If you are looking for houseplants that do not take up a lot of space and are easy to grow, air plants might be the right choice. Instead of soil, these plants attach (缠绕) themselves to things like trees, rocks and buildings. ____1____ Jessica Damiano, a gardening writer, has experience in growing air plants and offers the following guidelines for people who want to grow them.

Sunlight

Air plants require bright, indirect light. So, they should be placed near an east-or west-facing window, but not directly in front of it. ____2____

Watering

In homes with average humidity (湿度) levels, put air plants in room-temperature water once a week for 30 to 60 minutes. ____3____ After that, lightly shake the branches (枝干) of the plants. This step is necessary to prevent water from collecting on the leaves, which can be harmful to the plants.

Feeding

____4____ It should be added to the water to achieve better results. Use about half the amount suggested by the fertilizer (肥料) makers.

Life cycle

Air plants bloom (开花) only once. The pink, purple or white flowers are a signal that the plants are nearing death. ____5____ These can be separated into new plants once they grow to about one-third the size of the parent.

A. Direct sunlight can burn the plant’s leaves.

B. Make sure you are fully meeting all the plant’s needs.

C. They do not cause problems for the objects they grow on.

D. However, air plants produce new branches, known as “kids”.

E. Air plants can be fed with any all-purpose houseplant fertilizer.

F. In homes with drier air, this process can be repeated when needed.

1. 1.

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D    

2. 2.

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D    

3. 3.

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4. 4.

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5. 5.

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D