Perhaps no other trend has driven the plant market in the last few years more than variegation. We’ve all seen photos of Monstera albos with their gleaming white half-moon or chunky creamy patches. But just what is variegation and what does it mean in terms of plant care?

What is variegation?

At a basic definition, variegation is when leaves or flowers present with more than one colour. It comes in many forms, but can occur naturally or due to genetic mutations.

As the world opens up again more and more people are returning to the office. Now that you have to wear pants again after living in pajamas for two years, you deserve to have a spruced-up workspace. Adding a plant or two to your desk or office is a great way to make your space feel homey.

Work spaces often have very different conditions than our homes. You may not have control over the heating or air-conditioning. Perhaps you have a shared space so you need a plant that will fit on your personal desk. Is your desk close to a window that has lots of light? Or maybe you don't have a lot of natural light. Do you travel often for work and need something that won’t die while you’re away? There are lots of things to consider when choosing the right plant for your office. 

Whether you're a long-time houseplant collector or you got bitten by the houseplant bug during lockdown, at some point you may look at your indoor jungle and feel overwhelmed. We know all too well that the urge to collect every type of plant (and every variety of every plant) is very real. But now your space looks like if David Attenborough narrated an episode of Hoarders. 

Fear not, Fronds! Here are 5 plant styling tips that will help you to integrate plants into your decor to keep your home cohesive and stylish. 

So you recently got into houseplants and compulsively collected as many as you could like Pokémon. It was probably a lot of fun and you’ve collected your way into a plant- filled sanctuary. Now you're out of room but you're still jonesing for that plant fix. Remember the outdoors? It’s that elusive thing we've been flirting with since 2020. Happily things are opening back up again and we're allowed to be outdoor cats once again! Here are 5 plant-related things you can do that don't involve buying new plants:

We present to you, the plant field trip. A little inner-child date never hurt anyone.

As the weather gets warmer and the daylight hours stretch a little longer, we’re often told that there are things we need to do this time of year to ensure our plants’ optimal health. Some of it applies but there are still some things to keep in mind when looking at changing up our plant care routine for the spring and summer. Longer days can often translate into plants requiring more frequent watering. But what are the things that do not necessarily apply? Let’s have a look at these long held myths.

Many of our favourite houseplants are actually vines. They look great trailing but will really flourish if allowed to climb. Many of them develop larger leaves and get classic fenestrations as they mature. Which plants benefit? Monsteras, Pothos, Rhaphidophoras, Philodendrons, Hoyas, Syngoniums. In nature they would climb trees. Adding a pole gives your plant the support structure to climb and mature. It can also rein in your plant's sprawling wingspan, allowing you to direct its growth upwards in a column.

There are a great many options available and each come with their own pros and cons.

When you’re searching for plant care tips you aren’t always given information on how to take care of your plants in Canadian winters. Our days are short but unpredictable; fluctuating from frigid temperatures to downright balmy days. So how do we take care of our precious green friends during The Great Overcast that can last a good four months? We’ve made a short list of things to consider.

Well, Autumn is officially here. And the cooler temperatures mean that we need to bring any houseplants back indoors that were lucky enough to live outside for the summer. Let's talk about how to do this. 

What's the proper temperature to bring indoors? A few chilly nights should be fine for most houseplants. But you will want to bring them in before nighttime temperatures dip below 10°C. 

Watering our plants is an essential part of plant parenthood. But sometimes we're in over our heads on the right way to for it. When, how much, and how much is too much are the main questions we often hear.

Well, the answer is the same for all of these questions: it depends. Some plants like to have their soil evenly moist like a wrung-out sponge. Others prefer to dry out a little between waterings. And there are some plants that want water only once a month or a few times a year. We're looking at you, lithops!

You lucky duck, you're going on vacation! Your bags are packed but now there are some preparations to do to make sure your indoor jungle stays lush in your absence. Your first step is to assess the needs of your plants. Do your plants need daily misting or constant humidity? How many times would your plant normally need to be watered during the length of time you are going to be away for? Once you have assessed the needs of all your plants, you can successfully put together a plan while you're away,

They say that people show their true colours under stress. And this is also true for some plants. Let's talk all about sun stress and how to achieve that gorgeous glow. Have you ever seen photos of the bright reds, purples, pinks, and yellows on succulents and thought it must be photoshopped? Oftentimes, that is the plant's real colour that has come through thanks to sun-stressing.

Image by @mon.cotyledon We often think that plant health is synonymous with how much water, light, and fertilizer we provide to our plants. We understand that plants have different soil requirements and some are happy growing in moss, leca, and even water. But for plants that commonly grow in soil, what does it mean to encourage and promote soil health? We’ve learned it can make a huge difference in your plants’ vitality and overall well being. Soil as a topic can be a little bland, but trust that it matters.  We'll keep it brief and informative! Understanding Soil Structure Indoor plants need a growing medium with adequate moisture…

If you've ever looked at your windowless bathroom and thought that a plant would love the humidity from your shower. Or maybe your basement apartment could use a little a bit of greenery. Grow lights allow you to supplement natural sunlight and open the door to allow plants to thrive in places where light is lacking.They are also great for getting your sun-loving plants through a dark winter, and starting veggie seeds in the spring.

Ah thrips, the glitter of the plant world: Pervasive, persistent, positively peevish. These little guys are perhaps the most challenging pests to tackle, but can be managed with some effort. 

What are thrips?

Thrips are little cream-coloured or black sucking insects. They are very tiny, so tiny you often will notice the signs of their damage before you notice the insects themselves. Look for dull or dirty looking leaves and new growth that is deformed. The undersides of leaves and new growth are the most tender parts of a plant, so that is likely where you can see them. 

We liken fertilizer to that supplement or multivitamin you take and realize how much better you feel. You have a bit more vitality and energy to go about your day. Sure, you may have been fine without it, but the goal is to be better than fine, isn’t it? Houseplants are the same way; if you provide them with suitable light and water, they’ll likely survive, but most won’t thrive without a little extra help.

So what do we need to understand about fertilizer? There are so many different kinds and when you read the instructions, it may be a little intimidating. We’re here to break it down for you.

To ensure the success of your plants, it's essential to first understand your specific lighting conditions. Oftentimes, when we hear from new plant parents that their plant is struggling, the issue is that it is not getting the right amount of light. 

Mealy bugs have a special gift of making your plant look unloved. Often covered in white fluff, mealy bugs are white and excrete a sticky liquid called honeydew which can cause a sooty mold to grow on the leaves. Your plant will look like it's lost its pep, is sticky, or is covered in white fluff. 

It’s Spring and everybody including our plants are pumped. The days are longer, the sun is stronger and eventually we will be turning our heating off – wahoo! The change of seasons is the ideal time to assess your plant collection and see how everyone is doing. For a list of some things to consider read on!

While scale is a less common pest, if you are a lifelong plant-keeper it’s bound to crop up at some point. But worry not - with a little bit of know-how and effort you can get your plant scale-less and healthy again in no time!

While the thought of moving apartments is exciting in reality it is an arduous task that will test the patience of even the most chill of folks. Add to that the stress of moving your precious plant collection and now you’re really dreading the prospect. But with a bit of information and prep, your plants can make a seamless, casualty-free transition from one apartment to the next – we promise.