Task 3 – Indoor Plants

[Ray Novitske]

#337 Reply |

We want to increase our indoor/houseplant topics on the website. We might identify what topics such as plants we should profile, problems specific to indoor plants and solutions, types/cultivars and performance, history, and/or growing conditions.
Let us know if would like to work on this task, and list any specific ideas you might have here.

[Dianei Keller]

#338 Reply |

Great topic! I have a bonsai tree I keep indoors. I bought it three years ago. It is now 18 years old. I also have a bonsai outdoor garden in a planter. This past winter one of the trees did not do well even though it was covered. I need to bring planter indoors next winter but unsure how to do that.

Would love to help work on this topic.

[Nancy Miller]

#345 Reply |

I have a variety of houseplants that I’ve had for many years, mostly dracaenas, but also spineless succulents, Christmas/Easter cacti, etc. I love them, but not the watering, particularly. Would you like to emphasize particular types, or just focus on the appropriate care?

[Ray Novitske]

#346 Reply |

I think we want to brainstorm some ideas about how to tackle the subject. For one step, we could come up with a list of houseplants to spotlight and then have stories written about them. A usual story about a plant includes history, varieties, problems & how to address them, growing conditions. Maybe look into what plants can be taken outdoors during the summer (indoor plants mostly being tropicals.) Or, have a few stories about common issues with houseplants – bugs, disease, soil, types of containers, watering, humidity – that can be applied to a group of plants. Or, tackle one of those common issues in a story or two.

There are a few ways to go after the subject, and I’m hoping the people that suggested the topic can help guide us.

[Ray Novitske]

#398 Reply |

How can we incorporate the interests of the houseplant gardeners into the website?
What topics could be covered?
Is there a sequence or plan for the year?
I will post my thoughts shortly.

[Ray Novitske]

#399 Reply |

Run a series on indoor houseplants that look at topics other than the plants:
1. selecting the container – pluses & minuses for different materials, sizes, consideration of possible growth, repotting, drainage, decoration, moving around,
2. soil – what types are there, how that depends on the plants, make your own or mix,
3. water – from above or below, tap water or other, drainage, amendments, dry soil or damp, know the plant requirements, pitfalls for dry or wet soil
4. fertilizer – too much, how often, slow release, liquid, in the potting mix,
5. light – windowsill, east, north or south light, artificial light, light color
6. temperature & humidity – different ways & things that affect both, how to increase or decrease to meet plant needs, what affect them, indicators, how plants respond to changes
7. pests – insects, fungus, what type of damage, how to control, types of insects & their lifestyles

[Ray Novitske]

#400 Reply |

Possible plant topics:
1. buying and selecting houseplants
2. starting from seed
3. what plants make good houseplants, what plants do not
4. bringing indoors for the season only
5. indoor edibles
6. size, color, blooms or foliage
7. typical and non-typical houseplants

[Pat]

#555 Reply |

Had our first meeting of the indoor plants focus group 9/24. We thought of new topics to discuss about houseplants for the winter months. Diane decided to write about the process of bringing plants from outside to inside for the winter, including insects present on plants and new light and humidity conditions. We also decided to include an article on how to select a houseplant for a holiday gift, using the right place for the right plant. We also want to include plants that can live both inside in the winter and outside the rest of the year. Houseplants we want to include are: Kalanchoe, Boston fern, Anthurium, Cyclamen, Prayer Plant, Diffenbachia, Snake plant, and Dracena.

[Nancy Miller]

#556 Reply |

I think these are all great ideas–some of them very detailed. I’m will to research and write “how-to” about dracaenas, kalanchoes, cyclamens, & snake plants–all of which I have experience with. As always, I’m available for whatever you need.

[Diane Keller]

#557 Reply |

Ray,

Think that the Fairfax Gardening Web site is such a great wealth of information and a wonderful place for FCMG’s to post articles. There is really so much that can be done on this web site! Just a couple of ideas I had… I am in the market to purchase a greenhouse. I am sure I am not the only one dreaming of and wanting to purchase this item. Second, I am taking a course to become certified in Polinators (Polinator Steward). While taking this course I need to create a Polinator garden. There can be articles written about Polinators. There was a previous post about Bonsai trees. This topic is so popular now. Merrifield has a couple of Bonsai gardens that are just beautiful. I have three Bonsai gardens and would always love to read an article about Bonsai Trees! What about a blog on the web site that continues each month about any of the topics above?

Is there a way to find out how many people read the Fairfax Gardening web site? If there is a tool to measure how many people access the web site and we are trying to imporove our visibility, we can have perks or little freebees offered to those who find an inbeded gift in an article?

Hope these ideas help!

Diane Keller

[Ray Novitske]

#558 Reply |

Ideas always welcome. We do have a few stories about pollinators. You can search the website for them, or try the archives section. I think we can use some stories that take a different aspect of them not already covered.

Right now, we have 629 people that receive the monthly updates. Our statistics show that popular stories come from Google searches by people, not necessarily from people reading the latest stories. I am not keen on starting a blog since we have the website, Instagram, and facebook already, and don’t know what a blog could add.

[Author]

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