Power Picks – Indoor Plants

It’s The FINAL COUNTDOWN! Duh duh duh da da da……….

Yesterday Seth and I unleashed our top plant picks for the yard and for containers. By no means are those the only options. They might not even be the best options for your plantings. They are just plants that Seth and I believe in and like.

Today is the final round of our co-founder matchup.  Now that we’ve discussed the yard and containers, there’s only one major arena left: Indoor Plants.

Some of you will call them house plants or potted plants, but that doesn’t really sum it up. The plants we’re talking about today don’t discriminate. They don’t care if you live in a house, an apartment, or even that van down by the river! We’re talking about those plants that are staples in your scenery. Think of them more like plant pets.

So who has the better plant picks Seth or myself? You decide in this final (for now) roundup!

-Mason, Co-Founder of GrowIt! (mday55 on the app!)

The picks are in! Which Indoor Plants are your favorites?

Seth’s Top 3:

1. Used Orchids – The plant business guy in me encourages people to throw plants like orchids, poinsettias, and other potted plants away after they are done blooming. The plant nerd in me likes buying orchids that are discounted, just to see if I can bring them back to life, and get them to bloom.  Surprisingly, they are rather easy to care for; give them a bright indirect light (so don’t put them in the window, just a bright room), water them thoroughly once a week (I put them in my shower for a few minutes), and a lot of patience.  Summer is a good time for these types of projects because the light levels are really high.
2. Umbrella Plant – Ok, so this plant may be considered to be rather boring, BUT, this plant is  SO easy to take care of, I doubt anyone can kill it (I don’t mean for that to be a challenge). Another great thing about this plant, is you can easily keep it at any size that you want, just by snapping off its new growth. The plant in the photo has been that same size for the last 4 years. It’s easy! And I really do believe the green color adds an element to the living room that lacks when it isn’t there. The plant can also be found it brighter colors.
3. Echeveria – this is an easy to grow succulent that has been popping up on the app more and more. It has a nice blue hue to the foliage. The blooms’ bright orange color contrast the foliage in and exciting way that you just don’t get from a green plant. The plant nerd in me really likes the architecture of the plant and how it is completely different than most other plants.  It doesn’t require much water, so you will see it in many interesting containers.

Mason’s Undeniable Top 3:

1. Cyclamen – I really like Cyclamen because they are versatile. For most of us that live in the frozen north, cyclamen are considered a houseplant that we can bring outside for some well-deserved sunshine. However, in some parts of the country, cyclamen can be considered perennials that bloom year after year. The growth habit on these is awesome because it’s so controlled and the flower has to be one of the most beautiful on the planet.
2. Succulents and Cacti of ANY kind – Want to start gardening, but don’t know what to grow? Go to your nearest garden center and ask them to show you their succulent display. Even though you won’t find lots of blooms, you are going to see more shapes and textures than you thought possible from plants. You’ll see plants that look like rocks (lithops), plants that look like dishes (paddle plant), even plants that look like Shrek’s ears! These are the ultimate gateway plants.
3. Cylindrical Snake Plant – Snake Plants are common fixtures in office buildings around the world. However, the Cylindrical Snake Plant is a rarer beast. This thing looks like something straight out of Jumanji. Sometimes growers even “train” their plants with string and wire to get them to intertwine. Again, all about texture here and a very easy plant to care for.

 

To see more photos of these plants, search for them in the Search feed under the “plants” tab in the App.

Which founder has the best taste in plants? Let us know in a comment, or post a picture on the app of your own favorites!

Bring On Spring!

It is getting hot out there!!! Have you looked at the temps lately? Spring is breaking down the front door.  As we get further into the planting season we thought it would be a great idea to check in with everyone and fill you in on what we’ve been up to!

Have you seen us this spring? Seth and I have been covering a lot of ground this past month telling everyone about GrowIt!

One of our latest events was the Chicago Flower & Garden Show. We had an awesome time and had the chance to make some new friends. We also had the chance to check out some new plant trends first hand.

Small space gardening was featured in many ways at the show. There were vendors selling small succulent terrariums. There was a whole display of window box gardens. There were even some planter boxes designed to get the most out of the limited space that you might have.

One of the other major themes of the show was children’s gardening. We learned that flower shows aren’t just for your grandmother anymore. The Chicago Flower & Garden Show was loaded with activities for kids. It’s not like they cornered off a jungle-gym and labeled it the “Kids Corner” either; they had multiple gardens where kids could interact and learn. Whether they were planting pansies and learning about bugs, or planting veggies and learning about the benefits of fresh food, there were smiles from ear to ear.

The smells in the building were terrific. There were hyacinths EVERYWHERE. Along with planted hyacinths and even a planted rose garden (yes it was awesome), there was also a large floral presence at the show. Mariano’s sponsored the show and had a fantastic display of cut flowers to be purchased right on the show floor. This way people could take home some color even if the temps weren’t the nicest quite yet. There were also some very interesting “tablescapes” as well. These seemed to blend a wide variety of ideals. It was like a floral type of landscaping, mixing ideas from the garden and the kitchen.

Seth and I also had the chance to talk about what’s coming in the world of gardening. The first thing that we proposed is that since after years of effort, we haven’t been able to come up with a better word to replace gardening, we just have to change the definition. Gardening isn’t just about having a backyard and a massive flower bed. Gardening refers to the act of growing any plant. Are you growing a cactus on your coffee table? Guess what… you are a gardener. Aside from trying to start a “Garden Revolution”, we also talked about how a new wave of technology was sweeping the garden world.

All in all it was a fantastic week and we met a lot of people. Keep an eye out for us this spring as we continue to travel the country spreading the colorful message of GrowIt!

-Mason, Co-founder of GrowIt!

www.growitmobile.com 

More Than Poinsettias!

Trying to do the whole Christmas plant thing this year? Well here’s the scoop.

Believe it or not you actually have options! For years the go-to has always been Poinsettias. Classic Red, Pink, and White used to be the only varieties that you could find, but these days you can get them in just about any color as well. Just know that if you’re seeing Blue, Purple, or a Silver Sparkle, that your Poinsettia is putting on a façade. Psst! It’s Painted!  If that’s your thing we won’t judge. Just don’t let those plant purists find out.

However, we’re here to tell you that you don’t have to succumb to the pressures of Christmas past! If you want to change things up a bit this year we have a couple different plants to try out.

This first plant on our GrowIt! “Nice List” is the Christmas Cactus!

The Christmas Cactus isn’t actually something new at all. It’s a plant that used to be pretty popular but like the Poinsettia (and that “Shake it Off” song by T. Swift) it was overplayed! Now the waiting period has passed. People are starting to question why they disappeared in the first place.

It’s a showy plant that comes in a couple different colors. The most common of which are a red, and a purplish pink. The leaves have a pretty rockin’ texture too. They’re almost reminiscent of pieces on a suit of knight’s armor! Also, even though their name might suggest that they have a thorny or spiky element, they won’t stab your fingers or pets! Plus after the holidays a Christmas Cactus can be kept. It turns into a pretty cool houseplant, and you can look up methods on how to get it to re-bloom!

The other Poinsettia alternative that we have to offer up is the Amaryllis.

If you could ever use the word “sexy” to describe a plant, you would use it to describe the Amaryllis. Sleek and beautiful, it stands out as a decadent piece for this time of the year. If you’re looking to impress guests this Christmas, seek out a couple of these bad boys. Maybe even think about sending one to that special someone.

You can find them in a few different colors. Pink and white are nice, but RED is the way to go. It’s a classic look that hasn’t been overdone. Pricing usually depends on the variety of the Amaryllis. You can usually find these at shops when they’re just about to bloom. However, if you’re feeling adventurous try starting it from a bulb ahead of time!

Whether you’re sticking with the “old standard” or trying something new, we hope you have a fantastic Christmas season!

Merry Christmas!
Mason Day, Cofounder of GrowIt!
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