*If you are a Horticult Newsletter subscriber you have already received this article. In light of the little room we had to write articles in our Newsletter, we did not have enough space to touch on what to do when acquiring our Unrooted Cuttings Packs (Rhipsalis or Succulent0> Please refer to the recently written article, "You've Just Received Your Unrooted Rhipsalis or Succulent Cuttings in the Mail -- What's Next?" for a guide on how to propagate your new plant material!
Receiving Your Plant: What to do?
Upon receiving your new plant from Horticult make sure you read the description &
understand we send our plants bare root without a pot. If the plant is grown in a hanging basket, we will send the durable green plastic container it was grown in. With that being said, it is important to read the description to know what type of soil you will need to have on hand once your plant arrives, as well as the type of container your specific plant will enjoy. For example, if you are ordering a succulent or sansevieria, your pot should have a draining hole. Each description details all of the specifics to make it easy!
Conditioning Your New Plant: What this means & how to accomplish it.
When buying a house plant from a nursery it is important to remember that your plant has been growing & living in a greenhouse with conditions set for perfect growth. In order for you to keep your plant in tip top shape it is important to consider conditioning — this will extend their useful life. If you fail to adjust your plant from such perfect greenhouse conditions to those of your house, your plant may lose some foliage within a week or 2 of purchase. With proper care new growth will sprout quickly, and taking these extra steps we are excited to share with you will help your plant adjust.
HOW TO CONDITION YOUR PLANTS 1. Expose your plants to the maximum amount of available indoor light. Usually the most effective is close to a south facing window. 2. For about 4 weeks, gradually reduce the available light to the intensity of the final location your plant will be inside your home. 3. Saturate the soil by allowing water to filter down & escape through the drainage hole. Make sure to allow the soil to dry out completely before repeating. You want to repeat this saturation & dry-out process 4 or 5 times. This process will remove excess fertilizer or salts that can cause leaf drop when light intensities are low. With that being said, you want to be careful to avoid moisture stress by researching your specific plant (or referring to our detailed plant description found in each listing). You want to maintain the correct soil moisture content & relative humidity in your home. An additional element to consider is how the greenhouse that your plant has been thriving in is more humid than most homes. If the plant you have purchased is in need of a higher humidity, consider getting a a humidifier - this will not only benefit your plants, but yourself as well!