House plants are one thing I am grateful for having this time of year. With the bitter cold weather it’s comforting to know that I can come home to my tropical oasis of plants!
I feel that there are stereotypes regarding the difficulty of growing certain houseplants when in fact there are quite a few that are super easy to maintain!
Here are some that are worth a try, please click on the picture above to see the slideshow.
### ZZ Plant
This beautiful houseplant has shiny green leaves with an upright form. It’s very versatile growing happily in low light to bright indirect light and prefers temperatures of 13-26⁰C. The number one problem most people have with this plant is over-watering it so remember to only water once a week, perhaps every 2-3 weeks depending on light conditions.
**Helpful Tip**: Plants growing in lower light require less water because with less light they stay damp longer. On average we water our house plants once a week but for low light plants make sure to feel the weight of the pot and feel if the soil is damp, if so you may have to adjust your watering schedule.
### Snake Plant
This well-known classic houseplant is nearly indestructible and has many similar traits to the ZZ plant. It can grow in low light to bright indirect light and prefers temperatures of 18-27⁰C. Be sure to let the soil dry out before watering again (especially in the winter months). For continued success make sure to keep this plant pot-bound, it does not like to grow with too much excess space.
### Pothos
For those who would like a trailing plant or one trained as a vine, this one is the perfect choice! Pothos has heart shaped leaves and comes in a variety of forms such as plain green, variegated green and yellow or variegated green and white. It prefers average light, not too dark and no direct light, just right with a temperature of 18-24⁰C. These plants are beautiful if kept on a tall shelf where they can trail and add colour and dimension to a room!
### Moth Orchid
This is the most common orchid sold and for good reason, it blooms for at least 6 months at a time, easy to get to re-flower, and minimal watering! These orchids like bright indirect light with growing temperatures of 13-29⁰C. Watering is only required once a week, just be sure they never sit in water or else the roots could rot. Specific orchid fertilizers are available at local garden centres, feeding once a month is plenty during flowering.
### Christmas Cactus
These gems can be counted on to flower for months at a time, I have one at home that flowers in November and again in March! Even though they seem plain looking most of the year they have the most bright, vibrant coloured blooms! These plants can be grown in average to bright indirect light with a growing temperature of 7-15⁰C (a period of cool temperatures will trigger flowering). Be sure to fertilize with an all-purpose plant fertilizer during the growing season.
Please share pictures of your favourite houseplants on our Facebook page.
Stay warm!
Andrea
*Post contributed by Andrea Weddum, Landscape Designer*
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