home décor | INDOOR PLANTS
“ Keeping plants around the home or office allows people to bring nature to their immediate surroundings when it can be hard to find time to get away from the day-to-day hustle and escape to the outdoors,” says Lily Ewing, anxiety and relationship therapist and plant enthusiast.
The Perfect Environment Deciding on which greenery or how many to add can be quite overwhelming, with endless options it’s best to start off by considering the conditions your space provides. Lighting. Many plants require bright light without direct sunlight, south, west or east facing rooms are best. However, if your room is north facing and you want to grow succulents, you’re likely to have problems. Succulents and cacti need continuous, daily sunlight. Temperature. During spring and summer room temperatures are ideal for most plants. Problems arise in the colder months when
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absolute mama | ISSUE 6
temperatures suddenly drop. Most plants will survive the winter months, but some species can react badly and die. Pets and children. Another important factor to think about is where to place plants when toddlers are running around. You also need to be aware some plants are toxic to the skin and can cause irritation when handled and damaged. Pets, especially cats love chewing on house plants. Some plants are mildly toxic while others can make your pet seriously sick.
Watering 101
Water in the morning. Watering
at night could encourage dampness. Water less in winter. During the colder months there is less transpiration and plants don’t enjoy being over-watered. Less is more. Most of the time we are concerned about not watering enough, when in fact we water far too much! Plants don’t want to have “wet feet,” a friendly term for when their roots are absolutely saturated from sitting in a puddle for days. Unless noted otherwise, most houseplants would prefer being slightly dry than soaking. Water less in winter. Tepid water is better absorbed.