Ask the Expert: re Lucky Bamboo

Hello I have just purchased 3 Lucky Bamboo .
Two questions I have for you…
1) Mine has root “hairs” coming out not only at the bottom of the stem but on a couple of places further up the stem….so should I put in sufficient water to cover up to the highest roots on the stem.
2) My container is a tall blown glass vase bulbs at the bottom …then waisted….then flared out at the top. The 3 stems are well supported but do they need stones/marbles/glass beads or semi precious i.e. rose quartz…for food or energy value? Thank you for reading this. Rose.

November is a beautiful month. The weather changes from the cool first days of fall to the brisk chill that fills the air until December’s snowy cold. As fun as this weather can be for hayrides or bonfires, the chilly weather is terrible for maintaining beautiful fresh flowers. Arrangements should be carefully placed to maintain an optimal shelf life whether to be used as fall flower decorations, centerpieces, fall wedding bouquets, or the many other excellent uses for flowers this month.

Sending flowers to a friend or loved one through with the help of a local florist? He or she is probably very aware of the dangers of leaving flowers unattended in the cold. Providing the florist with the correct contact information is very helpful. When sending flowers to your loved ones, remember to provide the florist delivering your gift of flowers with this information:

• Recipient’s name — this may seem silly or obvious but not always. If the recipient goes by one name to friends and another at work, providing the correct name may make the difference between an accepted delivery and a rejected delivery. It also saves the deliverer time and effort in sorting out the misunderstanding.

• Full and proper address — many large cities and even some small towns have more than one street with the same name. To avoid any confusion, include all relevant information such as the street’s direction (North, East, et al), apartment number, the road’s proper indication (street, drive, avenue, et al), and any other helpful tidbits.

• Best time to contact — Does the recipient attend school during the day? Have a night class? Work late on Thursdays? Take junior to soccer practice on Fridays? It is often helpful to include a designation for delivery such as “after 5,” “at work before 3p,” or “during the daytime.”

• Correct phone number — Most people these days have house phones, cellular phones or both. Including a house number, cell number, work number, or combination of these may prevent the delivering florist from making several trips or arriving at an inconvenient time.

Your gift is very important and should be kept at peak quality as long as possible. Help your gift of flowers maintain its exquisite beauty as long as possible by providing proper information to avoid these flowers being left in the cold.

A Dozen Roses--The Classic Anniversary Gift!

Ah, the month of November. Love is in bloom as fall shifts into high gear. Gift ideas for November anniversaries aren’t always so full and free. For the guy or gal who, like my parents, celebrate a November anniversary, try this romantic gift idea.

What woman doesn’t enjoy being pampered? It’s very rare that a hardworking mother, doting wife, or sweet girlfriend would pass up the opportunity for a romantic evening of spa treatment complete with a massage and warm bubble bath.

Wondering how your local florist can make the night better? Imagine the look on your sweetheart’s face as she is led into a beautiful room elegantly decorated with candles, soft music and chocolates. An exquisite arrangement of anniversary flowers sits in view with a charming “I love you” card nestled inside the blooms. Rose petals are strewn about for an extra romantic touch. As she wonders how you made this happen and coos sweet words in your ear, you silently thank the florists at your local flower shop for creating the arrangement and supplying the other romantic gifts.

Ladies, this ideas is great for men also! What hard-working husband could be anything but enamored by the charming lady who made his special night possible?

An extra tip–anniversary flower arrangements go far but contact your local florist for deals on roses past their prime. Scattering these petals is the perfect beautiful and romantic touch for your anniversary!

Ask the Expert: What type of plant is this?
Photo taken at Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland
Frank

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Fuchsia

Grapevine Wreath

1.  Grapevine wreaths refers to the type of material intertwined to form these wreaths. Grapevine wreaths commonly form lovely bases for other wreaths such as Christmas wreaths. Though a bit plain by themselves, grapevine wreaths can stand alone if desired. They can also be decorated with many other accessories to form a completely different wreath for every occasion. To get started on the holiday cheer early this year, contact your local florist for grapevine wreaths and many other interesting designs.

2.  Bottle brush wreaths are those dark blue-green wreaths that look (and feel) like one could scrub the holiday dishes with the material. The very coarse plastic material keeps bottle brush wreaths in the top 5 because of the durability of these wreaths. They can be sprayed with fake snow for a wintry look, decorated with ornaments for a festive look, or left alone to add some warm color to the gloomy gray days of winter.

Flower Shop Network Festive Holiday Wreath

3.  Christmas wreaths or swags are hands down the most popular holiday wreath for the front door ever. Usually formed of a decorated grapevine wreath, festive Christmas wreaths can be made of a variety of materials but always form the treasured look of Christmas. These wreaths greet passengers with holiday cheer, transforming the home into a warm holiday gathering place.

4.  Vintage ornament wreaths are just what the name implies–made of ornaments. Colorful ornaments of all shapes, sizes and colors are attached to form a very fun and festive holiday decoration. Ornament wreaths are also fun to make with older children who enjoy helping operate a glue gun or tube of super glue.

5.  Floral wreaths cannot be left out of any top 5 wreath list. It’s just not right. Floral wreaths are the amazing decorations formed entirely of different flowers woven together. These are great holiday gift ideas for people who adore flowers such as gardeners, florists and others.

Ask the Expert: My Schefflera is Dying
I have a 22-year old schefflera that stands about 4 feet high. It\’s leaves started to get hard with a whitish tint about 6 months ago. Now the leaves are slowly browning at the tips and are either falling off one-by-one or the entire stem is falling off. Can I save it?

I repotted the plant and I mist it daily, but my once full, healthy plant is now thin and bare.

Please help me save it. Thanks. BJ

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Read the rest of Why Is My Schefflera Dying? »

Top Six Reasons To Decorate With Poinsettias This Winter

Stunning Poinsettias Add Holiday Cheer In Many Ways

1.  Colorful poinsettia blooming plants are every bit as beautiful a decoration as mistletoe at holiday office parties, but minus the creepy coworkers trying to wrangle a kiss beneath the berries.

2.  Consider this your good fortune when Christmas shopping for grandma. She’ll love the way a poinsettia plant reminds her of her involvement in the Red Hat Society!

3.  Arriving with a handful of poinsettia plants is a great way to convince coworkers that you are preparing the decorations for the first-ever office Christmas pageant. Let everyone know that the worst singer in the office was hand selected to be the star soloist. Once the room has scattered, you’ll have ample time to decorate your office with poinsettias.

Perk Up The Holidays With Holiday Poinsettias

4.  Poinsettia care doesn’t require a lot of extra effort. You’re busy during the holidays so finding extra time to care for your poinsettias, often called pointsettias, isn’t in the time budget. The good thing is that with poinsettias, you don’t have to. So run, run Rudolph to your local florist and pick up poinsettias for a splash of holiday cheer.

5.  Poinsettia flowers come in many eye-popping colors. Red poinsettias, pink poinsettias, white poinsettias, and sometimes even blue poinsettias can be added to your holiday decor for a stunning look.

6.  Not just for use in Christmas flower arrangements, single poinsettia flowers make great hair accessories. No, really. It’s a popular trend to wear flowers in your hair. What more festive flower could you wear in your hair around the holidays than a poinsettia? If people start to water your head, that’s their own issue.

Ask the Expert: How cold a temperature can a spath stand?

I have had my spathiphyllum in the house and decided to put it out on my front porch. The temperature reached the upper 40’s last night and the leaves are sick looking and very droopy. Have I killed it or will it survive? Saundra

Ask the Expert: What type of plant is this??
i got this from some one and they said that its some type of weed from Florida, thats all i know id like to know what this is so i can get it in the right soil and care for it the right way. i am sending you two pics because the underside is got some distinctive markings

thanks, Drew

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Kalanchoe Daigremontiana

Mother of Thousands Leaf

Hey everyone! Just thought you would want to know that the newest addition of the Flower Shop Network monthly newsletter is up and raring to go! I highly recommend this newsletter for anyone wanting to learn more about silk flowers whether it be how to decorate with silk flowers, sending silk flowers, what materials are used to make silk flowers and other neat little tidbits. It’s a great read and I know you’ll love it so check it out.

Take me to the Silk Flowers Newsletter!