Caring For Your Houseplants

 


If you want to add a little bit of the beauty of nature into your home, try bringing some beautiful potted plants into your kitchen or living room.

They bring an element that cannot be achieved with something made of silk or plastic.


 


When it comes to choosing your plants, there are many different varieties to choose from but whatever you choose you need to research the kind of light and watering they will need, and see what fits with your personal style.

Apart from looking good, what do you want from your houseplant?

• If you don't have much time to spare, avoid plants that require daily care. Try a spider plant, weeping fig, mother-in-law's tongue, or false aralia for starters.
• Some plants will clean the air of pollutants, worth considering if you are a city dweller. Getting a parasol plant might be a good idea.
• Think about permanence. Do you want a burst of seasonal flowers or a long-lasting foliage display?
• If you are going to go with flowers, try azaleas or chrysanthemums. For something more dramatic try king begonia, peacock plant, mother-in-law's tongue, Madagascar dragon tree, or devil's ivy.

Before deciding on a particular house plant it is important to fix on where you are going to put it, and what the conditions are in that spot. Consider what kind of light you are going to use.

• If you want natural light, you are spoilt for choice with a bright spot, less so with a shady one. If you have a moderately shady spot, try a peacock plant.
• Direct sun is to be avoided. The sun can scorch leaves, and the heat will make the plant flop.
• For a spot that receives some direct sun, try Chrysanthemums, good luck tree, mother-in-law's tongue, or a parasol plant. Most plants are happy in moderately humid conditions, but bathrooms can be damp; small, centrally heated rooms can be very dry.
• For your bathroom, try a peacock plant, spider plant, or good luck tree. For a small, centrally heated room, try a mother-in-law's tongue.
• Avoid any kind of draughts-generally, plants benefit from a steady, mild temperature. if your space is limited, avoid plants with spikes or dangling stems, and choose varieties that have a compact shape. Azalea, chrysanthemum, king begonia, and asparagus ferns are a good way to go.

Plant Care

• After your plant arrives, let it settle in. It may lose some leaves as it adjusts to conditions.
• If it has one source of light, turn the plant regularly to prevent it growing in only one direction.
• Occasionally wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
• Place your plant pot in a saucer to avoid staining furniture when you water it.
• Water the plant when the compost surface is no longer moist, and test it with your finger.
• Some plants require their compost to be kept moist but not soaking. These include azalea, chrysanthemum, peacock plant, spider plant, umbrella plant, and devil's ivy. Most are happy to be watered from the top, but if the pot is small, fill the saucer with water and let the compost soak it up.
• Don't let plants stand in water; if necessary, tip away the excess from the saucer. Don't overwater your plant-this can cause damage.
• If your plant dries out and flops, submerge the entire pot (but not the plant) in water and hold it there until air bubbles cease from rising to the surface. Like watering, you can under- and overfeed a plant so, whether you choose a liquid or slow-release fertilizer, make sure you follow the instructions on the packet.

Repotting Your Plants

• You will probably need to repot your house plant after two or three years. To find out whether it's time, take a look at the bottom of the pot: are roots coming through the hole?
• If you're still uncertain, gently ease the plant out of its pot. Are the roots beginning to appear through the compost?
• If the answer to either of these questions is yes, buy a pot that's one size bigger, and some fresh house plant compost.

You will love the look that comes from bringing nature into your home. Take care of your flowers and they will staying looking lovely for you!