VOA新闻杂志2023--Easy Houseplants for Forgetful Caregivers

Easy Houseplants for Forgetful Caregivers

Jessica Damiano is an expert at taking care of plants. She writes stories about how to keep plants in good condition for The Associated Press. But even she has killed houseplants.

Damiano said she has killed plants like a Monstera, a snake plant, an African violet and more orchids¹ than she would like to admit.

She said it is not that she does not know how to take care of these houseplants, she just neglected them. She added that the plants are among the hardest to keep alive.

As a result, Damiano chooses houseplants that need the least amount of care for her home. She looks for plants that deal well with too little water, that grow well with limited light, and can be moved around. Also, these sorts of houseplants are best for beginners to grow.

Damiano's spider plant needs only two things: moderate to bright sunlight and moist soil. She said she keeps it by a window, and she pours in whatever water she has left over from the night. Some days, she does not water the plant. And the spider plant creates many plants for replanting, even with one or two fertilizer treatments a year.

Another plant, a pothos, is perfectly³ happy nowhere near a window. It gets the light it needs from a kind of light bulb called an LED. She gives the plant a good amount of water each time the soil completely dries out. She said the plant is doing well, with leaves growing halfway⁴ to the floor.

Chinese evergreen⁵ is a beautiful houseplant that does well in low-light conditions. Damiano said all you need to do is keep the plant's soil lightly moist at all times and fertilize² every other month over the winter and every month for the rest of the year.

Catching⁶ Z's means to sleep. And the ZZ plant, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, requires so little care that you can almost sleep while taking care of it, Damiano said. It does not like a lot of water or bright light. Make sure the soil drains well. The plant actually does best in low-light conditions.

The cast iron plant is about as resistant⁷ as its name sounds. Damiano said it does not even want your attention. Avoid providing too much sunlight. It prefers electric light or light from a north-facing window. Permit the soil to dry out between waterings and fertilize every other month in summer and autumn and just once during the winter.

One houseplant, the aloe plant, can be used for treating burns. When needed, just cut open a leaf and use the watery⁸ gel from within on an injury. That liquid not only protects burned skin, but also the plant, reducing its dependency on you. Just place it by a window that provides bright, indirect sunlight and water every three weeks, and less often during winter.

Similar plants called succulents share aloe's ability to store water within their leaves. These sorts of plants usually do well inside where conditions are dry and warm. Most also share aloe's lack of requirements, making them a good fit for new, or neglectful, plant parents.

Words in This Story

neglect – v. to fail to take care of or to give attention to (someone or something)

moist – adj. slightly or barely wet: not completely dry

bulb – n. a glass tube that produces light when it is supplied with electricity

drain – v. to remove (liquid) from something by letting it flow away or out

 

gel – n. a thick substance that is like jelly and that is used in various products

1 orchids   

n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Wild flowers such as orchids and primroses are becoming rare. 兰花和报春花这类野花越来越稀少了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She breeds orchids in her greenhouse. 她在温室里培育兰花。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 fertilize   

v.使受精，施肥于，使肥沃

参考例句：

• Fertilizer is a substance put on land to fertilize it.肥料是施在地里使之肥沃的物质。
• Reading will fertilize his vocabulary.阅读会丰富他的词汇。

3 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

4 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

5 evergreen   

n.常青树；adj.四季常青的

参考例句：

• Some trees are evergreen;they are called evergreen.有的树是常青的，被叫做常青树。
• There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。

6 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

7 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

8 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。