Helpful Hints for Healthy Houseplants
with Jack Donald of Philips Garden Center in Tupelo, MS
Ever wonder how the pros garden? Follow our fall blog series, DIGGER DIARIES, for advice on lusher landscapes, showstopping containers, and healthier houseplants from some of the most active gardeners, nursery managers, and professional landscapers in the deep-South region. Dig it?
As the days grow darker, and we spend more time indoors, there’s nothing like a houseplant (or fifty!) to brighten our homes. The living leaves that drape our bookshelves, grace our tabletops, and line our windowsills aren’t just nice to look at. They lift our spirits and improve our well being, right when we need it most.
In this month’s DIGGER DIARIES, Jack Donald tells us how to keep houseplants healthy all winter long—and for years to come. Among his many roles at Philips Garden Center, the beloved independent nursery in Tupelo, Mississippi, he’s responsible for all things houseplants.
Below, you’ll find his professional advice on how to care for indoor plants, how to avoid common houseplant mistakes, and one little-known secret to growing an Instagram-worthy specimen of the internet’s most-searched houseplant—monstera.
Why one of the best times to buy houseplants is right now
“Our garden center has three seasons,” jokes Donald: “Spring, fall, and Christmas trees!” The one exception? Indoor plants. They’re in season (and in-demand) all year long. But sales do heat up as the weather cools, so garden centers make a point to be well-stocked. Donald would know. He manages the greenhouse where Philips Garden Center keeps its houseplants.
“In the winter months, people need a happy. They want to liven up their home, so they still buy houseplants,” observes Donald. “Houseplants became much more popular about four-years ago, when we were all spending more time at home. That, and vegetable gardening,” notes Donald, referring to the “pandemic effect” that rekindled a nationwide interest in plants.
A day in the life of a houseplant pro
Among his many other duties at Philips Garden Center, Donald is responsible for choosing which houseplants to carry, keeping their stock in peak condition while they’re on display, and helping customers pick out the plants and products that best suit their specific indoor environment. Fostering that connection between plants and people brings Donald a special kind of joy.
“Helping customers is probably my favorite part, right before helping grow and keep the plants,” says Donald. “I’ve had a love for people and plants both for many years,” he says. Luckily for Donald’s customers, “articulating information and helping people learn” comes second nature; he happens to be a former teacher. Now, he puts those skills to use in the greenhouse, spreading knowledge about plants in his north Mississippi community.
The biggest houseplant mistake people make
“For houseplants, light is number-one,” says Donald. “Have you heard the ‘bright, indirect light’ fad? People say that about houseplants, but most of our houseplants would thrive with a few hours of direct sun and a lot of bright light,” advises Donald. Case in point? “You place a fiddle leaf fig in a dark corner of your bedroom because that’s what Pinterest said, but in reality, it’s not going to live there,” he says.
So what’s a plant lover with small windows to do? Cue the lights! “If you don’t have enough natural light, you’ll need to supplement with artificial light,” he explains. Fortunately, these days, there’s no shortage of options. For houseplants lovers, the right lighting is well worth the investment, and can make the difference between a lush and lively collection, or one that tends to be puny and yellow.
All dirt is not created equal
Ask any plant pro about dirt, and you’ll get an earful. Donald is no exception. “There’s a vast world talking about what goes into a potting soil,” he says. “When you go to a big-box store and buy a brand of soil, a lot of times it’s hydrophobic, meaning it doesn’t wet well. It’s full of bark. It’s dry. And when you use it, you have to soak it in water. That doesn’t help the plant get established. You’ll struggle with large pieces of bark,” says Donald. Needless to say, that’s not the kind of product he’ll reach for.
What does he choose instead? “Digger’s Delight Potting Soil always comes with a slight bit of pre-moistening, so you’ll never have a problem with it wetting. My favorite application is using it in pots. It holds the right amount of moisture. It’s going to drain just the right amount. That’s my favorite part of Digger’s Delight,” says Donald. “And, it’s got a lot of great nutrients, so there’s no need to fertilize for the first few months,” he adds.
Although Philips Garden Center once carried other bags of potting soils over the years, Donald said they’ve mostly replaced them with Digger’s Delight, because the dramatic results keep people coming back for more. “We sell pallets and pallets! People come in and say, ‘I want a pink bag.’ The bag is really white, but the writing is pink. And everybody knows what they mean,” he says.
Of course, for succulents and cactus-family houseplants, you’ll want to avoid too much moisture retention. In those cases, mix a little bark, perlite, or sand with Digger’s Delight Potting Soil.
Houseplant How-To: Repot Monstera
At the time of this story, no houseplant has inspired more Google searches than monstera. Over the past few years, this plant has filled our Instagram feeds—and our homes. That means, for several lucky first-time monstera growers, it’s about time to up-pot their specimen to a roomier container to encourage continued growth (and allow the majestic plant to live up to its name). Before you start, follow these tips from Donald to repot monstera like a pro.
Step One: Pick the Right Pot Size
Besides the right amount of light, Donald says, “number-one is the new pot size.” How can you know how big to go? Check the size of the root ball. “If a plant is root bound [or close to it] and has no room to keep spreading its roots, it’s time to move it up in size,” he explains.
“When you do that, the general rule of thumb is to go one size bigger in your pot—so, from four-inch to six, six-inch to eight, etc.,” he says. Why? “Too large of a pot stays too wet, there’s not as much oxygen in the soil, and that can promote root rot,” says Donald. Once you’ve picked your new pot, Donald says, “Add just enough soil so roots can start growing.” But don’t stop there!
Step Two: Add Amendments
Monstera would rather be on the drier side, according to Donald. “In their native environment, they’re getting a deep water when they need, but not staying wet. When you up-pot monstera, adding in some extra bark and perlite to your potting mix (such as Digger’s Delight Potting Soil), can help the soil drain better.”
Step Three…Might Surprise You
When it comes to growing monstera, Donald has a must-do step-three that people often forget about: “Give it something to climb!” Believe it or not, “monstera plants are semi-epiphytic, meaning they’ll climb up trees,” he says. In their natural habitat, a monstera plant might climb well upwards of 30 feet, “so giving it something to climb will mimic its native environment, which will impact how big its leaves will get.” That’s right—simply giving your monstera room to climb will encourage it to produce larger, more impressive leaves.
While you’re at it, check the climbing preferences for your other houseplants, too. “A good 50 percent of houseplants are climbers, if not 60 to 70 percent. People just don’t know it,” says Donald.
On becoming a plant person
“I have a fascination with Mother Nature that goes back for many years,” Donald says. “It probably started with both of my grandfathers having vegetable gardens. Growing up, at some point, I had a vegetable garden with my dad. And, we did annual flowers. I’d go with my mom to the garden center a few times in the spring. We lived in Flowood, Mississippi, at the time,” he recalls. “It was instilled from childhood, being in nature, and being nerdy about biology. It’s one of the earliest things I liked,” he observes.
“I really dove into gardening around 2010, in early college. I started a vegetable garden, that kind of went into houseplants, that kind of went into landscape plants, and it just exploded from there,” he says.
What keeps you coming back to the dirt?
Gardening is full of ups and downs. Even for professionals, plants sometimes die. What keeps Donald from getting discouraged? “I think it’s all about perspective. If you think about the circle of life, a plant dies, and goes to compost, then it can feed another plant,” Donald says. “I don’t get discouraged, because it can all help promote something else that’s living. If you garden for many years, you don’t get so sad when something dies—unless it’s a hand-me-down plant you’ve had for many years!” he admits.
“Plants aren’t disposable. But, if you view it in the way it would be in the wild, where it would grow, have a lifespan, and it would die, that’s okay. It can go into the soil, feed the soil, which then in turn feeds your next plant. Think about the fungus that feeds on the plant that decays, and that fungus can feed something else,” he says. “Whether you have a compost bin or not, thinking about it in a way where you think about the circle of life, I kind of like that.”
Philips Garden Center is located at 5119 Cliff Gookin Blvd in Tupelo, Mississippi. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @PhilipsGardenCenter.
By Jessica Russell Hilton for Penick Organics
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