posted
I received a house plant for my birthday. I know virtually nothing about plants so I have no idea what this little guy is. It looks like ivy sorta with green leaves with a white trim. The only thing I really know about plants is that they need sunlight and water. So I set my plant in the kitchen window sill and water it every day. But a few of it's little leaves are turning brown. I really don't want my first houseplant to befall the same fate as my first gold fish. Can anyone help me make "Sheila" as I've dubbed the plant, live? Plants: 2 | From: USA | Registered: Jan 2006
| Seeded: 216.86.190.5
posted
Sheila sounds pretty... can you take a picture of her & post it here? (Instructions for posting a photo can be found in the Member Benefits section.) The folks around here are very helpful, but if we know EXACTLY what plant you've got, we'll be better able to help you keep her going!
And, welcome to the Gardener's Forum! Glad you found us! I can guarantee, you're going to LOVE this place!
posted
Thanks Patty. Well I'm at work right now, so I can't take a picture of her, but she looks a bit like ivy and she's in a pot. She may be being over watered.
Plants: 2 | From: USA | Registered: Jan 2006
| Seeded: 216.86.190.5
Cricket
guest
posted
I agree with Patty - a photo would aid identification which is the first step in learning how to care for your plant.
You're already part way there knowing about light and water requirements. More challenging is knowing how much of each plants need. Until Sheila is identified, it's wise to play it safe and place her in a location that receives bright indirect light. That means in a window that does not receive direct sunlight.
Watering is a little trickier, particularly if you don't know the type of plant, but there are some general guidelines. Plant roots need a balance of water and air (that's right - there is air in soil!) Watering Sheila every day might be giving her too much love and attention. Too much water will cause root rot. Alternatively, bottom roots might not be receiving water if you only provide tiny amounts of water each time. Neither are good for Sheila or any other plant. A better idea is to thoroughly water the soil from the top, making sure the entire surface is watered, until a little runs through the pot's drainage holes, then wait until the top 1/2-1" of soil is dry before watering thoroughly again. Don't be afraid to poke your finger in the soil to test it for moisture.
These are temporary instructions meant to tide you over until you can get a positive plant identification and we can give you specific instructions for Sheila. Until then, don't repot or fertilize. It can take several months for a plant to acclimate to a new environment during which it is best not to introduce unnecessary changes.
Before long you'll have a happy, healthy Sheila and a new addiction - PLANTS!
Cricket
P.S. In what size pot is Sheila planted?
Seeded: 70.66.52.31
posted
If you think it's an Ivy, you might want to check out this page on Care and Cultivation of Ivy. There is a section there about Ivy as a houseplant, which might help you with water & temperature requirements. There are also other Ivy links on that page, that you may want to take a look at. (There's an "Algerian ivy" there too, that sounds pretty close to your description of Sheila.)
posted
After reading Cricket's post, I noticed that you DID say:
quote:I set my plant in the kitchen window sill and water it every day
DON'T do that!
Cricket may be right... you're loving it to death! You didn't mention what happened to your first Gold fish, but adding water every day would have been a good thing in that instance... not so, with Sheila!
You should feel lucky to have a job where you can get paid to trouble shoot your houseplant issues! The rest of us just have to do this for fun!
* * * * I love the sweet scents wafting in the breeze. I stop to admire the vibrant colors of all living things. And people think me odd. Then ODD I am!!!
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Glad you found us! I can guarantee, you're going to LOVE this place! ![[thumb]](graemlins/thumb.gif)
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but adding water every day would have been a good thing in that instance... not so, with Sheila! ![[scaredy]](graemlins/scaredy.gif)
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