtle. But it isn't an ordinary plant. The leaves and the flowers exhale an excellent aroma. Also this green friend cleans air in a room. Myrtle volatile production can kill pathogenic microbes. 
An extra necessary condition for myrtle cultivation is a cool temperature in winter. It's 41-44,6 degrees Fahrenheit (5-7 degrees Celsius). If you locate Myrtus communis near a radiator in winter the tree may die because it doesn't bear dry air. Also this plant needs bright light all year round. 

Sansevieria trifasciata

3. A Sansevieria (a Snake plant).

Aromatic: flowers.

This widespread houseplant has many names. A Sansevieria is called Devil's tongue, Snake plant, Pike's tail, Saint Gergre's sword, Mother-in-low's tongue, Snake tongue, Bowstring hemp, Leopard lily etc. I like Leopard lily nickname because the succulent has charming fragrant flowers with  scent of lily. A Sansevieria blooms at night.

The succulent needs bright diffused light for flowering. This plant is able to grow in the shade but it can't bloom in this case.

Hoya carnosa

4. A Hoya (a Wax plant or a Porcelain flower).

Aromatic: flowers.

Hoya flowers look like baskets. It seems that these baskets contains perfumes. The flowers have a incomparable odor.

A Wax plant is a succulent Liana. It hates draught and overwetting. A Porcelain flower likes bright light, seldom watering and small flowerpots. Also a Hoya prefers a warm shower sometimes. This procedure stimulates a flowering.

A miltoniopsis

5. Orchids.

Aromatic: flowers.

The Orchid Family includes many scented "green members". There are a Vanilla orchid, a Miltonia, a Miltoniopsis, a Dendrobium, a Coelogyne, a Cattleya, a Cymbidium, a Neofinetia (a Fuukiran), some of Phalaenopsis sorts etc. 

What is the orchid scent? It is not a simple question. I have smelled orchid flowers with aroma of vanilla, candy, lily of the valley, wild flowers, citrus and even pepper.

Plectranthus fruticans

 6. Plectranthus fruticans.

Aromatic: leaves.

If you touch this charming plant you can feel a magnetic smell of mint. Plectranthus fruticans has light green leaves with a perceptible nice fragrance. They say that moth is afraid of this scent. Therefore Plectranthus fruticans can save your wool carpets and plaids.

The green friend will be grateful for bright light in winter. But a plectranthus prefers shading in summer.

Pelargonium graveolens

7. A Scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens).

Aromatic: leaves.

Of course, you know this widespread grapeleaf plant. There are many Pelargonium graveolens varieties. We can buy Scented geraniums with smells of lemon, rose, apricot and even Cola.

The green friend bears dry air and the shade. Pelargonium graveolens care is not a big deal. This fragrant plant can grow indoor and outdoor as well. However the green person doesn't stand frost. 

Murraya paniculata

8. Murraya paniculata (Orange Jessamine).

Aromatic: flowers.

One small flower of this effective tree is able to suffuse with fragrance a big room. The houseplant also known as Orange Jessamine, Japanese emperor tree. It is a fruit plant.

The tree needs good light and room temperature all year round. If you follow the blog you know that I dedicated one of my posts to Murraya paniculata care.

Stephanotis floribunda

 9. A Madagascar jasmine, a Hawaiian wedding flower (Stephanotis floribunda).

Aromatic: flowers.

Bloom of this Liana has a perceptible scent of jasmine.

The green person prefers bright diffused light and humid air. In winter you should locate it in a room with temperature 57,2-60,8 degrees Fahrenheit (14-16 degrees Celsius). Winter freshness stimulates Stephanotis floribunda's blooming in summer.

Gardenia jasminoides

 10. A gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides).

Aromatic: flowers.

White or yellow gorgeous flowers of this plant look like roses. However a garnenia care is more difficult then a rose care, IMHO. The white princess needs room temperature only. It doesn't stand cool, heat, the shade, dry air and draught. This houseplant enjoys bright light.

Aroma of gardenia is a component of many luxury perfume compounds.

Eucalyptus viminalis

11. An eucalyptus.

Aromatic: leaves.

Some kinds of these trees-giants can grow on our windowsills. As you know, an eucalyptus is a medicinal plant. Also it cleans air in our houses. The scent of eucalyptus has nice balsamic notes. 

Usually plant lovers cultivate E. viminalis and E. citriodora at homes. Eucaliptus citriodora is possessed a bright aroma of citrus. As a rule, eucalyptuses doesn't bloom indoor. 

A citrus

12. A citrus.

Aromatic: leaves, flowers and fruits.

This tree is a real laboratory of scents. Leaves and flowers of citrus have a wonderful odor. The fruits are fragrant too. In addition, the plant improves air in a room.




A citrus needs pruning for blossoming and fruiting. This charming houseplant prefers bright diffused light.