Along with the varieties of plant containers you can purchase, there are hundreds of ways to create your own plant containers. Using common, every day objects, you can turn your plant display into a unique and creative piece of art.

Your creative plant pot can add personality, design, texture, and color to your plant display. Let your imagination run wild as you look around your house, garage, basement, storage room or yard to locate an item that you can use. You can also try some of the following items to create an exotic plant container:

• Little red wagon
• Antique copper kettle
• Wheelbarrows
• Old leather boots
• Wooden cradles
• Old kitchen sink (not the one you use in your kitchen!)
• Dishpans
• 5-gallon buckets
• Rubbermaid totes
• Salad bowls
• Fruit crates
• Old outdoor grill
• Old toolbox
• Old metal house planter
• Old chicken feeder
• Place a container or small containers of plants in an old toy truck or wagon
• Hanging basket
• Tire
• Drawer from an old dresser
• Wooden barrels
• Old water tanks
• Old fish aquariums
• Oil drums
• Large tin cans
• Polystyrene fish boxes

Here are a few systematic ways to create your own homemade plant container. If you do not have these items, use any of the others listed, or any that you can think of and follow the same basic idea.

Fruit Crate Plant Container

To make a plant container from a fruit crate, you will need a fruit crate, sheet moss, plastic lining (garbage bag works just fine), planting soil, garden rocks, flowers or plant such as ferns, African violets and ivy.

First, you need to line the crate with moss, slightly dampened. Then line the moss with a plastic bag. Add planting soil to fill the crate ¾ of the way. Plant throughout the crate by placing the flowers or plants close together. It looks interesting it overflows a little. Tuck in the plastic edges and fill with more sheet moss. Add whatever decorative touches you wish. Add a few garden rocks. You can also create seasonal effects such as gourds during the fall and a bird’s nest in the spring.

Indoor Leather Boot Planter

To create an exotic plant container from an old leather boot, you will need, of course, and old leather boot, a handful of gravel, plastic lining (garbage bag works fine), planting soil, flowers or plants.

First, place some gravel into the toe of the boot. This will weigh it down and keep it sturdy. Fill the bottom of the boot with a couple more handfuls of gravel. The plant will drain into the gravel and this prevents the roots from saturation.

Fill the boot 2/3 of the way with planting soil. Plant your flowers and plants and cover the roots gently. Place the boot in an interesting place, like a room decorated in Southwestern style. Note: plants in a boot container do not need water as often as other plants since the roots continually absorb the water from the gravel.

Outdoor Barbecue Grill Planter

If you would like to use an old barbecue grill as a planter, all you will need is the old grill (you can paint the exterior to match or accent your plants if you want!), planting soil and flowers or plants.

Before planting, make sure you have cleaned the grill completely. Make drain holes in the bottom of the grill or open up the vent. Fill the grill with planting soil. Plant the flowers and plants. Use it to decorate the deck, patio or to add a unique twist to the garden.

Toolbox Planter

If you have an old wooden (or plastic) toolbox around, you can make a planter or container display. You will need an old toolbox, potting soil, flowers and plants, a power drill and a trowel.

First, drill drainage holes in the bottom of the toolbox with the power drill. Place potting soil in the toolbox (if it is an old, sectioned wooden toolbox, place soil in each section). Then plant your flowers and plants.

Technorati Tags: containers, plants, pots, flowers, planters

The following are some basic guidelines to follow when caring for plants indoors. It is important to know the specific needs of each plant in your home in order to keep each looking their best and staying healthy.

Light requirements- Plants require of variety of light intensity so you need to determine what type of plants you have and how much light they need. Plants with very colorful leaves, like croton and coleus, as well as succulents (Aloe Vera) and flowering plants (begonias) need direct sunlight. Other types of plants like philodendrons, ferns and foliage plants fare better with indirect light. You can use natural light from the sun by setting plants near your windows, or you can use artificial light, such as white warm or white cool fluorescent lights. They are available in various sizes, shapes and wattage.

Temperature- Most plants do well living in an indoor temperature of 65 degrees to 75 degrees. If they grow in continuously high temperatures, they are more likely to develop disease and insect attack. Likewise, if they are kept in temperatures below 50 degrees they will have difficulty sustaining good health. Do not place plants in hot or cold spots (like on top of the television or below an air conditioning vent). Sudden drops in temperatures can harm plants.

Most plants grow best in an environment that is 40-60% humidity. Most homes, especially in the winter when heaters run, contain well below 40% humidity. You can give your plants more humidity by placing a humidifier in your home. You can also place a layer of gravel underneath the soil, which serves as a constant moisture base for your plants. If you have several plants, place them close together, as they produce their own humidity when they are arranged in a tight knit group.

Watering- Improper watering is a common cause of early plant death. If you over water your plants, the soil becomes saturated and the roots are not able to acquire the amount of oxygen needed to sustain the life of the plant. The amount of watering your plant needs depends on several factors.

Potting mix- Make sure your plant is positioned in a good potting mix. It needs to be dense enough to hold the plant in place. It should have good nutrient holding capabilities. Water and air should be able to pass easily through the mix and retain moisture, and it should be free of weed seed and pathogens. Foliage plants grow best in potting mix contain high levels of organic materials so make sure your potting mix is part peat. Cacti grow best in soil that contains sand.

Fertilizer- Indoor plants do not require as much fertilization as plants grown in greenhouses. Generally, two to three times per month will suffice. If your plant receives low light and during the winter, fertilize even less often that this.

Shower your plant- Make sure you thoroughly clean your plant every now and then. Approximately two to three times a year is plenty for most plants, unless yours is especially prone to collecting dust and other unattractive particles. Clean with a soft cloth or set them outside in the rain or your shower (except African violets whose leaves should not get wet).

Choose an appropriate container for your plant, depending on its size, its specific moisture needs, its location in your home and your personal preferences.

Repot your plant as needed. When the plant grows, the roots grow. This growth requires more room. Unless you repot your plant into a larger pot, growth will be restricted. Slow-growing plants require repotting about every two to three years while fast-growing plants will probably need to a new pot every year.

Technorati Tags: violets, houseplants, plants, flowers, gardening

Incorporating plants into your home decor has no limits and no specific rules. Allow your plants to be a part of your home, a part of the unique style that represents your personality.

You can place a begonia in a hanging basket in your entryway as a lovely way to say hello and welcome to family and guests. Or you can dedicate an entire room to the Southwestern style and add a cactus and a couple favorite flowers in a cowboy boot.

If you have a large entryway or a large living room space, a tall bamboo shoot or cactus in a standing pot would be a lovely addition.

To add charm to the kitchen, place a mini exotic container garden on the windowsill.

Add a bit of warmth to your bedroom by keeping a terrarium filled with mini tropicals or flowering plants on your nightstands.

Create a touch of grace to your computer desk by placing a lovely array of potted ferns on the corner.

Coordinate flower and plant colors with your home color patterns. You can purchase all types of exotics that flower in similar colors to your kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom color choices.

Use your creativity and the artist inside of you to add color, shape and texture to your home. No matter how you decide to decorate your home with your exotic plants, they are sure to add life, energy, warmth, comfort and beauty into the atmosphere of your home.

You can never have too much positive energy flowing through your home, and plants have a way of providing joy and a positive glow.

Technorati Tags: gardening, plants, decor, flowers

Many exotic plants will look beautiful in your home as they add to the decoration and ambience of your environment. Several types of choices are described below.

Ferns

Ferns are an attractive indoor plant for your home. They are popular because they are able to grow in low light and they have lovely, graceful foliage. Small ferns that are no more than six inches tall are best suited to grow in a terrarium. Larger ferns have the ability to grow up to five feet, especially when they grow from a hanging basket.

African Violets

African Violets are beautiful, though a bit trickier than most plants to take care of well. They are sensitive plants that need extra tender loving care. Healthy African Violets bloom for nine months and rest for three months. If you find that your plant is not blooming at all, check for aphids, tiny white to light green bugs that may look like dust. They like the soft part of the flower, which is also the part that holds the flower on. You can purchase an approved pesticide and spray them or you can find a couple ladybugs to sit on your plant to eat the aphids.

Bonsai

Bonsai is not actually a type of plant. Rather, it is a form where a plant and pot from a single unit where the texture, shape and color compliment each other.

As it grows, the tree is continually shaped. Every branch and twig of a bonsai is shaped or removed until an image is achieved. Once the image is achieved, it is maintained and improved by a constant routine of trimming and pruning. In Japanese, bonsai translates as “tray planting.” However, since it originated in Asia many centuries ago, it has developed into an art form and a hobby that goes beyond planting a tree and watching it grow.

You could say that bonsai is the art of “dwarfing” trees or plants in an effort to develop them into a beautiful shape by pruning and training them in containers. Overall, bonsai is a great interest, hobby or even profession to undertake. People claim that bonsai is 90% art and 10% of horticulture. The result is a masterpiece in both realms.

There are five basic styles from which to choose when designing your bonsai sculpture. Formal upright, informal upright, slanting style, cascade and semi-cascade.

Finding the right pot for a bonsai is important, as the pot is part of the overall harmony and beauty of the tree. You will generally purchase the pot after you style the plant. The color, shape and size of the pot depends on the type of plant you have as well as your personal preference. The more mature the plant, the more neutral the color should be.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a type of grass that reaches full maturity after eighteen to twenty-four months of growth. The stems, or “culms”, range in height from a few centimeters to forty meters. The diameters of the stems range from one millimeter to thirty centimeters.

Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth and it has hundreds of uses from chopsticks to housing. The smaller types of bamboo are obviously more suited as an indoor plant. There are dwarf types that can grow as potted specimens.

Palms

There are three main genera of palms that do well as houseplants including Kentia Palm (Howea Forsteriana), Bamboo Palms (Chamaedorea) and Lady Palms (Rhapis species).

The Kentia Palm is popular because it boasts the classical tropical palm tree look. It has pinnate leaves and leaflets that arch and droop. It tolerates small containers and can even handle the soil drying out a little. It prefers a bit of direct sunlight through the window but you do not have to place it in a very bright spot. Water this palm when the soil starts to dry.

Technorati Tags: palms, bonsai, plants, bamboo, ferns, violets, flowers

If you want to create a unique, spectacular tropical display of exotic plants and trees in your own back yard, palm trees are a great choice. It is best to buy palm trees as large as you can to help improve the success they will have growing in your garden. You should also plant an array of palms when they are younger. Buying palm trees when they are younger is less expensive than larger palm trees. Plus, larger palm trees may be hard to find due to unavailability in your area or rarity. Collect a variety of plants for a balanced look. Include palms with the following examples of types of foliage:

• Bipinnate “Fishtail”
• All Caryota
• Pinnate or “Feather”
• “Window-Pane” pinnate (Beccariophoenix species)
• Premorse innate (Wodyetia, Veitchia)
• Bifid pinnate (Chamaedorea ernesti-augsti)
• Entire pinnate (Johannesteijsmannia)
• Irregularly pinnate (Linospadix, some Pinanga)
• Fan or Palmate
• Undivided palmate (Licuala elegans)
• Divided palmate (Bismarkia nobilis and many others)
• Deeply divided palmate (Rhapis excelsa)
• “Spoke-Wheel” palmate (Licuala ramsayi)

Make sure you place your palm tree in a spot conducive to its specific needs, and keep in mind where it grew before it became yours. If you bought it from a greenhouse, it needs to be acclimated to the sun before you plant it in your yard.

If you want to grow a shady area for you yard, find a few fast growing palms. The following are just a few examples of fast growing palms (keep in mind that the term “fast growing” is relative).

• Archontophoenix (gradual sun) D alexandrae, cunnighamiana, myolensis
• Arenga pinnata (gradual sun)
• Butia capitata Syagrus romanzoffiana
• Calyptronoma occidentalis
• Chamaedorea - costa ricana (coastal sun), plumose (gradual sun)
• Caryota (gradual sun) D gigas, ochlandra, urens

Your palm tree likely requires good drainage. Determine how well water drains in your soil before you plant your tree.

One suggestion to figure out your soil’s drainage abilities is to dig a couple of holes eighteen inches deep by eighteen inches wide. Fill them with water and if they drain within ninety minutes, your palm will do just fine.

Unfortunately, most of the soil found in yards will take longer to drain. You will need to amend the soil.

To locate a good amendment mix, talk to the people you purchased your palm tree from or use the Internet to locate a business that can help you.

If you want palm trees, these are steps you need to take. Digging holes in your yard probably doesn’t excite you too much, either, but you need to be fully prepared to plant your palm trees if you want them to benefit from living in your yard, and if you want to benefit from their presence as well!

You also need to make sure you know how tall and wide your palm trees are predicted to grow. You need to know this in order to avoid overhead and underground utility lines, damaging concrete, preventing other trees from being shaded and spacing palm trees.

You do not want to overcrowd your palms unless you are going for a narrow walkway to produce a jungle/rainforest effect.

Along with palm trees, there are a variety of other exotic plants and flowers that will add charm to your outdoor garden including bristlecone poine, variegated Alaska cedar, the pink beauty viburnum and slender hinoke.

You can also plant pendulous plants, or “weeping plants”. Other types are Japanese maples, dwarf conifers and perennials such as the fern leaf peony.

The bristlecone poine is one of the oldest living plants on Earth. It is approximately 4,767 years old. It is a slow growing plant and an expensive one. One plant costs about eighty dollars.

The Alaska cedar (Nootka Cypress) is rare. It can reach up to fifteen to twenty feet and can survive the winter. It is an evergreen tree originating in the North America . Its wood is popular because it is decay-resistant and it is often used for boats, furniture and construction materials.

The Pink Beauty viburnum is a low maintenance plant that stands out from other types of viburnums because where viburnums bloom white flowers, this one blooms pink. It has an exfoliating bark, which makes it unique. Its light pink petals are edged in a darker pink color. It needs sun to part shade and it performs best in moist, well-drained soil.

The slender hinoki is a slow growing, versatile plant often grown in rock gardens. It is native to Japan the Japanese use it to make bonsai. This is an ideal plant if you have limited space.

Technorati Tags: palm, gardening, trees, flowers, exotic

To locate and buy exotic plants, first check your local floral stores. Most shops contain some types of exotic plants, especially popular ones like Aloe Vera and Begonias.

If you want something that is a bit more daring than your local florist can offer, you can check the Internet for an array of choices. Many exotic plants are just as affordable as ordinary plants, but some are much more expensive due to their rarity.

It is best to do your own research regarding location and prices, as this will vary according to what you are looking for and how much you are willing to spend.

Technorati Tags: begonias, aloe vera, exotic plants, gardening, flowers

Cape Jasmine  or Gardenia Augusta

It is also known as common gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, gardenia grandiflora, Gardenia radicans, Gardenia schlechteri or Gardenia florids. It belongs to a genus of nearly 200 species named in honor of the botanist, Alexander Garden.

This lovely-scented plant is native to China and has been grown in the United States for at lest one hundred years. It has glossy, evergreen leaves and large, fragrant white flowers.

The scent is so lovely you can find gardenia-inspired scents in perfumes, body lotions, shampoos and bath liquid. Some people say they look as if they are made of porcelain. They are commonly used in corsages and boutonnieres.

Gardenias grow well in semi-shady environments. They make nice container plants. Terra Cotta pots work well for gardenias.

Make sure the pot drains well. They like to be kept moist but do not allow them to sit in a pool of water. They dry out easily in the summertime so make sure you water them regularly.

Other tips for growing gardenia:

Gardenias need a lot of light, but avoid direct afternoon sun during the summer. If you are growing them indoors, they will need a type of artificial light especially in the winter.

They need to stay moist. Provide room temperature, distilled water. When they are not in bloom, they can be kept a little drier.

They bloom best during warm days and cool night. Avoid temperatures below fifty degrees. They enjoy humidity and can tolerate a wide range of temperatures pretty well. They perform their best in high humidity situations. Use a humidifier in your home especially during the winter.

Give them a water-soluble fertilizer every two to three weeks. Use an acid fertilizer a few times each year. If you do not use distilled water to water them, use the acid formula on a regular basis.

Use a high quality peat-based soil.

Repot your gardenias each spring when they are young. As they mature, only repot them if their roots outgrow the pot.

Shower your gardenias occasionally and remove blooms that have died. Prune them for shaping if they grow too large.

More information on exotic plants.

The following are popular types of gardenia:

Gardenia jasminoides ” Florida ” or “Fortuniana” has glossy, evergreen leaves, white, heavily scented flowers. They bloom mainly in the warmer months. This is said to be the type of gardenia with the largest leaves and most lovely fragrance.

Gardenia “Magnifica” has larger flowers than ” Florida ” but is otherwise similar.

Gardenia “Radicans” is a ground cover with small flowers and leaves than other types.

“Gold Magic” has white flowers that turn a lemon color before falling off.

“Aimee Yoshiba” are similar to the ” Florida ” but have larger foliage and flowers.

Technorati Tags: gardening, exotic, plants, rare, flowers, garden, gardenia, jasmine

A touch of red in the corner of the room greets your eyes. A flash of purple glistens in the sun that is glancing through the window. Ribbons of yellow, orange and green caress your senses as you walk through the kitchen and behold the decorations.

What possesses such beauty and natural charm? What can take your breath away as you sigh in delight? What contains such simplicity and complexity at the same time?

The answer is exotic plants. Exotic plants are extremely popular foliage for people all around the world. They decorate homes and gardens in beautiful, magnificent ways. The options can seem endless and the colors, shapes and sizes are dazzling.

Exotic plants are plants that are not native to the place where they are found. They are introduced from another country. They are also categorized by having a distinction in unusual shapes and colors.

Exotic plants do not have a good reputation to environmentalists, as they are destructive to the ecosystem. However, they are gorgeous in texture, shape and form and brilliant in color.

People love to decorate their homes and gardens with exotic plants as they are unique and create an awesome, lively sight.

If you are interested in going beyond the ordinary when it comes to your choice in plants, you will find that exotic plants are the way to go. Whether you want to create a tropical escape in your own backyard, a mini exotic jungle on your windowsill, or simply want to spice up the living room with a special potted plant or two, exotic plants will meet, and likely surpass, your desires.

Exotic plants provide awesome excitement and fun in ways that ordinary plants do not. They come in varieties of breathtaking, bold colors, interesting shapes, textures and forms.

There are many types of exotic plants that you can choose to grow in your home or yard, depending on the size of the plant and what look you are going for.

Popular choices for exotic plants include; Venus Fly Trap, Passion Flower, Morning Glory and Orchids.

To locate and buy exotic plants, first check your local floral stores. Most shops contain some types of exotic plants, especially popular ones like Aloe Vera and Begonias. Check what plants grow best in your region.

If you want something that is a bit more daring than your local florist can offer, you can check the Internet for an array of choices. Many exotic plants are just as affordable as ordinary plants, but some are much more expensive due to their rarity.
 
It is best to do your own research regarding location and prices, as this will vary according to what you are looking for and how much you are willing to spend.

For more information check out the rare exotic plants section.

Technorati Tags: Gardening, Rare Plants, Exotic Plants, Aloe Vera, Orchids