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House Plants/Expert Profile

Darlene K. Kittle

U.S.

Available

Expertise

I have been a Master Gardener for 23 years and I raise around 300 houseplants and bonsai trees a year including tropicals, succulents, and cacti.

Experience in the area

She is also studying the Japanese art of bonsai with tropical plants and is President of the Fort Wayne, IN Bonsai Club.

Organizations

Fort Wayne, iN Master Gardeners. President of the Fort Wayne Bonsai Club. Allen County Master Gardeners

Education/Credentials

I am not a hortculturist. I am a Purdue University Master Gardener for 23 years. I have studied plants on a personal level by growing hundreds of plants annually for the last 35 years. I have also studied under several nationally known American Bonsai experts.

What do you like about this subject?

I love the challenge of keeping houseplants looking their best.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

There are always new plants becoming available and raising each one is a new challenge, especially blooming ones.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

Any blooming houseplant will bloom more if it is rootbound.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

Do you know that epsom salts will help make african violets and other blooming plants bloom more?

Average Ratings

Recent Reviews from Users

User	Date	K	C	P	Comments
Maria	02/06/12	10	10	10	Very speedy and accurate reply. Acted on .....
Claudia	02/05/12	10	10	10	Thanks for the great answer to my .....
mary	02/05/12	10	10	10	thank you for the answer. did not .....
Barb	01/31/12	10	10	10	I really appreciate your advice. Thank you .....
Nick Ludwig	01/31/12	5	10	10	Our tree is 21 yrs old .....

Recent Answers from Darlene K. Kittle

2012-02-06 Lucky Bamboo Yellowing:

Anna, Your lucky bamboo is actually Dracaena sanderiana. Lucky bamboo is happy to grow without soil in a few inches of water. Appropriate light levels are also an important factor in caring for lucky

2012-02-05 Jasmine plant leaves turning brown:

Elizabeth, It would have been safer to wait until after April 1st to move your Jasmine. Unless it was potted it is impossible to move a large plant without damaging roots. This time of year the roots

2012-02-04 How much product?:

Claudia, The foliage would not be poisonous to the touch but it would make a small child or pet sick if they eat the foliage. I have never found bonide very effective and it does not last long.

2012-02-04 is this fungus on my cactus?:

Mary, Your picture is a little fuzzy. The bright white spots may be mealy bugs if they look like little bits of cotton balls on the plant they are mealy bugs and you should spray them with rubbing alcohol

2012-01-31 Japanese Peace Lily:

Synthia, Peace lilies actually clean the air as they take in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen and in that process they remove many harmful chemicals from the air such as benzene and formaldehyde

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