Question
HI my mother recently passed away and I recieved quite a few house plants I have peace lilies rubber tree plants and dish gardens full of plants I don't recognize I am miserable with plants and would like to see these beautiful plants live I have received ferns in dish gardens etc not plant savvy so I cannot identify most of them and would like to keep them as a living remembrance hoping you can help me Thankyou   Brenda Rainey  

Answer
Brenda,

Your letter is too general. Do not repot anything until April when the days are getting longer. The rubber trees (Ficus elastica) need a sunny location. The peace lilies(Spathiphyllum) need a bright location just out of the sun. Ferns like an east window.

All plants need to be in pots with holes in the bottom for drainage. If they do not have that you have to be very careful not to overwater. Wait until the surface feels dry before watering and an hour after you water empty the drain tray. Tropical plants do not like sitting in a swamp. If there is no drain hole and drain tray use a wooden skewer before watering to make sure the soil in the root zone is not wet. More plants are killed by too much water than by too little.

If you would like to identify your other plants you need to email pictures to me at [email protected] and ask any specific questions you have. Good luck.

Darlene