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Your plants won't need a miracle to grow with these no-fail tips.
Houseplants, like fresh flowers, add instant life to any room. But if you have a black thumb like I do, that organic energy is short-lived. Inspired by the season's bounty of bright blooms and greenery, I've decided to give gardening another go, but not before I called on an expert for some advice.
Meet Barbara Pleasant, member of the American Horticultural Society and author of The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual. Pleasant got to the bottom of my houseplant missteps and shared these no-fail tips.
First things first. You're probably wondering what you should grow. Barbara recommends choosing hardier plants that will recover easily if you forget to water them and are seldom bothered by root rot or insects.
Some of the best houseplant varieties for novice gardeners are those located "in a spot that pleases them," which might be near a bright window that receives some direct sun or in a spot that receives much less light, perhaps on a tabletop in your living room.
Houseplants, like fresh flowers, add instant life to any room. But if you have a black thumb like I do, that organic energy is short-lived. Inspired by the season's bounty of bright blooms and greenery, I've decided to give gardening another go, but not before I called on an expert for some advice.
Meet Barbara Pleasant, member of the American Horticultural Society and author of The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual. Pleasant got to the bottom of my houseplant missteps and shared these no-fail tips.
First things first. You're probably wondering what you should grow. Barbara recommends choosing hardier plants that will recover easily if you forget to water them and are seldom bothered by root rot or insects.
Some of the best houseplant varieties for novice gardeners are those located "in a spot that pleases them," which might be near a bright window that receives some direct sun or in a spot that receives much less light, perhaps on a tabletop in your living room.
"Most of the easiest high-light plants are succulents, which are plants that can retain moisture in their leaves," she says. Jade plants, mother-in-law's tongue, kalanchoes, and aloe fit into this category.
"In more diffuse light, philodendrons are easy to grow and come in a range of sizes and leaf types," she says. "Chinese evergreens require little care and always look good, and many people with no experience are successful with pothos, tricolor dracaena, aspidistra, spider plant, and rubber plants."
Low light, low moisture varieties are also considered low maintenance, like tricolor dracaena. "They will survive a reasonably high level of neglect," she says.
When growing or caring for houseplants, the most important factor to consider is upkeep. Barbara recommends making it part of your weekly to-do list. "Set aside 10 minutes to water your plants, pinch off failing leaves and turn them so that all sides get a turn receiving bright light," she says. As long as you do this once a week, most houseplants will be happy.
And don't rush them into new pots after purchasing them. "It's better to give a new plant two to three weeks to adjust to its new circumstances before you repot it," she says. "If you repot it as soon as you get it home, disturbing the roots can set the plant back and it will take longer for it to start growing again." She says it's best to slip the plant into a more attractive container before repotting it.
When choosing a planter, make sure to pick one with at least one drainage hole in the bottom. Size is important, too. "When moving a houseplant to larger pot, it should be only one inch larger in diameter than the old pot," she says.
If you've struggled with planting, you've probably wrestled with the question: How much water? Barbara says it's important to get to know your plants as individuals; some will need more water than others. "Large plants grown in smallish pots in bright light often need twice as much water as small plants growing in roomy containers in dim light," she says. If you're uncertain if a plant needs watering, tip it slightly to see if it feels heavy or light. "With practice, you can easily tell if a container is unusually moist or dry by checking its weight," she says.
Add plant food from spring to fall, when houseplants are actively growing. "Most of them rest in the winter, when days are short and light levels are low," she says. Still, adding a little water-soluble plant food to the water is easy, and helps support plants during their periods of active growth.
I wondered if heat and air conditioning temperatures can affect plants. The answer: yes. Dry heat is tough on houseplants, which will require more watering if the air indoors is dry. "Most houseplants are from tropical climates, so they do better in high temperatures than low ones," she says. "Few houseplants are happy when temperatures drop below 55 degrees F."
When purchasing a plant, look at individual plants to see if it's healthy. Look at the entire display area, Barbara says, and check to see if the plants appear to have been watered and maintained. Choose a plant with lots of healthy foliage, no spotted or yellow leaves. If you're buying a houseplant with blooms, choose one that is only beginning to flower, she says.
Some varieties won't live forever. "With many blooming houseplants, for example cyclamen, you might enjoy the plant for two to three months and then ditch it. Most foliage plants are long-terms companions that show new growth from spring to fall, and then they will hit a holding pattern during the winter," she says.
Don't get discouraged if you're not successful at first. Like anything, gardening indoors takes practice. Says Barbara: "Start small, with only two or three plants, and put them to work bringing life to your rooms. Place a sturdy foliage plant where it can easily be seen as soon as you come in the door -- a classic way to energize the transition from the green world outdoors to your indoor spaces."
Craving more gardening goodies?
How to Save Water in Your Garden and Yard
Siri Larsen: Show & Tell Garden Tour
How to Plant a Window Garden
Flowers Can Be Edible And Delicious
Or check out ShelterPop's past coverage of all things gardening!
Don't get discouraged if you're not successful at first. Like anything, gardening indoors takes practice. Says Barbara: "Start small, with only two or three plants, and put them to work bringing life to your rooms. Place a sturdy foliage plant where it can easily be seen as soon as you come in the door -- a classic way to energize the transition from the green world outdoors to your indoor spaces."
Craving more gardening goodies?
How to Save Water in Your Garden and Yard
Siri Larsen: Show & Tell Garden Tour
How to Plant a Window Garden
Flowers Can Be Edible And Delicious
Or check out ShelterPop's past coverage of all things gardening!
Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
IF you have pets - some of these plants are toxic to them, so check first.
ReplyThanks for the tip, Hazel & Karen. I have rabbits & a dog so that's very important to know. Don't know if I'll try it anyways...I've killed at least 3 plants on the lists in the article. :(
Absolutely...BE CAREFUL when selecting house plants... especially lilies. Several of the plants in this article are fatal to pets, especially cats.
ReplyOne less cat is a good thing!
My thought is, one less person like mike is a good thing. What an incredibly creepy person. I hope we don't hear from him again until after he grows up.
This is really good! Http://www.homeremeidiesguide.info because I have the blackest thumb in town!
Ummmm one has to take into consideration... the pet aspect... most indoor plants can be poisonous to animals if eaten....
ReplyI live in LasVegas,NV. and finding these lil nats in my house plants. I have tried the potatoe thing and it's not working, I also tried repotting them with new soil and they came right back. Can anyone help me out here
ReplyYou're over watering the soil and the nats breed in damp soil. Just let the plants dry out for a bit and that should get rid of the nats.
One less "mike." That would be a better thing!
ReplyHa!!! Good one!
Ha!!!!! Good one!!
Sorry for the double post......how the heck did that happen????
ReplyI have a friend who can kill a wooden stick =)
ReplyMaybe this can help her
One less Mike: YES!!!
ReplyYep you people have it right about Mike. one less of him would be wonderful.
ReplyKaren C already mentioned how toxic lilies are to cats, something to remember if someone gives you an Easter lily or floral arrangement.
ReplyI didn’t see spider mites mentioned but if your houseplants are dropping dry leaves it’s probably the cause. You won’t see them but may see the webs between leaves. They thrive in dry conditions and are brought in a lot on new plants. Misting with water frequently kills them off if you’re diligent. I add a little rubbing alcohol to the water. I use the same (a bit stronger) in the vegetable garden and on roses when I see aphids or other pests because I don’t use chemicals. Spray insects directly.
I have been growing African Violets and trying my hand at orchids. The African Violets require indirect sunlight and a pot that is specifically designed for them, so they can pull the water up as they need it. Repot them in African Violet potting soil and never water from the top. Remove dead leaves and flowers as needed. If you want to improve the health of the plant, put a few drops of African Violet fertilizer in their water. The plant will get bigger and stronger. When you want flowers, stop the fertilizer. Violets come in many colors and flower types. I also like to give them as gifts, but usually start to worry if the plant might get killed. Sometimes the flowering stops for significant periods, and you just have to wait. I have eight plants, so somebody is always in bloom. I enjoy rescuing plants that are given up on from the store. Enjoy your violets. While I thought violets were hard to grow, they are nothing like orchids. I am having luck however and have given some as gifts.
ReplyTry a leafy green plant that can be watered weekly. Get a mid sized pot and pot with a competent potting soil. When the plant gets big, take it apart and create more smaller plants. Your friend will thank you. Don't forget fertilizing liquid about every three months mixed into the water. Once your friend gets some confidence, she or he can branch out (excuse the pun) to other plants. Make certain your friend isn't dumping something into the pot as waste. Also, be careful to rinse any pots that are cleaned to avoid soap. You might also check the roots for slugs and snails.
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