Women's Focus - January 2008 - (Page 47)

focus on H O M E Hindu Rope (Hoya) Lipstick Plant but in order for it to grow or flower, it needs medium to high lighting. Hoyas thrive in drier winter conditions, unlike begonias, which prefer high humidity, moist soil and medium light. Lipstick plants, sonamed for the tubular red flowers that bloom throughout the year, prefer moist soil, warm temperatures, high humidity, and high light. On the other hand, prayer plants, whose name is derived from the tendency for the leaves to fold at night, need to be in shadier areas, out of the bright sunlight. Grape ivy, as with any vine, will need space to wander. If your abode or lifestyle does not accommodate these conditions, terrariums – another throwback from the past which is re-emerging – may be your solution. Terrariums are easycare, miniature landscapes that can warm even the coldest corner of the room. “Terrariums don’t need any care, really,” says Brown. “They’re self-maintaining for the most part because they hold the moisture in. You just have to pick the right plants, plant them in a good, lightweight soil, and not put them in direct sun, because the sun on the glass creates too much condensation. Once you get the right plants in a terrarium, it’s easy to grow.” Growing Years Still AFTER ALL THESE With the holiday greenery gone, now is the perfect time to warm up the home with a few houseplants. Today, there are some decades-old favorites that are coming back into style. “There are a lot of plants that were popular in the ’70s that have become really hard to find anymore, that people from the era still ask for,” says John Brown, second-generation owner of Nature’s Way Plant Shop on East Kellogg. Back then, a plant boom in which big-box stores took on sales of specialty items forced many smaller growers out of business. But thanks to the efforts of California specialty growers who never stopped producing, Hindu rope, begonia, peperomia, lipstick plant, prayer plant, grape ivy and other favorites from the era can still be had. “Basically,” says Brown, “after it was all shaken out by the box stores, a new niche has come about by growers that do it kind of for the art of it and don’t want to sell to those places.” Being tropical plants, the aforementioned varieties tend to require a little more care than some of the more commonly grown houseplants. “Humidity is key,” says Brown. “Misting them, having a humidifier, putting them in a place like a kitchen or bathroom where they get a little more humidity; 50 percent is about ideal.” Watering is also important, according to Brown, but not because people forget. “People who are inexperienced at growing houseplants tend to overwater them. If someone is trying to keep plants alive and can’t seem to do it, they are probably overwatering them.” Such is the case with peperomia, a smaller, rubber-type plant with that is well suited to the home environment. Pe p e r o m i a s prefer medium light but can be adversely affected by overwatering. Hoya, like Hindu rope, can tolerate low light, Begonia Bloom i n d u l g e y o u r s e l f • Wo m e n s F o c u s . c o m • J A N U A RY 2 0 0 8 47 http://WomensFocus.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Women's Focus - January 2008

Womens Focus - January 2008 Contents BEAUTY & FASHION Retro Do’s Are Big News Vintage Vogue Wichita’s Next Top Model Contest FACTS & FUN The Housewife is Back FLAVOR A Taste of History Cocktail Anyone? FAMILY & FRIENDS Forget-Me-Not Gal Shakila Saiffulah In Her Shoes—Wink Hartman Reba McEntire Social Circle HEALTH Abs From the Past Ask Dick & Jane Home Remedies Team in Training HOME & GARDEN From Warm Fires to Pool Parties Furniture Frolic Retro Houseplants There's More to Color Than Meets the Eye TRAVEL & LEISURE City Culture Crafts: Faux Pearl Makeover Day Tripping in Newton Knightley Reading

Women's Focus - January 2008

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