Quick Tip & Plants – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

On By TimelessladyIn Plants, Quick Tip

In November, I shared a post relating how I was growing a staghorn fern on my living room wall. In the four months since the post,  the staghorn fern has thrived…this is the good!

To best care for the fern, and other plants, I allow tap water twenty-four hours sitting time before I use it to water houseplants. To store the water, I use rinsed out gallon milk jugs. This also allows me to have several gallons of water on hand  in case of emergency situations. Long story short, recently I grabbed a gallon and watered my fern. Horrors! I immediately saw bubbling in the water and realized I had accidentally watered with the dishwashing detergent and water mix I use to clean milk away from the sides of the jugs…this was the bad!

Dollar store purchases came to the rescue: a dishpan with a plate drying rack placed inside. These two inexpensive pieces make watering plants an easier job. I have many plants, large and small, and know the quickest way to kill them is to let their bottoms sit in excess water. When I water the dishpan catches the water run off, and the dish rack holds even the heaviest potted tree free from the bottom of the pan. The two pieces become quite soiled…this is the ugly.

So how does this quick tip end up in the same post as my staghorn fern? Well, my plant watering system allowed me to place the fern on the dishrack and pour two gallons of clean water through the soil. I almost think the whole ordeal did the fern good, it looks better than ever.

If you have a lot of houseplants try this system. It will save you hours of aggravation and also keep your plants from succumbing to soil that is too wet.

16 thoughts on “Quick Tip & Plants – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly”

  2. Kathy,
    I am glad you managed to save her- I like to think of the fern as a ‘her”.
    The tip is good.
    Will you take her out when the days are hotter ?
    Praying hard today. Hope all turns out well in DC.
    Susie

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Hi Susie, Yes, it sounds discouraging in DC today…I’ve been praying too.
      I don’t know if I will take ‘her’ out or not. She gets amazing morning sunshine, and I think that is why she is thriving. Have a lovely weekend. Kathy

      Like

      Reply

    1. Yes and Yes. I let the water sit out uncapped and come to room temperature, and hopefully the chemicals evaporate too by the time I use it…usually days later. I came upon some articles yesterday that state chloramine is added to a lot of drinking water now, and it takes longer to remove from water.

      A Christmas pickle it is…I thought it was so pretty, and that hook needed something, so we hung it there. (There was a Santa hanging there at Christmas.) It makes us laugh. We are a little odd at what we laugh at I must say. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Susie, I feel badly for what is being said about the President and others, the mean-spiritedness in Washington is appalling, but it sounds like the Healthcare Bill needs revisions before it is voted on.

      Like

      Reply

      1. That part I am glad about and I am glad the Lord saw it to give them the wisdom to take it away to do more work on it before putting it on the table. That was very wise of them.
        People are talking very badly about P.R too. I hope the President doesn’t get involved in unnecessary controversies and just moves forward with whatever he plans to do, boldly and courageously.
        Susie

        Like

        Reply

Thanks so much for your comments. They fill my life with sunshine.