Plants for a Greener Home
Have you ever been sitting in your home thinking about how you could bring more life into it but don’t know where to start? Well, there is no need to worry! I have some easy ways to start creating your perfect space, even if you don’t have much understanding or knowledge about plants and gardening.
Greenery is such a great way to decorate your home, no matter what sort of style you have. Plants are not only great for decoration but they can clean the air in your house. Most indoor plants don’t require too much watering, so even if you go on holidays or if you have a busy lifestyle they will thrive with little attention – if you place them in the right position.
First of all, make sure you check how much light you get in each room of your house. Most indoor plants prefer indirect sunlight, which means you don’t want to place them in a position where the hot midday sun can get their leaves. Another important thing is to start with plants that are easy to care for, so you can get hooked on getting your indoor jungle going. If you are in Victoria like us, you can keep most tropical plants inside, as long as you spray them with some water every now and then to provide them with a humid environment. But before I get you too excited about creating a rain forest in your house, let’s have a look at the easiest indoor plants to start your journey with.
Monstera deliciosa
One of the easiest plants to care for with a beautiful green foliage. It will grow amazingly fast if you place it in a position that they like – indirect sunlight. If you are unsure as to where that is, it is near the window but in a spot where the midday sun doesn’t get them. Water them once every two weeks or put your finger into the soil approximately 5 cm deep and if it has dried out then you will know they need water. They’ll happily grow lots of new leaves if you care for them right. Clean the leaves with a wet cloth and mist them with water every now and then because these plants breathe through their leaves. You can also propagate them once you feel like you’re up for some adventure and wanting more monstera babies. Just cut a leaf off the main branch where you can see a hanging root growing. Cut it right under the root and place it into water for a week or so until you can see the roots growing. Then you can plant it into a premium potting mix. It is important to use this type of potting mix inside, because if you don’t you can easily attract little fruit flies who like to move into your pots and annoy everyone in the house.
Golden Cane
A gorgeous palm with green foliage that’ll thrive indoors. This plant gives a great feature to any empty corner in your house. They don’t need a lot of water, just once a week or until it dries out to avoid root rotting. They can grow quite large, so make sure you place it in a spot where it has enough space to grow. These plants are the perfect starter for your jungle, they look tropical and don’t need too much attention. If you think that it has grown too big and it’s getting out of control, you can split them where the stems separate.
Succulents & cactus varieties
They are so easy to grow and if you are the person who is not great at watering plants, this is a great option for you. They need minimal attention, especially if you find their happy place where they can thrive. These plants are tough and it will be rewarding for you to keep them if you are new to plant care. Just make sure you provide the right soil- they don’t like too much moisture and rich soil. And don’t forget – they don’t like to be over watered!
Where to buy these plants? Almost every nursery has them, but if you’re after supporting the local Geelong region check out the following places:
If you’re up for something a little different and don’t want to buy plants, you can try growing them from seed. For example, you can grow avocado seeds into some beautiful indoor plants. They don’t grow too fast, so you can enjoy having them inside for a long time. They don’t grow fruit for about 8-10 years, so don’t get too excited about making guacamole anytime soon. It does have a beautiful green foliage and would be a great addition to your home. The first step is to place your avocado pip into water the following way:
Make sure you change the water every few days, and it will take a while to start growing roots, but be patient. Once you have some roots, it’ll eventually start growing leaves as well. Once it has grown some leaves you can plant it into soil. Keep the soil moist and let it grow!
Another great experiment is growing pineapples. You’re probably thinking, how can you do that? Well, you just need a whole pineapple.
Chop the top off and pull down the bottom leaves.
Once you have removed these, you’ll see some hidden roots there already.
Place it in water so the roots can reach the water.
Let it grow for a few weeks, then you can plant it in soil.
As it grows, you can move it into larger pots every few months or put it outside in the garden.