The Tropical Plant Garden
by
Carmen Cosentino

The Tropical Plant Garden is probably the most common plant gift used in America today. It is a great gift for a hospital patient because it is so easy to maintain; fabulous for a birthday because the thought lasts and lasts. And can there be a better way to convey thoughts of sympathy than with a gift of life?
Today’s gardens are usually made with several small tropical foliage plants, many of which didn’t exist in the market place ten or 15 years ago, in a ceramic container, usually without drainage. After a thorough watering, it is best to lay it on it’s side to allow excess water to drain. Don’t let it get too dry because you’ll damage the plants, and for heavens sake don’t
fertilize it because we want it to grow slowly. Eventually that dish garden will outgrow it’s container and now is the time to remove the plants and gently break them apart from one another. Leave as much soil as possible on each. Now pot each plant individually. Now you have a whole collection of tropical foliage plants. Some of the most common plants you’ll find are Sansevieria, the snake plant. It will tolerate shade. Palms like lots of light and that little heart shaped philodendron will grow just about anywhere, in a pot or hanger in filtered sun or shade. After you’ve had success with a dish garden and transplanted all the plants you’ll soon be wishing for another.
If your plants start getting too tall and a lighter green in color they may be needing more light. If lower leaves are turning bright yellow, it is probably because you are over watering. Another sign of that problem is, if a day after you water them they still look
wilted, you have probably been overwatering and have killed the water absorbing rootlets. Cut back, let them dry out before watering. With any luck, they will come back. Let’s switch gears for a moment and talk about those seeds you brought back from . . .
Winter vacation is over. Spring house cleaning is on and you are sure to run across a packet or two of seeds you brought back from that tropical paradise. What to do?? Here are a few tips that might help. Remember first that most of those beautiful plants
from Bermuda, Hawaii, South Florida are large tropical shrubs or trees. Don’t expect your plants to mature immediately. Some, most notably. Bird of Paradise take some 4-6 years to mature to flowering stage.
Since there are so many types of seeds being sold in vacation areas, I do want to suggest that you read the packet carefully and then learn all you can about the plant you are about to grow. Each of these seeds needs different requirements to germinate and grow. And don’t be discouraged, some tropical seeds take 3 weeks to 6 months just to germinate. Bird of Paradise, for example, is one of the most popular ones we see. Seed should be soaked in water for a couple of days and then sown in a pot of fine peat. Upon
germination, transfer it to a small pot of growing media. Among the other seeds we see folks bring back most often are coffee, sensitive plant, papaya, palms, rubber tree and croton. We also see wood rose and philodendrons. Most seeds should be planted as quickly as possible because they tend to have a very short shelf life. No, I’m not being negative. Certainly these seeds are tough to start, but, with patience the rewards are great.