Are Holiday Plants Safe for Cats and Dogs? A Poinsettia-to-Mistletoe Table
Which holiday plants are safe for cats and dogs? A plant-by-plant table from ASPCA listings, from mild poinsettias to lilies that can harm cats.
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The Journal
Field notes from a plant studio.
Plant care guides, styling ideas, and repot rituals — slow, considered, new every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
All entries
Every field note we've published, newest first.
The Holiday Plant Field Guide: Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis, Paperwhites & Norfolk Pine
Five classic holiday plants compared: light, water, pet safety and timing for poinsettia, Christmas cactus, amaryllis, paperwhites and Norfolk Island pine.
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Gifts for Gardeners Who Have Everything: 15 Handmade & Small-Batch Ideas
Fifteen handmade, small-batch and experience gifts for the gardener who already owns every tool: heirloom pieces, things to do, and objects to leave out.
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How to Force Paperwhites Indoors (and Keep Them From Flopping: Cornell's Gin Trick)
Paperwhites bloom indoors in 4 to 6 weeks with no chilling. How to plant them in pebbles, when to start, and the Cornell alcohol trick that stops flopping.
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Living Thanksgiving Centerpieces: Plant-Based Table Ideas That Outlast the Pie
Five living Thanksgiving centerpieces made from houseplants, herbs and succulents, with materials, steps and pet notes, so the table outlasts the leftovers.
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What to Do With Pumpkins After Halloween: Compost, Bury, Donate or Save the Seeds
Five good ends for a Halloween pumpkin: compost it, bury it in a garden bed, donate it, smash it with neighbors or save the seeds. Plus what not to do.
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Gifts for Plant Lovers Under $30: Small, Beautiful, Actually Useful
Fourteen gifts for plant lovers under $30, sorted by price, each with who it's best for. Good for Secret Santa, office swaps and stocking the gift drawer.
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The Plant Lover's Gift Guide 2026: 30 Gifts That Aren't Another Succulent
Thirty gifts for plant lovers and gardeners, sorted by budget and by the kind of plant person you're shopping for. No filler, and not a single novelty cactus.
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Mushrooms Growing in My Houseplant Soil: Are They Bad? (The Yellow Flowerpot Parasol, Explained)
Mushrooms in houseplant soil are almost always harmless to the plant. What the yellow flowerpot parasol is, why it appears, and when to pick it.
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How to Keep Rosemary Alive Indoors in Winter (Without It Crisping Up)
How to keep rosemary alive indoors in winter: a cool, very bright spot, careful watering, and air moving around it. Why indoor rosemary dies, and the fixes.
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Thanksgiving Cactus vs. Christmas Cactus vs. Easter Cactus: How to Tell Them Apart
Thanksgiving cactus vs Christmas cactus: look at the stem segments. Pointed teeth, smooth scallops or gentle ripples tell you which holiday cactus you have.
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Is It OK to Repot Houseplants in Fall? When It's Fine and When to Wait
Can you repot plants in fall? Usually it can wait for spring. The signs it can't: root rot, pests brought in from outdoors, and roots with nowhere to go.
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Fall Houseplant Care: 6 Things to Change in October
Fall houseplant care in six changes: water less, stop fertilizing, chase the light, watch the heat vents, add humidity and quarantine new arrivals.
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How to Plant Amaryllis for Christmas Blooms: A Count-Back Calendar
When to plant amaryllis so it blooms for Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year's: a count-back calendar, why sources disagree on timing, and how to pot the bulb.
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Spooky Houseplants for a Storybook Halloween: 10 Dark, Toothy and Witchy Plants
Ten spooky houseplants that look the part all year, from purple-black ZZ 'Raven' to toothy Venus flytraps, with a pet-safety check for every one.
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Christmas Cactus Not Blooming? Start the Darkness Countdown in Early October
A Christmas cactus blooms after weeks of long, dark nights and cool rooms. How many hours, which temperatures, and a dated countdown from October to December.
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When to Bring Houseplants Inside for Winter: The 50°F Rule and a Debugging Checklist
Bring houseplants in when nights dip into the 50s°F. The timing, a step-by-step debugging checklist, and how to settle them indoors without a pest parade.
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The Spring Repot Ritual: When and How to Repot Your Houseplants
A field guide to the seasonal spring repot — when to do it, how to spot a root-bound plant, and the supplies we keep on the bench.
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The Best Low-Light Indoor Plants for North-Facing Rooms
Ten low-light indoor plants that thrive in north-facing apartments and dim corners — ranked, styled, and quietly recommended by a plant studio.
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How to Style Plants in a Small Apartment: A Field Guide
Layering greens, choosing pots, and the case against the matching planter set. A field guide to styling plants in a small space without it looking like a garden center.
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10 Botanical Home Accessories That Make Plant Care Feel Like a Ritual
A curated guide to beautiful plant accessories — potting mats, propagation stations, brass misters, ceramic tools — that turn everyday plant care into something quieter.
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Reading Light: A Plant Lover's Guide to Window Direction
How to read the light in your apartment — north, south, east, west — and pick houseplants that will actually thrive there. The most useful 8 minutes for any plant person.
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How Often to Water Your Houseplants: A Field Guide
Forget weekly watering schedules. A complete field guide to reading what your houseplants actually need — by plant type, season, light, and pot.
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A Guide to Cottagecore Plant Styling for Small Spaces
Bring cottagecore warmth to your apartment with plants, mushroom décor, botanical prints, and nature-inspired styling.
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Why Your Plant Care Tools Deserve to Be Beautiful
The case for aesthetic plant accessories — why design-forward tools make the ritual of plant care more joyful.
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How to Repot Plants Without Making a Mess
Tips and tools for mess-free indoor repotting, including the best surfaces, containment strategies, and cleanup hacks.
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The Ultimate Indoor Repotting Station Setup Guide
Everything you need to create a clean, organized, beautiful indoor repotting workspace — from surfaces to soil to tools.
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