Everyone knows Spring means flowers. Not only does it mean flowers in yards, containers, porches and landscaping, but also on display. Early spring, before the latest varieties hit outdoor landscaping, is when many cities put on their annual flower shows. The shows are typically themed and show off the best efforts of local landscaping companies, horticulturalists, public gardens, and flower related organizations and societies. They can be a great place to get new ideas for the plantscapes that you will craft for clients this spring. They may even be a place where you can get involved and show off your talents to attract new clients.

Philadelphia International Flower Show

The Philadelphia International Flower Show is coming up from March 4th-March 11th. According to the Philadelphia Horticultural Society,  The Philadelphia International Flower Show is the oldest and biggest flower show in the United States. The first flower show was held in 1829, when 25 members of the Philadelphia Horticultural Society gathered to show off a few pieces from their rare collections. From there, it grew into a few professionals gathering to show off their work and compete in several different categories. Today, the show is still produced by the Philadelphia Horticultural Society. It includes 10 acres of exhibit space, competition, artistic displays, professional landscaping displays, and educational displays. It also includes vendors, and demonstrations, as well as kids and family activities. The demonstrations range from container gardening to flower arranging. A schedule for the dates, times, topics and presenters can be found here. The layout of the show and a schedule of the events can be found on the official website.

The Theme

This year’s theme for the show is “Hawaii, Islands of Aloha,” each exhibit is likely to include a number of tropical plants displayed in creative and unique ways. Tropical plants are excellent for indoor plantscapes and containers in corporate or retail settings. This could give an interiorscaper some great new ideas and inspiration for indoor tropical displays.  The more resources and information you have, the better you can serve your clients. It is always important to see the latest industry trends, newest varieties, and methods for display.

Other Options

If you don’t live near Philadelphia, or are unable to attend, while the Philadelphia International Flower Show is one of the largest of its kind,  garden clubs and horticultural societies all over the country host flower shows. Look to your local garden club or  horticultural club for dates and locations.  Not only will flower shows give you a glimmer of spring in a lingering winter, but they will give you new ideas for plantscapes. They may also be a great opportunity for networking with other industry professionals and suppliers.

Be sure to keep NewPro Containers in mind for your container needs, as you use flower show inspiration to create new plant displays for your clients. Have you ever been to a local flower show? What did you find helpful or inspirational? Do you have a favorite industry event that you attend every year?

Photo “Crazy Tropical Flower” courtesy of Lisa Williams

The weather is still cool, but it is time for some spring color. Pansies are the perfect choice for containers. They thrive in the cool weather and come in a variety of brilliant colors. If you are past the danger of severe frosts, or if your days are a little warmer and you have a container that can easily be moved indoors when the temperature plummets at night, go ahead and plant your pansies now.

Light

Pansies like cool weather, but they don’t like full shade. Be sure to find a spot that allows at least a few hours of direct sunlight to shine on the pansies everyday. If your container moves easily, simply move it to the brightest portions of your deck or patio as the sun moves throughout the day.

Choosing Plants

Better Homes and Gardens recommends that when you are choosing your plants at the nursery, avoid the temptation of purchasing the plants with the most blooms. These plants are older and in the long run will give the fewest blooms. These plants also tend to be leggy and sometimes even have yellowed leaves. Instead, purchase plants that are smaller and bright green. There should be healthy looking leaves and a few buds. These plants will thrive well when placed in your container, and will have the best show of blooms later on.

Potting

DIYLife suggests that you purchase a potting soil specially mixed for container plants. This soil will allow for the proper drainage, to keep your pansies moist but not soggy.  Many of these potting soils also contain a slow release fertilizer, so that you do not have to worry about fertilizing for abundant blooms. Plant the pansies in clumps. They don’t spread well, but they will fill out a container well when planted in random clumps rather than rows or circles. Before they go into the container, gently loosed the sensitive roots. If they have become compacted, pull them apart a bit so that there are some loose hanging roots.

Keep moisture consistant. Pansies like a lot of water, but not to remain soggy. It is especially important to water if you are expecting a frost, this will help the pansies recover quickly.

Care

Once the pansies are established and producing plentiful blooms, be sure to deadhead regularly.  Pull of the spent flowers and any seeds that are starting to form. This will keep your pansies blooming prolifically for the whole spring season.  Pansies also make lovely little flower arrangements. You can place a small clump in a bud vase or other small container and enjoy a few blooms indoors. Pansies are edible as well. The flowers can be used to add color to salads or decorate cakes and other baked goods. Unfortunately, the flowers are also a tasty treat for bunnies. Sprinkling a little blood meal around your pansies may deter them.  If you eat your pansies, make sure that they have not been sprayed, or been near to anything sprayed with pesticides or herbicides.

With the onset of summer’s heat and humidity, comes the end of the pansies. They will not survive in hot weather. So, once your pansies become unsightly, remove them and replace them with summer annuals.

Pansies are a great, low maintenance way to greet the spring. What other spring annuals do you enjoy putting out?

Photo “Pansies Purple and Yellow” courtesy of Cindy Shebley

Valentine’s Day has just passed us by, but it’s never too early to think ahead to next year.  Instead of giving your significant other cut flowers that will wither away in a matter of time, or chocolates, which often disappear quickly as well, consider giving a unique, lasting gift. An indoor plant is a gift that will endure more than a just few days. As part of the decor, it will continue to spur conversation about a great Valentine’s Day long after the date has past. Give an exotic plant, maybe even a red or pink flowering plant, in an eye-catching container, and your Valentine is sure to be thrilled! If you are an interior landscaper, consider giving your clients or prospective clients a Valentine’s Day themed container plant to thank them for their business and remind them of your services. If you send it a few weeks prior to Valentine’s Day, they may be reminded that they would like your services for a Valentine themed plantscape.  The following are a few ideas for Valentine’s Day container plants.

"Bromeliad" by kimubert

Bromeliads

Bromeliads covers a wide family of plants, but many send up flower spikes that can come in a variety of bright colors. Often times the flower spikes are pink or red.  Bromeliads are easy to care for, they usually require indirect sun from a window. It is important to keep the bromeliad moist, but not soggy. Place water in the cup that is formed where the leaves come together, and in the potting soil. Once the soil is dry an inch or two deep or the cup is empty, it is time to water again. You can use distilled water in the cup to prevent saline build up or simply wipe out the cup with a soft cloth in between each watering.  V. flammea is one variety of bromeliad that Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends for beginner bromeliad growers. Guzmania is another variety of bromeliad that has beautiful red and pink flower stalks. For more detailed information on how to grow bromeliads visit Bromeliad Plant Care Information.

Anthurium

Anthurium have a red, heart shaped flower perfect for Valentines Day.  According to About.com Houseplants,  A. scherzerianum and A. andreanum. are the easiest to grow and the most readily available.  Anthurium prefer to be moist and kept above 60 degrees. You can keep them in a window that gets indirect sunlight, but move it away if it gets very drafty when the temperature drops. Anthurium would be ideal for a sunny kitchen!

Cyclamen

This plant has beautiful pink or red flowers and usually flowers in the fall, winter and spring after a period of dormancy in the summer. To make the blooms last as long as possible the University of Minnesota Extension suggests keeping the plant in cool conditions. Do not let it get above 70 degrees and if you can put it in a cool spot, between 40 and 50 degrees at night, it will last even longer. If the leaves start to wilt and turn yellow, the cyclamen is too warm. Cyclamen can also be forced to bloom for another season. Once, the flowering is done, allow all of the leaves to dry completely.  When the leaves are dry the tuber can be moved to a new pot and potted with the top half of the tuber above the soil. In the fall when the leaves begin to grow again water the plant thoroughly. Allow the soil to dry some between each watering. Once the leaves appear, move the plant to a bright location and continue to keep cool. This will allow you to enjoy your cyclamen for another season.

These are just a few ideas for Valentine’s Day house plants. There are many more that could convey your thoughtfulness and add some brightness to a home or office as the winter drags on. What was your favorite Valentine’s Day gift? Have you ever given a plant to a friend, loved one or client for Valentine’s Day? What is your favorite variety?

My Pothos Plant by KLPA (Joshua Kulpa)

We have discussed how plants improve the air quality in work spaces, and how they may even improve moral, but a new  study discussed in Scientific American suggests that plants in the work place can actually improve cognitive abilities. Plants visible to employees improve productivity in specific areas and therefore benefit employers.

Two Types of Attention

The article discusses that there are various types of attention oriented tasks that the brain performs. One, is directed attention, the attention most often used at work to perform specific tasks. The opposite of this is undirected attention. This is the type of attention that happens naturally. When you are outside, for example, you attention is naturally drawn to various different occurrences without intentionality, such as leaves blowing in the wind, or the smell of a flowering plant. The theory, called “Attention Restoration Theory” is that this type of undirected attention provides rest for the brain and actually increases the ability to have longer and more productive periods of directed attention. This directly leads to better performance at work.  The researchers decided to test whether or not plants indoors would have a similar effect as outdoor settings on increasing quality undirected attention, and there for improving directed attention.

Participants were asked to perform several tasks that required them both to read information and retain it and then quickly switch to recalling the information and recording it. One group performed the tasks in a office setting with no plants, the other group performed the tasks in an office setting with four plants placed around the desk.  The second group consistently improved on the tasks the second time around, after a five minute break, while the group with no plants visible showed no improvement. The study would lead one to believe that an office space with plants visible to the employees would improve productivity, benefitting the organization.

Benefits for Interiorscapers

So what does this mean for interiorscapers? Employers have two options if they want to improve the productivity of their employees. The first is to allow employees to bring in and maintain their own plants.  The other option is to hire an interiorscaper to craft and maintain a plantscape for them. There are several disadvantages to the first approach. There will be no uniform look in the office space if each employee brings in different plants in different containers. It will also take work time to care for the plants, and many employees may forget or provide improper care for the plants. This will lead to a disarray of dead plants around the work space, ultimately diminishing productivity. Using a professional interior landscaper will lead to a unified, attractive plantscape. It will be well maintained with no added stress to employees, thus improving their productivity without adding to their work load. Communicating these costs and benefits to potential clients can help them understand the value of interiorscaping services and lead to more business.

Science is continuing to find the benefits of exposure to plants in a variety of settings. Each new discovery improves work life for employees and adds value to interior landscaping services. As you seek potential clients and design plantscapes for office spaces, consider using NewPro Containers wide variety of professional containers for a unified, quality look. Have you noticed the benefits of working among indoor plants?

Photo courtesy of KLPA (Joshua Kulpa) 

With spring on the way, it is time to think about cleaning up your containers and arrangements. Each season, as you change out your displays, you will be left with waste to dispose of. There are a few ways you can use this waste to your advantage. One excellent way to repurpose spent plants is compost. Not only does compost get rid of the waste, but it creates usable material to help the growth of  your new arrangements.

Starting Your Pile

To get started you must choose how you will contain a compost pile. This can be as simple as a pile on the ground, chicken wire around stakes, or as high tech as a purchased large plastic tumbler on a stand. The advantages of the plastic tumblers is they can be turned easily and are less unsightly than a pile on the ground. There are also advantages to piles. According to HowToCompost.org, a greater surface area will encourage faster breakdown of the pile into compost. A pile on the ground can have a much greater surface area.

Making Compost

Once you have chosen how you will house your compost pile, there are a few simple rules to follow to make compost. Compost can be complicated and there are volumes written about how compost works and how to make compost that is exactly suited to your desires. However, making compost can also be very simple and result in good, rich, multi-purpose growing media.

Compost requires a balance of green and brown materials to create a healthy soil. Examples of green materials are food scraps, and plants. Brown materials include shredded newspaper and cardboard, and dried leaves. You will also want to add a shovel full of dirt, when you start the compost pile. This will introduce the healthy microorganisms that break down the waste into compost.

Compost is formed by organic matter decomposing, this requires and generates heat, and requires oxygen. Compost works fastest, and maintains the correct temperature and oxygen flow when turned often. The more often you turn the compost pile the faster it will decompose.  The right amount of moisture is also necessary for your compost pile.  The pile should be moist but not wet. Each time you add a new layer make sure it is a little bit moist.

It is also a good idea to have more than one compost bin or pile. While one compost pile is actively decomposing, you can add new materials to the alternate pile. This will help your compost break down faster and you will have more compost readily available when you need it.

What to Leave Out

There are a few things you should leave out of your compost.  It is important to avoid adding any plants to your compost pile that have had herbicide or pesticide applications. These chemicals can linger in the compost and cause damage to plants that grow in the compost. Never put meat scraps, things with oil in them, or pet waste in the compost pile. This will attract unwanted pests and spread disease.

If you would prefer not to maintain your own compost pile, many municipalities have composting sites. You can drop of the waste from your containers and often times you can pick of compost for free or a small fee.

Composting can be a fun way to cut back on waste that otherwise would have gone into the landfill. It also provides a useful tool for your container arrangements. You will most likely have to add some perlite to your compost to allow for more drainage as compost can be very dense. Your potting media will be rich in nutrients and result in healthy, happy container grown plants. If you are looking for new containers to start the new season browse NewPro Containers outdoor collection.

Have you composted? What methods have you used? How have you modified it for your container arrangements?

Photo “better compost” courtesy normanack