F O R T H E P L A N T K I L L E R S
I kill cactus too.
I can't keep succulents alive.
I suck with the obviously "easy" to keep alive plants.
This is the list for you. If I can keep these alive but kill a £4.00 Jade, Aloe, Cactus and moulded wax you can handle these too.
But first...
P L A N T E S S E N T I A L S ...
1. Light - plants need to see the sky, put your face where your plant will be: if it can't see the sky out the window it won't get enough light. Move it.
2. Drainage Holes - Life Savers. Will stop root rot, helps water flow, and ultimately save your plants. If your pretty pots don't have them buy plastic pots to put inside. win-win.
3. Fertiliser - You'll need to feed your plants every month during the growing season. (So basically all summer).
4. GET A MOISTURE METRE! - Without a doubt my best plant purchase. What is moist you say - well this resolves all issues and lets your know when your plant needs water. Less than £10 and will save all your plants.
S T A R T W I T H ...
Pilea Peperomioides
"Chinese Money Plant"
Light: Moderate - bright.
Water: Water when the soil has begun to dry out. the leaves will begin to droop if the plant needs to be watered. Don’t let the plant sit in water.
Temperature: 16-24°c
Humidity: Pilea peperomioides enjoy fairly high humidity levels.
Height and Growth Rate: Ultimate height 25-30cm and fast-growing.
This grows like a WEED. I've had mine for just over a year, and its doubled in size and produced 20+ Babies which I have propagated and given to family and friends. It's been in pretty much every room in my house now, and just grows and grows and grows. The picture is of a pup removed from the mother plant less than a week ago, it's already growing roots to be planted. SO easy to care for - and SO SATISFYING to watch grow. This is one you won't regret getting - and if my mum and friends can keep this alive, anyone can! Plus, it looks adorable, really does make the room that little bit more interesting. Why get boring plants when you can have cute ones like this?
Monstera Deliciosa
"Swiss Cheese Plant"
Light: bright, indirect light but will tolerate moderate shade. Avoid direct sunlight.
Water: Water when the soil has started to dry out.
Temperature: 18-27°C. It will tolerate 12°C and above but keep away from cold draughts.
Humidity: Happy with average to high humidity levels. Cannot cope in dry air situations.
Height and Growth Rate: Use a moss pole to support the plant (the roots will cling to this for support) or cut back if it gets too big. Slow to moderate growth.
Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous, keep away from pets and children.
This one is worth the hype without a doubt. It can get BIG, so don't get this unless you are willing to have a floor plant which is keen for world domination - although a good moss pole will keep this growing up and happy. The leaves once mature will split as in the photo - and wow are they pretty! Right now mine is giving me a new leaf a month - which is a pretty incredible growth rate. I LOVE watching it shoot out new leaves.
It also comes in a variegated form - which can be MUCH rarer. I have a juvenile one - which I'm hoping will product split leaves this summer sometime, meet the Monstera Thai Constellation.
Watermelon Peperomia
Peperomia Argyreia
Light: Moderate
Water: Water when the soil has completely dried out. Don’t let the plant sit in water.
Temperature: 18-25°c
Humidity: Normal Humidity
Height and Growth Rate: Ultimate height 25-30cm and fast-growing.
Repotting: This plant likes to be root-bound (So keep in a small pot longer)
I LOVE this plant, its beautiful! Such an eye-catcher, and so pretty in the pink pot I've chosen for it. This plant is slightly on the rarer side, but definitely worth looking for. It's super easy to care for - and will fill your room with joy as it grows. What's not to love about these leaves? Even cuter in real life, and also super easy to propagate if you want to make more for friends :)
Ficus Elastica"Rubber Tree"
Information + Purchase Here
Light: bright, indirect light.
Water: Water when the soil starts to become slightly dry at the top. Keep the soil moist at all times, but do not over water as this will cause leaf drop.
Temperature: 16-24°C. Avoid cold draughts.
Humidity: No specific requirements.
Care tips: Insufficient light or incorrect watering can trigger leaf drop. Adjust as necessary and your plant should quickly recover.
Air Purifying: This plant filters airborne toxins and is part of our clean air plant collection.
Height and Growth Rate: Ficus elastica Robusta can grow to many metres tall. Moderate to fast growing.
Toxicity: Considered poisonous, therefore keep away from children and animals.
I love the way this looks in my living room, and once I sussed the watering schedule this beauty is easy to keep happy - it has produced 3 new leaves this lockdown alone. I like to wipe the leaves down every few weeks so it doesn't collect dust, but other than that - it is a straightforward plant to care for. Such a statement too. I also have the variegated one too known as the Ficus Elastica Tineke.
String of Pearls
"Senecio Rowleyanus"
Light: Bright, indirect light. Some morning or late afternoon sun would be a bonus.
Water: Senecio is very drought tolerant, storing water in their leaves. Allow the soil to dry out between watering. Do not over-water or allow the plants to sit in water.
Temperature: 21-24°C is perfect in summer. Cooler winter temperatures around 13-16°C will help to maintain good plant health and encourage blooming.
Care Tips: Simply trim to the desired length if they become too long or straggly.
Height and Growth Rate: Ultimate height/length 1m. Fast-growing.
Toxicity: Mildly toxic if eaten. Keep away from children and animals
Keep this in a sunny, warm spot (and make sure the top also is getting light), and let it dry out between watering - and it will LOVE you. This one has probably 4x in size since this time last year - at least! It just grows and grows and grows. I plan on getting this one a hanger to hang up this year and let it grow and grow. Worth the effort without a doubt...
A V O I D C A L A T H E A S ...
(Unless you want to end up with a tropical bedroom to support their humidity and have various panic attacks over their browning leaves)
Calatheas are NEEDY. They are Gateway plants into getting humidifiers - because without one you are gonna get crispy leaves and dead plants. Calatheas are tricksters though - you can pick them up in supermarkets - they are everywhere! And then they trick you with their beauty into thinking they will be okay in your home. DON'T BE FOOLED. These are easy to kill - but if you are up for a challenge go for it! Cause they sure are pretty.
Calathea White Star
"Zebra Plant"
Light: diffused light
Water: Calathea must be kept in damp soil at all times, but definitely do not allow the plant to sit in water or in very wet soil. Think little and often as a watering policy.
Temperature: Prefers warm to high temperatures, ideally between 18-23°C
Humidity: High humidity levels are a must. Pop it in the shower room or kitchen from time to time to give an extra boost.
Height and Growth Rate: Ultimate height 40-60cm. Calathea is moderately fast growing.
My newest plant which is already making me anxious by throwing a huff every time the humidity drops below 60%...
Calathea Zebrina
"Zebra Plant"
Light: Diffused Light, Direct sunlight will fade leaves.
Water: Calathea must be kept in damp soil at all times, but definitely do not allow the plant to sit in water or in very wet soil. Think little and often as a watering policy.
Temperature: 18-23°c
Humidity: High humidity levels are a must. Pop it in the shower room from time to time to give an extra boost.
Height and Growth Rate: Ultimate height 80-100cm.
Mine is a crispy dried up mess at the moment, but thanks to my new humidifier I am really hoping it stops having hissy fits over the air. It's looking sparse at the moment but is pushing out new leaves. This has been the source of anxiety for the past year. DO NOT RECOMMEND FOR BEGINNERS. Even though its pretty.
So, do you have any plants? Are you considering any of these? Let me know in the comments below.
*PR Sample & Links May Be Affiliated - Disclaimer
COMMENTS: I LOVE receiving comments, and I read every single one. I really am SO grateful for every comment you leave on my blog, but commenting "Thanks!" for every comment seems false to me. So, instead please consider the "Thanks" as a given, and if you have any questions or comments I will answer ASAP. Instead of replying to all comments, I will check out your content instead, after all, this is a community. So please feel free to leave your own link as a signature!
No comments
I would love it if you could leave a comment, I love reading them! I also love it when you leave your own blog links so I can go check them out too - But please make sure your clickable link is working - or I do need to delete the comment :(