How to choose the ideal indoor plant Learn how to choose and care for plants that will thrive indoors. When it’s cold outside, it’s time to bring the garden inside and give new life to your interior. These days there is plenty of talk about environmentally friendly ‘green’ homes. But let’s talk about a truly green home – one full of living plants, where the inhabitants can relax and nurture their souls surrounded by natural beauty. It’s time to bring back indoor plants. Not the African violets that grow in small pots on your kitchen windowsill, but big, bold indoor plants that create impact. When friends visit my place they say it’s like visiting a jungle – wonderful plants drip out of hanging wicker baskets, spill over side tables, liven up empty corners and soften walls. When you create a garden indoors, think about the plants that will suit your interior style. My ‘tropical’ look with teak furniture, strong red highlights and Balinese fabrics are boosted with unusual foliage shapes and easy-care plants such as Zanzibar gem, golden cane palm and bromeliads. Modern interiors with their clean and simple lines can be jazzed up with textural foliage and sculptural plants such as the Madagascar dragon tree (Dracaena marginata) and lady palm. On the other hand, the antique cottage look is complemented best with heart-shaped flowers and soft, romantic ferns. What is an indoor plant? There is no such thing as an indoor plant; only a plant that can handle the added stress of growing indoors. After all, indoor living robs plants of most of the elements they need to flourish: rain, fresh air and sunshine. Plants that can survive under a roof usually come from subtropical climates and are accustomed to growing in dappled light conditions. The plants I have selected are more likely to withstand fluctuating temperatures between night and day and season to season, low light and frequent drying out. Also bear in mind indoor plants bought directly from the nursery have usually been reared in a temperature-controlled glasshouse with frequent water and fertilising. For best results, gradually acclimatise plants to your home’s individual conditions. Keep up the water and the feed for the first few months then wean them off all the attention slowly to harden them up, taking care not to neglect them too much. Indoor plants purify your air Just as an outdoor garden creates a sense of peace and belonging, growing plants indoors helps us to relax. Recent studies by Professor Margaret Burchett of the University of Technology Sydney suggest adding a few indoor plants to your home or office filters out toxins from the air that are given off from carpet, furniture, paint and even cosmetics. They discovered indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air and just one plant per room can help purify the air. This is why we feel more relaxed when surrounded by plants; they help us breathe better air. Indoor pots It is a good idea to choose your pots first, keeping in mind the size, colours, materials and styles to complement your home. They are not cheap, so pots in neutral colours are a good option. Pots in strong colours will date quickly, while neutral pots will work with your interior no matter how many times you change it. Next, buy a plant in an appropriately sized plastic pot with drainage holes to slip inside your permanent decorative pots. This way you can move plants around or take them outside for rain and air without lugging those heavy pots. Avoid planting directly into ceramic and terracotta pots as the plant will get cold in winter – planting them in plastic pots keeps them insulated. Plants for different light conditions A common mistake is choosing a plant for indoors that isn’t suited to the light available in the room. For rooms with low levels of light, choose shade-tolerant plants – those with large dark green leaves photosynthesise better than others, which means they need less light to live. These include Zanzibar gem, Chinese lucky plant (Aglaonema), kentia palm, cast iron plant (Aspidistra, above), lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), happy plant (Dracaena sanderia, below), and peace lily (Spathyphyllum ‘Sensation’). In areas with bright light choose plants with coloured or patterned leaves, including tropical plants, which usually grow in dappled sun conditions. Plants such as colourful bromeliads, prayer plant, dumb cane and zebra plant are good choices. Correct care I hope it’s not too odd to think of indoor plants as friends, but I do. You see them every day, feed and give them a drink every now and then. Plus, they offer many benefits to your general health and help to spruce up your home. Like friends, you need to nurture them just right – not too much and not too little. Watering once or twice a week during spring and summer is essential and the best way to do this is to buy a small indoor watering can with a small spout. During autumn and winter you can reduce the frequency of watering to once every two to three weeks. A controlled-release fertiliser in granule form is the easiest way to feed them. Apply a six-monthly granule feed twice a year, in spring and autumn. Pick off older leaves to allow new ones to grow and every month add some seaweed solution to their water for optimum health. Indoor insects Stressed plants (plants not watered or fed correctly) will suffer insect attacks. Common insects for indoor plants include mealy bug, a white hairy insect about 3mm long that lives in the lower stems and in the crook of stems. When few in number, simply pick them off, but control large infestations with a spray of harmless Natrasoap. Scale are small insects, white, brown or black, that look like bumps with hard hats on. Affected leaves should be sprayed with PestOil. Sooty mould, which appears as black soot covering the stems or leaves, generally occurs after scale and can be controlled with the same treatment. Going green When re-potting indoor plants use the best quality potting mix available. Clean leaves by wiping with a solution of milk and water (50:50) to keep the leaves glossy, free of dust and healthy. Keep an eye on plants placed next to windows during summer, as strong sun will often burn the leaves of fragile indoor plants. Fibreglass pots are a great choice as they make it easier to move them around when redecorating your home. Brown tips on leaves may mean too much water or too little, only you will be able to answer that. Don’t leave plants near heaters during winter; they get too hot and the leaves will burn. Move them to the furthest spot from the heater during this time. Don’t leave pots in saucers full of water for long periods or the plant will rot away. During holidays put all indoor plants into the bath on newspaper and add a few inches of water. Only some plants can tolerate air conditioning. I recommend large-leafed plants such as the peace lily, Chinese lucky plant, parlour palms and Philodendron ‘Xanadu’. Add water crystals to the potting mix to help the plant survive long periods without water, such as when you’re on holiday. Our pick of the best indoor plants Name: Zebra plant (above left) Botanic name: Aphelandra Description: A small-growing, beautifully-patterned plant with deep green and cream-striped leaves and yellow flowers. Enjoys high-level light situations. Height: 50cm. Name: Dumb cane Botanic name: Dieffenbachia ‘Tropic Marianne’ Description: A lime foliage plant. Enjoys a warm and light position, but no direct sunlight. Stems are toxic if eaten. Height: 70cm. Name: Anthurium (above right) Botanic name: Anthurium andreanum Description: Green heart-shaped leaves and flowers in red, pink or white. Keep moist, but not wet. Best in areas with strong light. Height: 30-60cm. Name: Bromeliad Botanic name: Vriesea Description: Spectacular coloured foliage and unusually shaped flowers. New plants will form around the base and can be replanted. Enjoys high-level light. Height: 50cm. Name: Moth orchid (above left) Botanic name: Phalaenopsis Description: A tropical orchid with leathery leaves and white butterfly-shaped flowers. Needs warmth, optimum light and sprays of water to flower again. Height: 30cm. Name: Peace lily or Madonna lily (above right) Botanic name: Spathyphyllum Description: A glossy-leafed plant with white spathe-shaped flowers on long stems. Great for most positions. Allow drying out between watering. Re-pot every three years with new potting mix for best results. Height: 40-80cm. Name: Lady palm (above left) Botanic name: Rhapis excelsa Description: A fan-shaped palm that tolerates low-level light situations well. It enjoys humidified air, so avoid air conditioners. Long lasting and slow growing to 2-3m. Name: Prayer plant (above centre) Botanic name: Calathea Description: Wonderful coloured leaves with stripes or spots and interesting colours on the reverse of each leaf. It is called the prayer plant as the leaves move in response to the sun. Enjoys warm, high-level light situations. Height: 50cm. Name: Zanzibar gem (above right) Botanic name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia Description: A striking foliage plant that is virtually indestructible. Great for high or low levels of light and tolerant of long dry spells. Height: 60cm.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 01:30:47 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015