Houseplants Ideas, Tips & Guides

SOME PEOPLE collect art, and others collect vintage cars or maybe stamps or coins. Darryl Cheng collects houseplants. And in his latest book, “The New Plant Collector,” Darryl suggests some gorgeous possibilities with detailed guidelines for figuring out how to make a good match for your growing conditions before you invest.

I,FOR ONE, have a number of houseplants that would look a whole lot better right now if given a pinch or two or three, plus I could potentially enjoy the benefit of more plants from those trimmings, whether to keep, or better yet, to share. A new book by plant stylist Hilton Carter demystifies multiple methods of making more plants, including by various types of cuttings, and he filled me in, including on why rooting in water is his favorite medium of all.

However, our cat Skipper was paying them far too much attention, so I moved them to the hanging basket out front. The cooler weather there meant they've only started to bloom recently, and most welcome they are too. Once flowering is over, I'm taking a top tip learnt from my time at West Green House and planting them out in the border. I have a plan to revamp the front garden after last year's box demise and these will go there alongside a couple of ferns I have languishing in pots out the back. Waste not want not as they say. These are not the only bulbs I've been chatting about recently. Over on Insta I'm celebrating the pictured poet's daffodil posing on my windowsill as one of my final seasonal narcissus treats, and the lovely fritillary is featured on FloodRe's Flood Resilient Garden's site.Then of course

One of the easiest ways to improve air quality in your home is to introduce plants.  This roundup of the best indoor plants for oxygen and air purification covers lots of fantastic options that will help keep your indoor space healthy.

IT IS NOT TIME quite yet here for what I call the mad stash, storing those non-hardy plants for the winter that we wish to keep alive for another year of service. But it is time to make some plans to do just that.

Join Emma the Space Gardener as she explores gardening on Earth… and beyond! In this episode, Emma talks to houseplant expert Jane Perrone about which plants she would take into space.

Join Emma the Space Gardener as she explores gardening on Earth… and beyond! There’s some great news for space gardeners this week, involving space to grow in, bricks to build with and… hibernating squirrels. And you can discover how many plants it would take to provide your own personal oxygen supply, and what would make a good houseplant in space. Oh, and there’s still time to enter the chilli seed giveaway!

Header image (a cup of tea, books and a houseplant on a windowsill) by LUM3N from Pixabay

Just because our attention is focused on keeping things steady (ahem, alive) in the garden this deep into the summer, it doesn’t mean we should neglect our leafy loved ones who live indoors—especially if you have travel plans! Houseplants have special needs every season, but summer heat and time away come with their own set of challenges. 

Lovers of succulents and oddball plants in general grow bowiea with most of its showy, round green bulbs above the soil surface, and with its twining filigree of stem-like foliage trained up onto some kind of support. That’s how the plant in my dining room (shown) is growing right now. Probably neither is what happens in the wild, but no matter; let the foliage climb up something or let it dangle; bury the bulbs a lot or hardly at all.Order a baby at Logee’s, or better yet order three and cluster them in one pot for company. Each bulb can reach 8 inches in diameter over time, and as for the foliage—there seem to be no end to it (until it simply stops).What matters is that you give it bright light and gritty soil and respect bowiea’s desire to sleep all winter. Stop watering it when the tendrils start to turn yellow and dry up in fall, then water not at all or very rarely when it is sleeping. I usually give it a little drink perhaps once a month in winter out

My longtime friend and fellow garden writer Ken of Ken Druse dot com is author of many books including “The New Shade Garden,” and “Making More Plants,” and “Natural Companions.” We tackled subjects ranging from propagating coleus from cuttings, to repotting a jade plant—and repotting in general—and even why a jade might be blooming now, after many years of ownership with no blooms. Ken shared ideas about some of his favorite unusual houseplants, too (that’s one of his Thai hybrid euphorbias, above), including several that bloom in the offseason.Read along as you listen to the Dec. 17, 2018 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).year-end q&a with ken druse

Marc Hachadourian, Director of Glasshouse Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and I answer “yes” to both of the above. And he joined me to talk houseplants, and which ones make the best longtime companions to grow and even share—and how to match them to your site and meet their needs. Spoiler alert: He wants us all to start growing African violets again, and some of their other Gesneriad cousins.Marc is also Senior Curator of Orchids at the New York Botanical Garden’s 55,000-square-foot Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and author of the recent book “Orchid Modern,” so no surprise that some of his suggestions today are easy to grow orchids because, after all, he’s @orch

Mobee Weinstein is foreman of gardeners for outdoor gardens at New York Botanical Garden in New York City. She’s taught classes in indoor plants at the State University of New York and at NYBG. And she is also the person who first introduced me to many of what have become my favorite houseplants, back when I was a beginning garden writer, and I’d visit her in the NYBG greenhouses while working on a story—some really special times.Mobee shared her list of top indoor ferns to try (including tuber fern, Nephrolepis cordifolia, seen beside her in the photo below); some fern sources; and even some key fern-care advice, like how to water properly.Read along as you listen to the January 27, 2020 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).Plus: Ente

Darryl Cheng does better, using all the technical insights he can to make more than 100 houseplants feel at home in his Toronto condominium. But he also accepts that his place is not a conservatory or commercial greenhouse. It’s not perfect.Darryl is better knownon Instagram as @houseplantjournal, and as one of his 620,000 followers, I can say I enjoy being treated to his frequent posts, showing off his latest insights from ambitiously growing a condo-full of diverse houseplants. He began sharing his earliest

These Interior Decor Ideas with Colorful Houseplants will surely give your rooms a vibrant twist while keeping the essence of nature!

Keeping your room fresh with natural elements elevates mood and senses. Here are the best Houseplants that are Literally Fragrant Air Fresheners that will help to keep your home naturally perfumed all the time!

Winter brings short days, fluctuating cold temperatures, low humidity, and limited sunlight, making it tough for indoor plants to grow. Here are some essential steps that you can take on toKeep Houseplants Alive in Winters.

Have a growing house plant collection and not sure about their care when you take off for vacation? The best way is to have a family or friend come over to help, but sometimes this may not be possible. Many indoor plants can survive a week without their parents' care, but you’ll want to consider some factors, such as lighting, and giving them a thorough watering before you leave. There are several tips and tricks to ensure your plants manage without you. We asked Southern horticulturists for their best plant care tips while you’re away

Amongst the several creative ways to create homes for our beautiful plants, showcasing them in a way while they hang is surely one of the best! Here are the Best Houseplants for Hanging Baskets that you MUST have in your collection!

Want your indoor plants to sport a bit of color combination? Go with our 12 favorite Houseplants with Red Stripes.

Ground covers fill up the spaces with intriguing foliage and blooms. But, have you ever wonder if you could also plant some of those in the home as houseplants? Check out our list of Ground Covers that Become Excellent Houseplants!

Here are some beautiful Tricolor Houseplants you can add to your room with a unique combination of three colors on the foliage!

If you are wondering about the Most Popular Houseplants According to TikTok, then we have an all-inclusive list for you!

These are the Most Popular African Houseplants that are also high in demand thanks to their care-free and easy-to-grow nature.

You need not invest hours tending beautiful indoor plants. In fact, some species require minimal care yet look as good as grown by a plant expert. If you too want to know their names, check out our list of Easiest Houseplants that arelow care and forgiving.

Are you looking for the Best Hanging Houseplants that Won’t Die Easily? We have the most low-maintenance ones lined up for you that you can display beautifully in hanging baskets!

If you are looking for different Ways to Identify Houseplants, then you have arrived at the right place! Find out all about the best options here.

Do you find your indoor plant’s foliage turning yellow, looking dead, drying, and falling down? This might indicate that they need moisture in the air. Learn How to Increase Humidity for Houseplants with these simple methods.

If you want to create a statement in your room, growing large indoor plants is the best way. Add color, contrast, and a natural vibe to your room by growing these Best Tall Houseplants with Patterns.

The genusAralia has some of the most unique plants that you can grow with ease indoors for greenery indoors. Here are the most Beautiful Pictures of Aralia Houseplants that you can take ideas from!

Want to grow an in-house garden but are worried about the limited light conditions? We have your back with the most clever tips on How to Grow Houseplants in Room with Zero Light in this article below!

If you want to add greenery to your home with style, then take inspiration from these really cool Table Decorating Ideas with Small Potted Houseplants!

There are a lot of beautiful plants that you can grow indoors even if you don’t have much space. Have a look at the adorable Pictures of the Best Small Houseplants!

There are about zillions of options to choose from when it comes to houseplants. But when it comes to choosing houseplants for children, it becomes even more important to be selective. The first and foremost priority while selecting the houseplant is that it should not be toxic and prickly, other aspects to consider are their appearance, growing requirements, and unique features. For example, the sensitive plant, which has the ability to unfold its leaves when touched.

If you like big trees but don’t have a proper place to grow them, then don’t let it dishearten you! We have some beautifulDwarf Tree Like Houseplants on this list that will make your dreams of growing a tree, in a compact form, come true!

If you are a laid-back gardener who’s not interested to spend a lot of time caring for plants, then we have some Easy-Peasy Houseplants for you, and Growing Them is a Cinch!