Indoor Plant Tips

If you’ve brought in a favourite plant from home and want to keep it on your desk at work, these tips will help you to keep it in tip top shape. We love ALL plants, not just the ones we look after! The advice below will help you to keep our green friends happy.

• Most indoor plants will thrive in well-lit, draught-free places with an even temperature and reasonably high humidity. However, some plants have additional specific needs. Flowering plants and those with variegated leaves require more light than plants with plain green leaves. Ferns like a darker location, while Cacti, succulents and carnivorous plants prefer a bright windowsill. Orchids prefer bright, indirect light and, where possible, lots of fresh air and high humidity.

• Over-watering is a major cause of indoor plant deaths. Most plants prefer the soil to dry out a little between each watering, so don’t swamp them. (Also, over-watered plants tend to attract annoying little flies, called fungus gnats).

• Water indoor plants from above and place saucers under the plants so that excess water can drain away. Plants usually need watering more during their growing seasons - spring and summer - and much less during winter.

• In order to survive, plants require water, light and warmth. So when you're taking a holiday, don't forget to water them thoroughly before you leave and try to keep them in the shade so they don't overheat.

• Keep your indoor plants at comfortable temperatures (18-23 degrees). Don’t position them near air vents, radiators, and other hotspot/draft areas.

• Dust can quickly build up on leaves, which in turn might prevent plants from growing properly. Clean the leaves with a cotton cloth dipped in a little water.

• Never tip tea of coffee into plant containers. The sugars in these beverages can become a breeding ground for pesky sciarid flies.

• Plants acclimatise slowly to different surroundings by changing their leaf orientation and structure. If you can, try not to move them around, as they may not adapt as easily as you think.

• Regularly prune your plants to stop them becoming 'leggy'. Once they've lost the foliage on their lower branches, it's very difficult to get it to return. Pinch off dying flowers with your thumb and forefinger and remove any damaged or yellowing leaves.