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Friday, January 29, 2010

Why Use Potted Flowering Plants and Not Cut Flowers?


These colorful assorted 6" violets will brighten up any office reception area. Lasting weeks, the African violet retains its value and is within every CEO's budget. Potted flowering violets can last up to 4 weeks versus 3 to 4 days for cut flowers. Violets can give your office work place unlimited plant color possibilities.

Diversity in the Workplace?


Well, I'm not talking the "PC" kind, but the diverse plant genus, Ficus. This genus of plant has an almost unlimited range of sizes, forms and textures which make it an excellent choice for the office. From the ubiquitous Ficus benjamina (pictured here), in the standard tree form, to the bold leaves of the Ficus lyrata (fiddle leaf fig) down to the tiny leaved Ficus pumila, there is a member of this family to suit every office environment. Ficus, in general, are native to India and parts of Asia. They exude a white milky substance, or latex, when cut. Ficus elastica, also commonly known as the rubber plant, was the basis for rubber products but has been replaced with a species of another plant genus, Hevea.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Office plants, whats in a name?


The split leaf philodendron is a common foliage plant that has some points of interest. These plants can provide a beautiful accent to your office space whether your have low to medium light conditions or wonderful natural light. Botanically named, Monstera deliciosa, aptly describes its attributes.
The genus Monstera refers to the monstrous green leaves it produces in its native habitat of Mexico and Central America. The plant climbs to a height of more than eighty feet producing leaves that are three feet long and almost as wide. The leaves are deeply incised on the margins and dotted with holes in the center. This allows the plant to withstand storms and hurricanes by allowing the wind to blow through the leaves minimizing damage to the plant.
Monteras for the most part are poisonous. Except for the fruit, hence the species, deliciosa. After flowering, the arum of the flower develops into a delicious scaled fruit that is fragrant and has a flavor of pineapple and pear.
Who said Latin was difficult?

Friday, January 15, 2010

Little flies flying around your computer monitor?

Little flies flying around your computer monitor? These insects are most likely Fungus gnats. These little critters are annoying, however, they do not bite or sting in any way. If you are getting bit or stung you have another insect in your workplace office. Fungus gnats can be eliminated in a number of safe easy ways.

One, the flies eggs reside on the upper top inch of soil in your office plants. You can scrape this upper top layer of soil with a latex glove or paper towel and discard it off your property. Please do not use insecticides, because this could be harmful to everyone in your office, particularly to pregnant women and employees with allergies.

Two, we at PDI use biological controls such as predatory nematodes, microscopic "wormlike " animals that feed on the fungus gnat eggs. By using biological controls such as live nematodes you break the cycle of life for the fungus gnats, and begin a most pleasant life in your office workplace. We started using these safe techniques 20 years ago in the Boston, MA.