Being an ex-florist, I thought I’d share my knowledge about plant care and plants in general. There are lots of different types of houseplant, and each one has evolved in a different climate. To give them a good chance of survival you need to match their natural climate, as closely as possible, to the conditions in your home or office. The most important factors are the amount of natural sunlight (think desert vs shady forest floor) and the amount of water (think desert vs rainforest).
To set your plant parenting off on the right foot, try to make the hardest parts of caring for plants easier. For starters, find a florist who stocks a range of relatively hardy plants that don’t require excessive fuss. What’s more, find a florist where all plants come directly from growers with a Class A rating from Royal Floral Holland - meaning they’re far harder to kill than those you may have got from thesupermarket.
Over-watering is much more common and equally as harmful as under-watering, so always make sure that excess water can freely run out of your plant’s soil through the holes in the bottom of its nursery pot (the brown one that it comes in). Letting your plant sit in water will be terrible for its health so, after watering, check the decorative pot for excess water and pour it away after half an hour or so. Pick a plant which can survive with little care. Such as Cactus or Aloe-Vera as shown on the photo. Photo copyright belong to Bonsoni via flickr.
Similarly, don’t be tempted to repot your plant directly into a pot without drainage holes; it usually ends badly! When it comes to watering your plants be flexible, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Rather than scheduling in a certain day each week to blindly water your plants, regularly feel down into the soil an inch under the surface. Most houseplants like the top inch to dry out before watering, so if it’s dry to the touch, your plant needs a drink. But some dare to be different, so have a look at your plant’s product page if you’re not sure. Early morning is the best time and room temperature water is ideal.
Here is a handy video with more tips. Good luck with indoor planting!
