Plants
How to Grow and Care for Philodendron in Containers
Intro: The heart-leaf philodendron plant will vine (some actually have sticky pads like ivy plants and will cling to a nearby wall or trellis) and grow quite large. They can also be grown trailing down from the top of a shelf or in a hanging basket. Philodendrons are often confused with the pothos plant (there are subtle differences between the two plants). Just like pothos, the philodendron plant will probably do better in an indoor garden unless you have a very shady balcony garden. Philodendron (also like pothos) is so simple to grow that anyone can grow this container plant. The philodendron's heart-shaped leaves can grow up to a 6-inches long on mature plants.
How to Grow and Care for Lucky Bamboo in Containers
Intro: The lucky bamboo plant is an integral part of Feng Shui and is said to bring fortune and good luck. They do well in just about any garden space, whether it is light or shady, in potting soil or in pure water. Lucky bamboo comes in many different shapes, often twisted and braided into different shapes, but the cheapest and most common lucky bamboo is the straight stalk with a few leaves. These indestructible beauties are slow-growing and bring an Asian flair to a themed balcony garden or indoor garden.
How to Grow and Care for Poinsettias in Containers
Intro: The poinsettia, also called noche buena, is a popular container plant around the holidays. You can find this hardy plant decorating malls, offices and houses during the Christmas season, but it is actually a shrub that can grow to 12 feet. The balcony container gardener can prune this plant back and give it some special care to have their poinsettias flourish year after year in a container. This plant has colorful bracts, or modified leaves, that serve their purpose as attracting pollinators. The poinsettia variety that gardeners most often see is bright red, and these leaves are often mistaken for flowers.
How to Grow and Care for Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ in Containers
Intro: Most often kept in indoor gardens, Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is usually planted with several stalks to a plant container and has leaves all over the stalk. Mature Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ plant specimens (such as the one in the illustration above) looks like a small tree. Young plants have leaves all over its stalk, but older plants have a tall stalk with a tuft of dark green leaves at the top.
How to Grow and Care for Boston Ferns in Containers
Intro: Boston ferns are a staple of New Orleans’ beautiful wrought iron balconies and southern porches. They grow well in plant containers and hanging containers, and are also easy to care for in indoor gardens. The beautiful Boston fern grows very large, so this is not a plant for the small balcony garden. Their largeness is useful if you’d like one large focal point in your balcony garden or if you’d like to hide equipment or clutter behind it.
