All about indoor plants

Indoor plants have the ability to beautify any space they are placed. With these top tips from our experts, you can now enjoy the benefits of your indoor plants while ensuring you take care of them properly.

Whether it is an indoor herb garden that catches your fancy or a vertical wall that’s planted with gorgeous greens and pops of colour, having indoor plants definitely adds a visual and textural dynamic to your home.

However, most of us refrain from getting indoor plants due to the maintenance that is often associated with them. We chatted to a few experts in the industry who share their top tips on how you can best maintain your indoor plants for longevity.

Don’t over water

“The tendency with indoor plants is to think that your plant needs constant water, but the reverse is often true,” says Sean O’Connor, the owner of L iving Green Walls. He explains that as a rule of thumb, “water the plant and drench the roots. Then leave it to dry out before drenching the roots again. Watering once weekly is a good start. And if you can get organic water-based fertiliser then you can apply this once a month to feed the plant”.

Test the moisture and look for signs

Like most of us, if you have no idea when you should be watering your indoor plants there are two things that you can do and according to Robyn Sher, the marketing manager at Lifestyle Home Garden, one way to find out when to water is to test for moisture. “Place a dowel/chopstick into the soil of your pot and if it comes out moist then don’t water yet. If the stick comes out completely dry, then you need to water your plant.” She adds that the other thing you can do is look for signs. “When you water your plants, you will notice that the plant stands tall and the leaves look luscious. And when they start to droop, your plant is telling you that it needs water. Keep an eye out for these signs and the maintenance will become a lot more enjoyable.”

Mimic outdoor conditions

Craig de Necker, the managing director of The Friendly Plant, explains that it is important to mimic outdoor conditions for your indoor plants. “In order to succeed with indoor plants, you should try to mimic the outdoor conditions which those plants are designed for. Generally, this means rich, healthy soil, natural light and water. The ideal spot to place indoor plants is next to a window or under a skylight where they have the benefit of natural sunlight.”

Location is everything

There is no use purchasing a gorgeous indoor plant and then placing it where it won’t thrive. Carolyn Ashmore, the founder and director of The Atrium explains that most indoor plants prefer morning sun. “A spot by an east- or north-facing window is ideal. A distance of about 30cm – 4m from the window will work depending on how much light the plant needs and how big the window is. Bathrooms are also great spots for indoor plants because of the humidity, which plants that originate from jungle environments really enjoy.”