Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Prayer Plants

Madeleine of Quebec writes~
I have lost my first prayer plant about a month ago because all the leaves had brown or yellow tips. Now, the second one I (still) have is starting to do the same thing. I liked that kind of plant because of the leaves going up in the evening. There is surely one thing I am doing wrong. I put it under my fluorescent lights and it is still no good.

A. I love prayer plants, too, and have killed my fair share through the years. It is lack of humidity which is causing the browning and death. They need a 'jungle' atmosphere, especially in the winter when we heat our homes and that dries out the air.

Some people use humidifiers to make their indoor air healthier in the cold weather. But, you can do an age-old trick to make the plant feel it is nearer to the tropics:

Lay a bunch of coarse pebbles into a large saucer, about 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Place the plant in its pot right on top of the pebbles. Keep the saucer filled with water and allow it to evaporate. Place small containers with water around on the shelf. Keep filled and wash frequently to eliminate the algae or add dilute Physan to the water. This will raise the humidity around the plant and reduce tip burning.

Trim off lower leaves which die. Be very careful about the watering of the plant. Give it water only when the top inch of the soil feels dry. Do not allow the plant to wilt nor place in a bright window where the sun would hit it for longer than one hour.

Fertilize with only 1/2 dilution as they do not need much and high amounts also lead to burning.

Try these hints and see if you have better success. I have seen beautiful ones grown in terrariums with a covered lid. The moisture builds up and the plants inside, including small ferns, flourish!