29 Jan Best indoor plants part 2

Best Indoor Plants for Bright light positions

If you’ve got a light bright room, then it’s easy to grow a wide range of indoor plants. Just make sure you choose the right variety and stick to a few basic rules.

INCORRECT AMOUNTS OF WATER

Yes, you can kill your plant with kindness. Overwatering can leave your plant sitting in water which will cause the roots to rot. But yes, you can still kill your plants from too little water. If your plants are looking a bit sad, don’t automatically reach for the watering can. Do the finger test first. Poke your finger into the soil, if it’s dry then give your plant a drink, but if its soggy and wet, leave it to dry out a little before watering. Plants generally require more water during the summer months than they do in the winter.

LACK OF SUN

Plants need the right amount of sunlight in order to grow, make sure you’ve popped them in a position that is bright but doesn’t get direct sunlight. Make sure you check throughout the day, afternoon sun can be harsh on a plant sitting next to a window and can create an oven where your plant is on the menu. Be sure to rotate your plants so they get a chance to soak up the rays on all sides. An indicator that they need a turn is they may start to lean over one way towards the light.

IGNORING THE CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Those little plant information tags that come with your plants are very useful once you get your plant home, however many of us throw them out thinking we’ll remember the details. If you don’t want to leave them in the pot or easy access, one idea is to keep them in a draw to refer to as needed.

DRY AIR

Plants don’t cope well with dry air created by air conditioning and heating. The air inside your home or office can be very different to their preferred habitat. Keep an eye on moisture levels and water more frequently if required. Using a spray bottle to mist your the leaves of your plants can also help with creating to right atmosphere.

INCORRECT SIZED POT

It’s important to keep an eye on your plants and their growth. Repotting you indoor plants may be required each year depending on how fast they grow. Planting it into a new pot with a bit of extra room with some quality potting mix will give you plants a new lease on life.

DIRTY LEAVES

Overtime dust can accumulate on your plants leaves just like any other surface in your house. This means they are can’t absorb the sun, plus keeping the leaves free from dust keeps them looking fantastic. Try popping it into the shower, or hosing it off outside or even with a quick shower of rain.

Try these varieties for a light, bright space in your home.

Monstera deliciosa

Monstera deliciosa is definitely the new go-to plant for many and their large glossy leaves will bring a jungle feel to any interior space. They like a warm temperature away from direct sunlight and soil should be kept moist but not wet. The Monstera adansonii or Swiss cheese plant is a popular variation that has smaller more delicate leaves, making it a great choice for hanging baskets.

Senecio

Senecio are a large genus of succulents. They have unique leaf shapes that have created their popularity including, String of Pearls, String of Bananas or Dolphin Necklace that look like dolphins leaping from the water. Like all succulents, let them dry out for a few days before re-watering.

Peperomia

Peperomia is another popular variety of indoor plants, possibly because of their low-maintenance nature, or maybe it’s the huge variety of leaf shapes available. The foliage is highly ornamental and leaves can be red, green, purple, variegated, marbled, heard-shaped or tiny.

Pilea

Pileas (Pilea Peperomioides) ‘Chinese Money Plant’ as they are affectionately named, are compact plants ideal for terrariums and smaller spots in the house. Easy to grow and are popular with current indoor styling trends. They are also really easy to replant the off shoots

Ficus

There are plenty of great options for indoor plants in the ficus family.

Long Leaf Fig – (Ficus longifolia) This hot little number is finding popularity as an attractive and hardy house plant. Great in large containers in a medium to high light situation. Keep moist and well fed in summer; a little drier in winter. It has graceful, delicate and elegant branching habit that lends itself to light airy and fresh interiors.

Ficus Burgandy has stunning reddish coloured new leaves which grow into large dark glossy green leaves.

Ficus Lyrata and Ficus Lyrata Bambino have lead the way for the popularity of the ficus as an indoor plant. While they may have a reputation for being a finnicky and hard to grow plant, they are quite the opposite if you follow the basic tips for all indoor plants above.

And if all else fails, there is always a great range of faux indoor plants available. But be brave, take the risk on a real plant and you’ll reap the rewards.