Grow Plants to Use as Gifts
There is nothing like a personal gift that you took the time and care to nurture, allowing it to flourish into a beautiful plant that will produce many offspring. What follows are descriptions and care instructions for several wonderful plants that make beautiful gifts, especially if presented in the right way...and with lots of love.
Steps
- Grow plants that are fairly easy to care for, such as the Peace Lily. The Peace Lily is a green leafy plant that produces an elegant and unique looking white flower; it is a house plant that likes sitting near a window, getting some indirect sunlight (not too much, in other words). Add some sand to the top of the soil of your Peace Lily to keep the soil drained and give it a nicer look. It is best to keep your Peace Lily indoors. However, it can survive outdoors if planted under a tree and kept watered and shaded. It needs to be watered about every other day...just enough to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. To start a new plant, be sure to pull roots and all up, when ready to transplant a piece.
- Learn to grow plants from cuttings and divisions. You will need your own starter plants from your own garden, or from a nursery or friend.
- Philodendrons are fabulous indoor plants, and have been recommended and used by NASA as an air cleaning plant. Their beautiful green foliage will certainly accent any room. Place philodendrons in front of a window, so they can get some indirect sunlight. Water every couple of days, just enough to keep the soil moist. To start a new plant, simply break a clipping from the original at the joints. The clipping can be placed in water to allow the roots to grow or be transplanted right away.
- Enjoy the Mother-in-law tongue plant, for it only needs to be watered now and then and needs very little light. It is pretty much trouble-free,and grows like crazy, needing a bigger pot in no time at all. You'll have plenty of plants to separate and start new ones; just pull some out, while being very careful not to break the the roots, and start one or more new plants.
- Try succulents. Many will grow from cuttings or divisions, and most need little maintenance. Here are some easy succulents to grow: jades, aloe vera, and the hen and chicks plant. Succulents all prefer the soil to be on the dry side; do not soak them. They are great if kept indoors or outdoors, but if keeping inside, set them where they can get some sunlight and they'll be happy plants.
- Transplant your plant to a gift pot when it is grown and established. Add a few stones or rocks to the pot for drainage. Add a little soil and hollow out the middle and place the plant inside. Fill it in around the plant with more soil, leaving the soil at least an inch to 1/1/2 inch from the top of the pot.
- Lightly water the newly transplanted plant or plants, and let the pot or pots dry and wipe with a cloth before adding the decorative stickers. Once the stickers are applied, your gift or gifts are ready.
- Give a nice card with your plants and enclose care instructions.
Tips
- Misting is always good for your plants. It is like an evening shower for them; plus it keeps leaves looking clean and healthy.
- In the desert and other areas where salt content is high in tap water, it is best to plant the peace lily in a nonporous pot. Excess salt in the water is readily absorbed by clay pots and will cause the leaves to burn. You will have better results by using a plastic, glass or glazed ceramic pot. In addition, as with other species, soaking is the best method for watering. Instead of using a saucer to catch excess water, place the pot directly in the saucer and then water by filling the saucer. The plant absorbs the water from the saucer. Simply keep the saucer filled and the plant will have all the water it needs. With this method, salt will rise to the surface of the soil where it can easily be scraped away. This is also excellent for the philodendron family, which contains hearty, quick growth plants.
- Try a light application of fertilizer on plants such as the Philodendron every month or so for them to be healthier. Plants such as jade plants or aloe vera do not need fertilizer.
- If you use a decorative pot or place the pot in a basket, there is no need to decorate further.
- To make things even easier for your recipient, do any transplanting a bit in advance. Give the plant time to acclimate to its new pot.
- Grow several starts and keep them around along with a supply of gift-worthy pots for whenever you need a gift for someone on short notice.
- Put down old newspapers to keep the area that you are working in cleaner.
- You can buy small bags of rocks or stones at most dollar stores, or some department stores.
- Small terracotta pots with holes are perfect for plants such as the Hen and Chicken plant. It is an alternative to the regular clay pots.
- Any of the plant's clippings can be first transplanted in to small plastic pots, then as they're needed can be placed in the pot that you'll be giving as a gift to that special someone.
- Try Amaryllis. This large bulb has showy flowers, which make excellent gifts.
Warnings
- When caring for the peace lily: be sure to separate the roots after the plant has bloomed. You can use a small case knife in order to do this, but he careful not to harm the plant.
- Do not go overboard on the fertilizer. Carefully read directions, for you do not want to burn your plants, especially those that are raised outdoors. Over-fertilized plants can also grow too quickly, which weakens them and makes them vulnerable to pests and diseases.
- When you are ready to start a new plant off of the main plant, be careful not to break the roots. Carefully dig your hands deep into the dirt to remove the plant or use a shovel.
Things You'll Need
- Several small terracotta or regular clay pots
- Small stones or rocks
- Several large bags of enriched potting soil
- Fertilizer
- Gardening trowel
- Gardening gloves
- Decorative stickers
