Category Archives: Houseplants

The Translation: “Propagating” is the act of taking a piece of a “mother” plant (like a stem cutting with a node) and growing it into a brand new, independent baby plant. Use It In a Sentence: “My Pothos vine was getting way too long, so I chopped it up for propagation and now I haveContinue reading “Propagation”

The Translation: Placing your plant’s pot (which must have drainage holes) into a bowl or sink filled with water, allowing the dry soil to soak up the water from the bottom like a sponge. Use It In a Sentence: “I started bottom watering my indoor plants, and I finally got rid of my fungus gnatContinue reading “Bottom Watering”

The Translation: A spot in your house that gets lots of natural sunlight, but where the sun’s actual harsh rays never physically touch the plant’s leaves. Use It In a Sentence: “I moved my fern a few feet back from the south-facing window so it gets bright indirect light instead of getting scorched.” Why YouContinue reading “Bright Indirect Light”

The Translation: A node is the small bump, joint, or thick ring on a plant’s stem where leaves, roots, or branches emerge. It is the biological engine of the plant’s growth. Use It In a Sentence: “If you want to grow a new plant from that vine, make sure you cut about an inch belowContinue reading “Node”

The Translation: Variegation refers to the appearance of different colored zones—usually splashes of white, cream, yellow, or pink—on a plant’s leaves, caused by a genetic mutation that limits chlorophyll. Use It In a Sentence: “I paid way too much money for this Monstera cutting just because it has stunning white variegation.” Why You Care: VariegationContinue reading “Variegation”