Plants make a house a home.
But if you’ve never had a plant in your home where do you start?
Here are our best tips for a new plant owner:
1) Start small. Larger plants can be trickier to look after and more difficult to move (and you might need to move it around to find the right spot), plus they tend to be more costly. If a cheap plant dies you won’t be upset!
2) Think about placement. Near a window, somewhere with less light? Once you’ve decided on a location look for a plant to match. Remember you may overestimate how much light your home has, so be willing to change it up if it’s not looking happy.
3) Be honest about your lifestyle. If you’re away much of the time go for something low maintenance that only needs watering once every couple of weeks.
4) Water correctly. Make sure water drains out the bottom of the nursery pot and place it back in a decorative pot after. This prevents root rot.
5) Learn to check in on your plant. A 10 second visual daily scan for new growth, dudus or any other issues will save you time and money in the long run.
When you begin decorating your home with plants you may make the odd mistake. After all, you’re just starting out! Don’t take it personally. Plants do die sometimes and getting them to thrive is a skill. You won’t become skilled without practice, so keep trying and learning.
If you’ve read our tips and think you’re ready for plant then these are our top 5 plants for a new plant owner are:
1) Sansevieria. The Snake plant thrives on neglect. Water when the soil is dry to the touch and keep it somewhere with good light to thrive. It will survive in lower light but won’t grow very fast.
2) Epipremnum aureum. Money plants grow quickly and are happy in most places in the home (other than direct sun and very low light). If you get the conditions right you’ll be rewarded with a leaf every other week!
3) Chlorophytum comosum. The Spider plant is a world favourite for good reason – it’s a great beginner plant. Water when the soil is dry to the touch and give it some bright indirect light and it will steadily produce stunning ‘babies’ so your collection can grow and grow.
4) Aspidistra eliator. A slightly larger plant with dark green leaves, these slow growing plants are a cinch to look after and tolerate lower light. The Victorian’s nicknamed these the Cast Iron Plant as they just wouldn’t die!
5) Dieffenbachia. Coming in a range of sizes from XS to L the easier going nature of Dumb Canes make them a great first plant. Just place in bright indirect light near a window and watch the leaves unfurl.
Of course, all these are just suggestions. We think these are great plants to start out with, but there are lots of others that might work best for you. Let us know your favourite plant for beginners in the comments!