As someone with a reputation for knowing a bit about plants, the most common question I get asked is "why do my houseplants always die?" - a query often accompanied by a finger's jabbing motion towards a sickly spider plant, shrivelled cactus or other torture victim.
1. Is it a pot plant or a houseplant?
Important distinction, this. Plants grown in houses fall into main groups: pot plants, which are grown to be bought, placed in your house and enjoyed until they die a few weeks or months later (often when they finish flowering), and houseplants, which should live for several years, with care and attention. (Think annuals and perennials in the garden, or, if you're British, Eldorado and EastEnders.) In other words, if you are complaining because the potted chrysanthemum or poinsettia you bought three months ago is dead, stop beating yourself up about it: it was MEANT to die.
2. Where the hell are you?
Remember that, climate-wise, your houseplants are fishes out of water. Most plants we try to keep in the warm, bone-dry air of our luxury pads come from humid subtropical or tropical parts of the world.
That's not to say you need to water them every day in a rainforest-style deluge. In fact, the most common reason plants suddenly collapse is too much water: an underwatered plant will die too, but much more slowly. As a very general rule, plants need watering in the summer when the soil about one centimetre below the surface feels only very slightly damp, preferably before they dry out completely. In the winter, cut the watering back to about a third of the frequency of the summer (although this may not be the case if you keep you heating on high throughout the winter).
The other way you can mimic houseplants' natural environment is by upping the humidity. There are various ways of going about this: either by grouping the plants together to create a microclimate, or by introducing a source of humidity by spraying the leaves with water or placing pots on a gravel tray.
3. It's dark in here ...
This may sound dead obvious, but your plants need light - natural light. Most light bulbs don't give plants the right kind of light for them to use in photosynthesis, so a plant in a room with no daylight will feel as if they're in complete darkness. Again, it varies from plant to plant, but make sure that your plant has some source of natural light. If you want to know more, read on here.
4. You've been sold a pup ...
Many of the attractive houseplants sold by your local supermarket or garden centre are, to the expert eye, like a frisky racehorse being bought by someone whose equestrian experience is no more extensive than a donkey derby. It doesn't always follow, but many of the most beautiful and unusual houseplants are also extremely exacting about their environment: think J Lo's rider when she is on tour rather than Billy Bragg's.
So if you want to shell out on some new plants that will make your home look good and thrive without an awful lot of care and attention, avoid orchids, carnivorous plants, caladiums, crotons, bromeliads, ferns with delicate leaves, and ivies (often sold by the latin name, Hedera - they're much better suited to conditions outside) and indoor bonsai. I know that sounds like a big list, but there are plants you can grow that are tough and beautiful. As a rule of thumb, it's hard to go wrong with classics like the parlour palm, dracaenas, rubber plants, aspidistra (I've always fancied a variegated one), cacti, succulents and the umbrella plant.
But there's no substitute for spending five minutes with a houseplant book (this is my bible) checking that you're not about to pick something out that's more high maintenance than Liz Hurley. This will also advise you whether it should go in the blazing sunshine of your south-facing windowsill, or in a cool, shady conservatory.
If you have a houseplant query, just drop me an email or leave a comment (a picture really helps) and I'll try to help: and if I can't, I can probably find someone who can.
love your advise . will continue to read . lots of info. I look for .. ** tried to email you // was sent back as undeliverable.. do you have a good address
Posted by: DAVID CLEMONS | April 03, 2005 at 06:09 AM
Hi david
Sorry you had problems contacting me. My email address is [email protected]
thanks
jane
Posted by: Jane Perrone | April 04, 2005 at 11:15 AM