From tablets to foliar sprays, choosing what to use when you fertilise houseplants can seem like a bit of a minefield, but On The Ledge is here to help you get your feeding right! Plus I answer a question about aquascaping soil and bring you part four of the On The Ledge sowalong, looking at what to do once your seedlings have emerged.
Read MoreThis week is an On The Ledge sowalong extravaganza! We’re now getting to the nitty gritty - the actual seed sowing bit - so my dog Wolfie and I are off to my potting shed to see what’s sprouting there, plus I have special guest Robert Pavlis to answer a question about using wood ash on houseplants.
Read MoreI talk African violets with fellow podcaster and AV grower and judge Annie Rieck, answer a question about variegated Ctenanthe leaves and introduce part two of the #OTLsowalong.
Read MoreI talk conservatories with Ruth Kassinger, author of Paradise Under Glass, introduce part one of the On The Ledge sowalong, and answer a question about mould.
Read MoreRob Stacewicz’s London home is stuffed with gorgeous houseplants, but most of them are planted in groups. He gives me a tour, and explains why planting more than one specimen in the same container really works. Plus I answer a question about a bird of paradise.
Read MoreThe BCSS’s Mark Preston returns to talk about forest cactus propagation, plus Hatiora, Lepismium and Rhipsalis. And I answer a question ahout getting hold of that must-have plant, Christia obcordata.
Read MoreI am joined by epiphytic cactus expert Mark Preston to talk about how to take care of Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving cacti, aka Schlumbergera and Rhipsalidopsis. And I answer a question about baby spider plants.
Read MoreI talk to Scott Cain of Instagram accounts @tropicaloco and @boyswithplants about his houseplant collection, his new book and what it’s like keeping a whole forest of foliage plants alive on an Australian balcony. And I answer a question about a Monstera with dodgy leaves.
Read MoreHoyas are shooting up the houseplant popularity charts, and so they should: these climbing and trailing vines have lovely foliage and flowers that are otherworldly and sometimes heavenly scented. Doug Chamberlain of Vermont Hoyas joins me to discuss how to care for these enchanting plants.
Read MoreBotanical Latin can seem like a confusing alphabet soup that’s full of tongue twisters. But Latin names help us learn about the history of the plant, who brought it into cultivation and what it looks like. This episode will set you on the road to becoming a scholar of plant taxonomy - the science of naming plants. Plus a question on corkscrew rush.
Read MoreMichael Perry aka Mr Plant Geek joins me to share some of his insights into the houseplant scene in China, Japan and Thailand, from how much you’d pay for a 6ft Adenium in Thailand to how the Chinese are marketing houseplants to children. Plus I answer a jaw-dropping question from a listener who has a peace lily that’s anything but peaceful…
Read MoreIn this episode I highlight some of the gadgets I have found useful, from soil moisture testers to hand lenses. And I answer three questions: one about Calatheas, another on Aloe vera and a final one about variegation in Monsteras.
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