Question
Well i was washing off my bird of paradise which I recently purchased and after a good rinsing, I noticed a icky, wormy black bug wiggling around in the soil. How can I get rid of any bugs creeping around in the soil. Are they harmful to the plant. I flushed the bug down the toilet and tried not to look at it so i cant really give you a better descprition.----------------------------------------
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I purchased a beautiful white bird of paradise today. It is indeed a lovley plant. Just what i was looking for in fact! How do i keep it looking stunning?
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Do you think a banana plant will thrive in my home?





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Hi, Love your work!

Im looking for a very large-leaf foilage plant for my apartment. Im a recent graduate so I am short on furniture and therefore big on space. I have ample natural lighting through my patio window which also had vertical blinds, so im pretty open to lighting requirements. im looking for somthing to fill my living room. I have even looked up a few banana trees! What do you suggest? I live in Maryland, which is zone 7 i think.....
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Hi Mychele,

Congratulations on your recent graduation and your spacious new apartment!

Let me clarify a couple of things, first. Your local gardening zone is not relevant to plants that you keep indoors. In fact, most indoor potted plants come from the tropics where it is warm all year round - just like your apartment!

Second, usable light drops off dramatically as you increase the distance from the window. Once you get more than about 6 feet from the patio window, then you will be limited to low light plants.

Assuming you will place your new plant close to the window, then I recommend that you consider a Ficus lyrata or a White Bird of Paradise. Both have large leaves. A Ficus benjamina comes in large sizes, but has many small leaves.

If you are going to place the plant far from the window, then your best bet would be a large corn plant (Dracaena massangeana).

Of course there are other options, but these are the ones I suggest. If you are considering others, let me know where you will place it relative to the window and I will let you know if that is a suitable choice.

Once you have purchased your new plant and before you repot it, contact me and I will provide care instructions for you.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

If this information has been helpful, please click the Rate Volunteer bar below and enter a rating and nomination for me. I am a volunteer on this site so Ratings are the only compensation I receive for answering plant questions.

Visit my website at  www.HorticulturalHelp.com
  
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]




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Hi Mychele,

Banana plants are not easy to care for. They require a lot of lot and humidity. They are not very forgiving of watering lapses. This is a challenging plant for those who have had some good success with plants before.

The White Bird of Paradise that I mentioned previously has very large leaves and a somewhat similar look to a Banana plant, but it is much easier to care for.

~Will

P.S. Thanks for the great rating and nomination!


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Congratulations on your new acquisition! Good choice.

Keep it as close as possible to an uncovered window where it will get lots of bright light. Do not repot it for at least several months, and possibly ever. Allow the top inch or so of soil to dry in between through waterings. If your plant is in a large pot, such as 14", then allow at least two inches of soil to dry in between waterings. Fertilize it monthly at half strength. If you can increase the humidity that will help, but it is not essential.

This is a plant that grows slowly putting out only one or two new leaves each year.

White Birds are somewhat susceptible to spider mites and mealybugs. The mites appear on the undersides of leaves and look like tiny dust particles. You need good light and good eyes to see them. Mealybugs tend to show up in the tiny spaces where the leaves join together. They look like tiny bits of white cotton.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.


Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]  

Answer
Hi Mychele,

Soil bugs rarely do any damage to plants. However, I understand that you would rather not have them in your home or even have to look at them!

For now, I suggest that you wait because you may have seen and eliminated the only critter. If you see more, then plunge the pot up to its rim in a tub of water. Let it sit for about 45 minutes. The water will force the critters up and out of the soil in search of air. Remove them from the surface, flush them, let the plant drip dry and return it to its sunny location.

~Will