Melinda's Garden Moment Radio Tips
Melinda Myers
Nationally known gardening expert, TV/Radio host, author & columnist with over 30 years of horticulture experience and tons of gardening information to share! www.melindamyers.comMelinda's Garden Moment videos will help you create that beautiful landscape you’ve always wanted. Each week throughout the growing season, a new gardening video will be added right here, so be sure to stop back. You can also watch Melinda’s Garden Moments on your local network TV station affiliate.
Try something new in your indoor garden this year. Consider growing the easy care Billbergia bromeliad known as Queen’s Tears.
It’s strappy leaves spout out of the soil to create a graceful fountain of greenery. Give the plant space to show off as it tends to be twice as wide as tall.
The unique flowers remind me of a fuchsia. The pink, purple, yellow or green flowers are surrounded by red or pink modified leaves, known as bracts. Be patient as it can take several years for the plant to reach maturity and bloom.
Grow Queen’s Tears in a brightly lit location. Plant in a well-drained orchid potting mix. Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil just slightly moist.
Set them on pebbles and keep water in the saucer below or group them with other plants for added humidity. And only fertilize spring through summer as needed.
A bit more information: Billbergia is easy to propogate. It produces offsets, called pups, that can easily be removed and shared with friends. This inspired the other common name Friendship Plant.