To prevent root roting, first plant your vegetables and flowers in a good soil, with not too much clay and not too much sand on it, and with lots of fine organic matter. Peat moss is very good to keep constant humidity. Keep watering constant and not irregular. Root roting will occur if plants are growing slowly or are small, and if watering is irregular.
Gnats often only affect plants growing indoors and can rapidly become a pest. Gnats like wet breeding grounds, with organic matter. One way of controlling a pest, is by keeping a layer of sand over the soil around the plant, rather than organic matter. Let the soil dry between waterings. Keep a jar with apple cider vinegar to attract and drown the insects. You can also spread oil over the surfaces, to kill the insects, or sticking labels. If nothing works, you will need to repot the plants in sterile soil.
To control aphids, first wash them throughly with a strong jet of water, and wash your plants with soap, before rinsing. Change place of the plant, and make sure you keep the plant healthy and not too dry and warm. Also plant herbs that attract aphids to send them away from the other flowers and vegetables. Plants like basil attract aphids.
To control maggots, worms in cabbage plants, first plant the vegetables mixed with other plants and flowers, to confuse the butterflies that lay their eggs. Spray compost tea over the plants to repel the pest. If larvae affect the roots, you may need to replant the vegetables. Plant garlic and other repelent herbs around your cabbage plants.
To control slugs, you may have to create dry conditions and remove mulching around plants. Put sharp plastic or sawdust around the plants, because slugs do not like these barriers. If necessary go picking them at night after wet weather.
If plants are weak or growing very slowly, change their place of growing, watch out for potential pests, repot or replant in new soil. Give some fertilizer, such as compost, diluted urine, or spray with compost tea. Keep humidity constant, not too much wet or dry. Another potential cause is a temperature not good for the plant: too much hot for some, too much cold for others.
Also called the “Butterfly Palm”. An upright houseplant that is somewhat vase shaped. Specimen plants can reach 10 to 12 foot in height. Prefers a humid area to avoid tip damage. Requires pruning. When selecting an Areca palm look for plants with larger caliber trunks at the base of the plant. Plants that have pencil thin stems tend to topple over and are quite difficult to maintain.
Also called the “Lady Palm”, this durable palm species adapts well to most interiors. The Rhapis are some of the easiest palms to grow, but each species has its own particular environment and culture requirements. The “Lady Palm” grows slowly, but can grow to more than 14′ in height with broad clumps often having a diameter as wide as their height.
Also called the “reed palm”, this palm prefers bright indirect light. New plants will lose of some interior foliage as they acclimate to indoor settings. This plant likes to stay uniformly moist, but does not like to be over-watered or to sit in standing water. Indoor palms may attract spider mites which can be controlled by spraying with a soapy solution.
Grows very well indoors, preferring semi-sun lighting. Avoid direct sunlight, especially in summer. Young plants may need to be supported by a stake. The Ficus grows to 8’ with a spread of 5’. Wear gloves when pruning, as the milky sap may irritate the skin. Water thoroughly when in active growth, then allow the soil to become fairly dry before watering again. In winter keep slightly moist.
The Dracaena grows to 10’ with a spread of 3’. Easy to grow, these plants do best in bright indirect sunlight coming from the east/west. They can adapt to lower light levels if the watering is reduced. Keep the soil evenly moist and mist frequently with warm water. Remove any dead leaves. Leaf tips will go brown if the plant is under watered but this browning may be trimmed.
One of the most durable of all house plants. Philodendrons prefer medium intensity light but will tolerate low light. Direct sun will burn the leaves and stunt plant growth. This plant is available in climbing and non-climbing varieties. When grown indoors, they need to be misted regularly and the leaves kept free of dust. Soil should be evenly moist, but allowed to dry between watering.
A hardy, drought-tolerant and long-lived plant, the Dwarf Date Palm needs a bright spot which is free of drafts. It grows slowly, reaching heights of 8-10’. The Dwarf Date Palm should not be placed near children’s play areas because it has sharp needle-like spines arranged near the base of the leaf stem. These can easily penetrate skin and even protective clothing.
The Ficus Alii grows easily indoors, and resists insects. It prefers a humid environment and low to medium light when grown indoors. The Ficus Aliii should not be placed near heating or air conditioning vents, or near drafts because this could cause leaf loss. Soil should be kept moist but allowed to dry between watering.
The Boston fern grows to 4’ in height with a spread up to 5’. It has feathery ferns which are best displayed as a hanging plant. It prefers bright indirect sunlight. Keep the soil barely moist and mist frequently with warm water. This plant is prone to spider mites and whitefly which can be controlled using a soapy water spray. Inspect new plants for bugs before bringing them home.
The Peace Lily is a compact plant which grows to a height of 3’ with a 2’ spread. This hardy plant tolerates neglect. It prefers indirect sunlight and high humidity, but needs to be placed out of drafts. For best results, the Peace Lily should be thoroughly watered, then allowed to go moderately dry between waterings. The leaves should be misted frequently with warm water.
WATCH VIDEO: 
