Top 5 Tips For Success With Houseplants

These five tips or secrets as they are described below are aimed at those of us who have trouble keeping their houseplants alive. Top of the list is location, the fact that plants have different light requirements and so the best way to keep them happy is to place them in a suitable position. I came across these five indoor gardening secrets in an article by Deb Wiley which I found on the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Do you wonder why some people can take indoor gardening to new levels while you strain to keep a so-called “bulletproof” houseplant alive? Here are five secrets that will green up your indoor landscape in no time.

Indoor Gardening Secret No. 1


Location, location, location. Just as with real estate, location means everything to your indoor plants. Learn what kind of light requirements your plants want and give it to them. African violets prefer bright but indirect light, for example, so don’t place them in a full-sun, south-facing window. Crotons stay alive in shade, but their vibrant colors won’t pop unless they’re in bright light.
Before you select a houseplant, read the tag. If you live in a dark basement, don’t buy a full-sun plant unless you plan to add special plant lights (not just regular overhead bulbs or fluorescent tubes).

Indoor Gardening Secret No. 2

Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii' Variegated Snake Plant
Think about your decorating style when adding plants. If you have a tropical decorating scheme, consider tropicals. Use cacti with southwestern style decor. Try a tall, upright Sansevieria trifasciata (often called snake plant) for impact in a contemporary setting. Cottage styles call for flowers such as African violets, flowering maples (Abutilon hybrids), or plants with colorful leaves, such as Rex begonias.

See more at Better Homes and Gardens