The greenhouse is calling. Join our Houseplant 101 seminar this Saturday.
Hello, again!
We have known for a long time that good soil health goes a long way to support healthy plants. We have encouraged gardeners for years to incorporate Johnson's Soil Recipe, which contains natural and renewable resources, into their garden beds. Not only does it include natural slow-release fertilizers, but it includes natural microorganisms as well. Gardeners also love its moisture management benefits, whether it’s used in sandy or clay soils.
Soil is important for potted plants, too. The main issue I see for many plants is water management - specifically over- or underwatering. Plants not only need moisture at the root zone, but oxygen as well. Plants that are overwatered suffer from a lack of oxygen and show the same effects as underwatering - wilting leaves. While in Florida recently for our annual foliage buying trip, Jeremy found a couple of unique products to help gardeners provide a healthier soil environment for their potted plants, indoors or out.
Forbidden Cereal Houseplant Potting Mix is formulated with eight premium ingredients to stop overwatering and unlock root and plant growth. It’s a chunky, peat-free and soil-free blend, the ideal growing medium for your tropical houseplants. Water drains like a dream, giving roots all the oxygen they require to prevent root rot, droopy yellow leaves, nutrient deficiencies and sluggish growth. It also tweaks water to a perfect neutral pH for ideal plant fertilizer uptake.
For plants (tropical or hardy) growing outside in containers or in the ground, we have Banana Bloom. It's made from the trunks of banana trees that thrive in the blistering sun of the tropics, where 95°F days are the norm. Banana trees have evolved to hold onto water like their lives depend on it - because they do. Their fine, hydrophilic fibers naturally absorb and store moisture, keeping the trunk hydrated as the plant grows. My plan this year is to add Banana Bloom into my potting mix and then add a layer on top of the soil to retain moisture and insulate the roots from heat. 
A few of the new plants Jeremy found include not only brightly colored and variegated foliage plants, but a collection of sundew plants. The sundew plant (Drosera sp.), pictured above, is one of the most diverse of all carnivorous plants. These 'deadly' plants get their name from the sticky drops on their leaves that resemble dew. These dew drops snare flies, gnats and moths, and then the leaves slowly fold in upon the prey in order to digest it.
It’s a fun time of year in the greenhouse! Be sure to sign up online for our Houseplant 101 seminar this Saturday at 11:00am at either of our stores. A limited number of spots are available - so don't wait to reserve yours.
Your friend in the garden,
Marty Johnson
Owner - Johnson's Garden Centers
