Houseplants have become prominent in interior design lately, and for good reason. These green little wonders can purify the air in your home , lift spirits on those grey winter days, and add visual interest to your favorite rooms. Before you go out and start buying plants though, read through these tips.
Do – Think about children and animals when choosing your plants
Before you bring a houseplant home you should look up whether or not the plant is toxic to humans and animals. If your home is filled with inquisitive little ones – of the human and/or pet variety- keep any potentially toxic plants out of reach and make sure to pick up any fallen leaves of debris from the plant.
Here are a few resources to start off with:
List of toxic plants from the ASPCA
If you find contradicting information it is best to err on the side of caution if you are concerned about accidental ingestion.
Do – Know how much light exposure the room in your home has
Certain plants can thrive in dark rooms, while others simply won’t tolerate it. For happy houseplants check out their light requirements and put them in proper spaces in your home.
Do – Know how big the houseplant is going to get.
Your new houseplant might not stay small forever. Some houseplants, like the parlor fern or some philodendrons can get big, or can get unruly overtime. Large houseplants may end up requiring a support system so keep that in mind when choosing new plants
Don’t – Crowd your plants
When you bring your new houseplant home chances are good that you’ll have to repot it. Choose a new pot that is at least two inches larger than the current container. That should give your plant plenty of room to grow.
Don’t– Overwater your plants
It can be really easy to overwater your new plants, a good rule of thumb is to let the soil of most houseplants dry out between waterings. Of course there are exceptions to this rule, which is why it is always important to check individual plant’s requirements.
Don’t – Feel bad if your first attempts at keeping a houseplant don’t go well
Things happen and houseplants can die, that doesn’t mean that you have a black thumb. There are plenty of low maintenance plants for you to start out with and build up your knowledge on proper care of houseplants.