HOW TO PROPERLY CARE FOR YOUR HOUSEPLANTS

Indoor plants are now more popular than ever. Here's how to take care of your living decor.

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Indoor plants improve the air quality in a home and also have a positive psychological impact on those living with them. Whether faux or real, indoor greenery is growing in popularity. From large indoor trees to containers filled with an assortment of flowering blooms and pretty arrangements of artificial flowers, they bring the outdoor in. 

So whether you've already started potting or just caught on to the trend, here's how to ensure your indoor plants are happy and healthy all year round. No green thumb required!

THE BEST HOUSE PLANTS

• Cymbidium orchid
• Strelitzia
• Ferns (asparagus, Boston, foxtail and maidenhair)
• Fiddle leaf fig
• Polka dot begonia
• Kalanchoe
• Swiss cheese plant
• Chinese money tree
• Areca, parlour and ponytail palms
• Bromeliad
• Alocasia silver dragon
• Peperomia
• Hoya

CARING FOR PLANTS

• While pot plants love to see the sun, they don't want to be seen by the sun, so position your plant in a high-light area out of direct sunlight.
  
  
• Drainage is vital to ensure pot plants have a healthy root system. Make sure your planters have drainage holes and layer your potting material: start with a layer of crushed stone, then sand and then potting soil. For orchids, use potting bark.
  
  
• Water your plants regularly to their needs to avoid overwatering and rot. On that note, it's best not to mist orchids as the droplets can cause spotting. Instead, take your orchid out of its decorative pot (it should still be in its growing pot) and hold the root system under a slow-running cold tap for 15 seconds once a week. Be sure to let all the water drain away before putting it back in its pot.
  
  
• Fertilise your house plants as needed. This should be done in spring or summer when plants need food most. For flowering house plants, use a fertiliser with equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
  
  
• Repot house plants as soon as they get too big for their container. Remember to use new potting soil when doing this.
  
  
• Just like the plants in your garden, indoor plants can benefit from pruning in the cooler months to keep them in tip-top shape. In addition, you can remove any dead or yellow leaves and faded flowers during the year to keep your plant fresh.
  
  
• Indoor plants do not have the advantage of rain washing dust off their leaves, so use a soft damp cloth to wipe them every now and then.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR FAUX PLANTS

The biggest problem with faux plants and flowers is that they collect dust and dirt. To avoid this, dust your plants with a microfibre duster once a week and wipe the leaves and petals with a damp cloth every few months. Alternatively, you can rinse plastic plants under a cold shower for a few seconds and then place them on a towel to dry.

Remove a grime build-up by spritzing a solution of half-water and half-white-wine vinegar onto the plant. Leave it to work for five minutes, then wipe it off with a damp cloth. Delicate silk flowers can be cleaned by placing the flowers in a pillowcase containing about one bag of salt and then lightly shaken. The salt will act as a scrub and gently exfoliate the surface of the petals and foliage. Once done, simply wipe any remaining salt from the flowers.

TEXT BY ESTEE KERSHOFF

Photography: Unsplash