Five plants to have in your home
EMMARENTIA – Do not get intimidated by the thought of plants in your home. Here is a list of plants easy enough for anyone to tend to.
Okay, we get it, plants can look intimidating to care for but some really are not as complicated as one may make them out to be.
Our local garden expert, Melanie Walker, gives us her top five picks of indoor plants even a child can look after, and propagate easily to create more.
• Sanseveria
There are indoor and outdoor varieties each with its own needs so make sure you buy the indoor ones. It’s a striking upright plant which has a number of growth patterns and variegations. They’re super easy to grow and need little attention. Just don’t overwater them – every three to six weeks should do it, depending on how much heat and sunlight they get.
• Monstera deliciosa
These grow pretty quickly and are lovely big plants when they get going – they can get up to 3m in height – so not ideal for a windowsill. It is a heavy feeder so it will need enough fertiliser to get it looking its best. Don’t let it stand in water in a drip tray, and only water when the soil doesn’t feel moist in the top couple of centimetres. Don’t place in direct sunlight – it likes low light.
• Spathiphyllum
Also known as the peace lily, it’s fabulous as it lets you know when needs water if you forget! The leaves start to droop, so if you’re under pressure and don’t remember to water plants, this one will give you a reminder. They otherwise need very little care, are really easy to divide, but beware, they are toxic to pets, so keep them out of reach of the
furry ones.
• Senecio rowleyanus
If you’d like something that hangs and is also easy to propagate, string of beads/ pearls is really striking. They will need more water in hot summers, but in winter, only water about once a month. They generally prefer medium to strong indirect light.
• Calathea
Prayer plants have striking dark green and white leaves with brightly coloured undersides, which curl up when they ‘go to sleep at night. They don’t like wet feet, so don’t overwater. Do give them a little liquid fertiliser every couple of weeks. Don’t place them in direct sunlight, or in a dark area, or their colour will fade.
