Tammy takes us through the basics of indoor plant care, starting with choosing the right ones for you. Subscribe http://ab.co/GA-subscribe
Time-poor plant parents:
A good rule of thumb is to choose plants based on the amount of time you have to look after them. If you’re time poor, then go for plants that are easy care and don’t need a watchful eye. Hoyas are great trailing plants that can withstand dry periods, Peperomia obtusifolia and dieffenbachias have variegated cultivars that make an impact, and homalomena or monstera can make a big, green statement with little effort.
Plants that need more TLC:
Rex begonias are showstoppers with colourful and hairy patterned leaves. They need high humidity, so group a few together to create a warm microclimate or add a humidifier to your indoor garden toolkit. Overwatering is a common cause of indoor plant issues so make sure they are not sitting in water and allow the soil to dry out slightly before watering again. Plus, increasing humidity will mean that they dry out slower.
To check if your plant needs water, use your finger to feel if the first few centimetres of soil are dry. If so, give them a good drink making sure there’s enough water to run through the drainage holes of the pot.
The popular Fiddle-Leaf Fig has caused a lot of heartache, dropping leaves as soon as they’re moved into the wrong spot. Make sure you give them the right environment by finding a brightly lit site with no direct afternoon sun and watering once the soil has mostly dried out.
Potting Mixes:
As a minimum, use a premium potting mix. For aroids, such as anthuriums, scindapsus, philodendrons, aglaonema and monstera, it’s worth making your own mix to ensure they have adequate water and drainage.
Tammy’s aroid mix is made from:
– 4 parts perlite (dampen before use as it can be dusty)
– 4 parts orchid bark
– 1 part compost
– 1 part coconut peat
– 1 part horticultural charcoal
Light:
Most house plants are happy in bright indirect light. For variegated plants, brighter light can encourage more variegation. In hot spots with direct sun, try plants such as crotons that have tropical, colourful foliage or in low light, try an aspidistra or dracaena.
If your sunshine is in short supply, artificial lights will allow you to grow a wider variety of plants. General household light bulbs don’t supply all the light spectrum needs for your plants, so go for something designed for plants that mimics sunlight. You can even find lights tailored for different plant stages, such as more red light that promotes flowering.
When using artificial lights, consider the distance – leave at least 40-50cm between the light and the plant so the leaves don’t burn, and don’t leave them on all day and night as plants need rest time just like us!
A little TLC and the right planning upfront will go a long way!
Featured Plants:
WAX PLANT – Hoya sp.
BABY RUBBERPLANT – Peperomia obtusifolia cv.
– Homalomena cv.
DUMB CANE – Dieffenbachia x memoria-corsii cv.
MONSTERA – Monstera deliciosa
REX BEGONIA – Begonia rex ‘Escargot’
FIDDLE-LEAF FIG – Ficus lyrata
SATIN POTHOS – Scindapsus pictus cv.
CHINESE EVERGREEN – Aglaonema cv.
– Philodendron hederaceum ‘Brasil’
– Croton cv.
CAST-IRON PLANT – Aspidistra elatior
HAPPY PLANT – Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’
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