Choosing Houseplants
Go Green!
Spring is in full swing, if you’re like us and want to bring a little bit of the outdoors inside but don’t know how exactly, getting yourself some house plants may be the perfect next step. Just like picking paint and furniture for your home is vital, it’s just as important to spend time when choosing the best plants for you and your interior space. Plants are living things and have their own preferences and needs. So not only should you be considering the proper environment and care your new plant friends will require to thrive, but also keep in mind how they will impact your space as they grow to their full forms. Below are several tips to help guide you in picking houseplants.
1. Understand sun exposure. The quickest way to shrivel a houseplant is by giving it the improper amount of sunshine, whether that be too much or too little. Take the time to get to know the sunniest and shady areas of your interior, and pick plants that thrive in that environment.
Aloe Vera
Add to your first aid arsenal with a low-maintenance aloe vera plant. The sap provides ready relief for minor cuts and burns. Plant your aloe vera in a heavy terra cotta pot that will both support the top-heavy growth, and encourage air circulation.
Aloe Vera Plants like to be in Full Sun, they tolerate filtered sun, so place them in a window that gets lots of direct light and you should see them thrive.
Spider Plant
The spider plant is one of the most adaptable and easy-to-grow houseplants. Spider plants can be grown as hanging or trailing plants in baskets or pots. They will survive for a long time in less-than-ideal light conditions, including artificial light. Make sure to water regularly to prevent the soil from drying out.
Spider Plants thrive most in partial shade.
2. Consider maintenance. If you’re choosing houseplants that need a good amount of TLC—water, trimming, etc.—make sure you have the time in your schedule and bandwidth in your brain to take this on. If not, pick a plant that needs minimal attention, like a succulent.
3. Pick proper containers. Learn the root length of the plant you’re choosing, and how big it’s likely to grow, pick a container that can accommodate it—consider drainage, too!
When choosing a pot for a new plant, make sure you select one that gives the plant room to grow and has drainage holes. Look for a pot with a diameter that’s at least 1″ wider than the diameter of your plant’s root mass. If you’re expecting your plant to grow quickly, use a pot up to 4″ wider
It is best to remember to pour no more than 1/3 of the container’s size in water. Additionally you can choose to line the bottom of the pot/planter with lava rocks to create crevices for excess water to drain. These methods will definitely help decrease the chances of root rot.
4. Choose plants that compliment your space. Plants come in many shapes and sizes which can even change and increase over time. After all, they are living things! Considering the size of your space when selecting appropriate houseplants is essential. Whether it’s to style a collection of small houseplants with shelving or plant stands, or simple just fill an empty corner with a larger plant in a basket such as a Kentia Palm. Have tall ceilings? Consider a plant that grows tall, not wide like a palm. Looking to make your room look a little wild? Pick a climbing plant, like a Golden Pothos or some form of Ivy.
5. Consider color. While varying shades of green can feel gorgeously lush, no need to stop there! Add color to your interior botanics, like Orchids, Peace Lilies or Prayer Plants.
We are no plant experts so we encourage you to dive deeper into your research and the plants available to you, maybe even join a plant community where you can ask direct questions and get answers from plant owners who have been growing and caring for their own plants for years. Whichever way you decide to grow, we hope you take the time to pick which plants work best in your environment and for your lifestyle, because the better suited the plant is to your home and your abilities to care for it the more it will thrive! The more it thrives the better you feel about yourself, and we all need to feel good about ourselves!
-BHT