Top 10 Indoor Plants & How Not To Kill Them

and how NOT to kill them!

Third Edition

contents 01

02

03

04

05

DEVIL'S IVY

MOTHER IN LAW'S TONGUE

ZZ PLANT

HAPPY PLANT

CHAIN OF HEARTS

06

07

08

09

10

STRING OF PEARLS

FIDDLE LEAF FIG

ELEPHANT EARS

CALATHEA

PEACE LILY

Bring the outdoors in

& give new life to your home with plants!

Indoor plants are well and truly back on trend - they instantly lift the space, make the room feel fresh and welcoming, and will help brighten your mood too!

On top of this, indoor plants are great for purifying the air and creating a healthier home. Plants, together with microbes in the potting mix, work wonders in reducing harmful pollutants released from indoor furniture, carpets, gas appliances and cleaning products.

So, if you feel like one of your rooms is lacking a little something or 'je nais se quoi', try adding one of our favourite plants. From large leafy shrubs and plants to sweetly shaped succulents, you'll find something to grow (and learn about) in our guide. Read on to see our top 10 favourites - we're sure you'll fall in love with them too.

NEW

Devil's ivy

Hands down, devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum) is the best indoor plant ever! Why? Well, this tough trailing plant will grow virtually anywhere - from hanging baskets to troughs or even cuttings placed in a glass vase. It can handle dimly lit rooms and will forgive you for the times you forget to water – seriously, what’s not to love?

HOW TO GROW 1

Choose a pot at least 200mm wide. Position in a well-lit spot indoors that's protected from direct sunlight. Fill with quality potting mix, such as Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®.

2

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots. Give the stems a light prune to encourage new shoots.

3

Position in pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.

4

Water when the potting mix is dry – insert your index finger to the first knuckle, if it feels dry, water and if it feels moist, leave watering for a few more days.

5

Feed fortnightly with Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food or a Yates® Thrive® Indoor Plants & Ferns Dripper, which feeds for 4 weeks.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter® Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food Yates® Thrive® Indoor Plants & Ferns Liquid Plant Food Dripper

Growing Tips: • Trim back vines to keep it in shape or if you prefer, use wall hooks to drape the vines along the wall.

• Prune and take cuttings in spring and summer – place them in glass jars filled with water to encourage rooting.

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

• Re-pot every couple of years to help keep the plant happy and healthy.

Whether you call them mother-in-law’s tongue, snake plant or viper’s bowstring hemp, sansevieria (Sansevieria trifasciata) has become super trendy over recent years and potted specimens feature prominently in modern landscape and interior design. They’re very hardy, are slow growing, require minimal maintenance and will tolerate low levels of light, making them ideal for growing indoors.

HOW TO GROW

Mother tongue

1

Choose a pot at least 200mm wide (or larger, depending on the size of your plant). Position in a well-lit spot, out of direct sunlight. It will also grow well in low light areas.

2

Fill the pot with Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®.

3

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots.

4

Position the plant in the middle of the new pot. Fill in around the plant with potting mix and water well.

5

Water on a moderate basis in summer but cut back in the winter when plants require less moisture. Allow the potting mix to dry out almost completely before re-watering.

6

Feed occasionally from spring to autumn with Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter® Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food

I N L AW ' S

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

Growing Tips: • The plant can suffer if the soil or pot / potting mix is poorly drained or it is overwatered.

• Mother-in-law's tongue can be propagated by dividing clumps or taking leaf cuttings during the warmer months.

• Repot every couple of years to help keep it thick and green.

ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is virtually un-killable.

Yep, you heard right – un-killable! It’s often described as the ultimate indoor plant because of its tolerance to low light and lack of water, so it’s the perfect way to brighten any room. Plus, if you’re a forgetful (or a lazy) gardener or are often away for long periods for work or travel, ZZ plant will forgive you – it basically thrives on neglect!

HOW TO GROW

zz plant

1

Choose a pot at least 200mm wide and position in a welllit spot, out of direct sunlight. It will also tolerate a more dimly lit position.

2

Fill pot with quality potting mix, such as Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter® .

3

Plant into pot and water in well. Feed occasionally during the growing season (spring to autumn) with Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food.

4

Water when the potting mix is dry – insert your index finger to the first knuckle, if it’s dry, water and if it’s moist, leave watering for a few more days.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter® Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food

Growing Tips: • Keep the leaves clean by wiping with a damp cloth.

• When a plant becomes crowded in the pot it can be split and divided. Gently remove from pot and loosen soil to reveal roots.

You'll see they're divided into clumps, which can then be easily separated into sections using a sharp knife.

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

• The sap of zz plants is toxic and, if ingested, could make you unwell so, after dividing the plant, make sure you wash your hands well with soap and water.

Breathe life into your indoor areas with a ‘happy plant’ (Dracaena fragrans). Also called the corn plant or Chinese money tree, it’s a hardy plant with attractive long arching leaves growing from the top of a bare thick woody stem. It makes a wonderful leafy indoor plant.

HOW TO GROW

Happy plant TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

1

Choose a spot indoors that is well lit but away from direct sunlight.

2

Fill chosen planter with quality potting mix, such as Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®.

3

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots.

4

Position in pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.

5

Water regularly to keep the soil lightly moist.

6

Feed fortnightly from spring to autumn with Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®

Growing Tips: • Happy plant stems that grow too tall can be cut back to the desired height. New leaves will grow from below the cut.

• Happy plants can stay in the same pot for several years.

Chain hearts OF

Oh, be still my beating heart! Chain of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is a gorgeous trailing plant that’s perfect for hanging pots or baskets. The ‘chains’ can reach 3-4m long and the green-red heart shaped leaves are just so sweet! For a beautiful display, consider hanging in a corner along with other trailing plants, like string of pearls or donkey’s tail.

HOW TO GROW 1

Choose a pot at least 100mm wide (or larger, depending on your plant size) and position in a well-lit spot indoors.

2

Partially fill pot with quality potting mix, such as Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®.

3

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

4

Position in pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well, keeping the water away from the leaves.

5

After the initial watering, allow the potting mix to almost completely dry out before watering again.

6

Feed occasionally during the growing season (usually mid spring to early autumn) with Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food. Apply at half strength to promote strong root development and healthy growth.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter® Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food Yates® Seed Raising Mix

Growing Tips: • Occasionally inspect the plant and remove dead stems from the base of the plant.

• Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust.

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

• Divide and re-pot every 2 years in spring. You can also use this time to propagate another plant using stem cuttings. This can be done by laying a length of stem on top of Yates® Seed Raising Mix and watering regularly to initiate root development.

Cascading from a hanging basket or trailing over your coffee table, string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) is a wonderful plant for you to grow indoors. Plus, it’s so on trend! It’s also incredibly easy to care for – just give it a bright spot out of direct light and water when the potting mix is near dry.

HOW TO GROW 1

Choose a pot at least 200mm wide (or larger, depending on your plant size) and position in a well-lit spot. Ensure it’s out of direct sunlight, like sitting behind a sheer curtain.

2

Partially fill pot with potting mix, specially formulated for succulents. Remove plant from container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

3

Position in pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.

4

After the initial watering, allow the potting mix to almost completely dry out before watering again.

5

Feed occasionally during the growing season (usually mid spring to early autumn) with Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food. Apply at half strength to promote strong root development and healthy growth.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

String pearls OF

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food Yates® Seed Raising Mix

Growing Tips: • Tip prune regularly to encourage an attractive multi-stemmed look.

You can use these ‘cuttings’ to grow new plants!

• Re-pot annually in spring to give it more space to grow.

• After several years, when the plant shows signs of dying down, propagate another plant via stem cuttings. This can be done by laying a length of stem on top of Yates Seed Raising Mix and watering regularly to initiate root development.

• Due to its mildly toxic nature, position this plant away from curious children and pets.

Fiddle leaf fig

Looking to create a bold statement indoors, but with minimal fuss? Grow a fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata). With its large glossy leaves and intriguing growth habit, it’s the perfect specimen plant for indoors.

HOW TO GROW 1

Choose a pot at least 300mm wide (or larger, depending on the size of your plant). Position in well-lit spot, away from direct sunlight.

2

Partially fill with quality potting mix, such as Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®.

3

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

4

Position in pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well afterwards.

5

Water when the potting mix is dry – insert your index finger to the first knuckle, if it feels dry, water and if it feels moist, leave watering for a few more days.

6

Feed the plant fortnightly from spring to autumn with Yates® Thrive® All Purpose Liquid Plant Food. This fertiliser promotes strong root development and healthy foliage growth. No feeding is required during the winter months.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter® Yates® Thrive® All Purpose Liquid Plant Food

Growing Tips: • Fiddle leaf figs prefer humid environments and are typically fine with the ‘climate’ inside a home. However, if artificial heating is used within the room during the winter months, one way to increase humidity levels is to mist the leaves with an atomiser on a daily basis.

• When you see roots creeping out of the base of the pot, it’s time to give it a new home. Re-pot plants in early spring into a larger container.

Alternatively, you can keep it in the same pot, just prune back the roots – no more than 20 per cent of the rootball – and return to the same pot.

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

• Dust fig leaves regularly with a soft cloth. Dust can clog up the pores of the leaves and make it difficult for the leaves to function.

Bring the tropics indoors with a feature plant that really likes to listen! Okay, technically, it doesn’t have ears, but the leaves of this tropical species do closely resemble elephant ears. Their resemblance is so uncanny, that they are commonly known by Elephant ears (Alocacia spp.)

HOW TO GROW 1

Elephant ears

Choose a pot at least twice the size of the original pot. Position in a well-lit spot, but away from direct sunlight.

2

Partially fill your chosen planter with quality potting mix, such as Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®.

3

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any encircled or tangled roots.

4

Position in pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well.

5

Water occasionally, allowing the plant to slightly dry out between waterings.

6

Feed weekly from spring to autumn with Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®

Growing Tips: • Keep the leaves clean by wiping with a damp cloth.

• Elephants ears can be easily propagated through division. When the clumps are overcrowded (usually after a couple of years), carefully remove from the pot and using a clean sharp knife, separate them into manageable clumps.

• Remove dead stems from the base of the plant to encourage a clean well groomed appearance.

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

• When grown indoors In winter, keep the soil on the dry side as they don’t like having too much water near their base during their dormant period.

Bring the razzle dazzle of the tropics into your home with calatheas! The colourful and intriguing patterns and shapes of calathea make it an eye-catching indoor plant, hence the common name - peacock or zebra plant. There are many varieties to choose from and they all look a little different to each other, making them a wonderful choice for a striking display.

HOW TO GROW

Calathea

1

Choose a spot indoors that is well lit, but away from direct sunlight.

2

Partially fill the pot with Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®.

3

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

4

Position in pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well keeping the water away from the leaves.

5

After the initial watering, keep the soil moist (not wet!), especially during the warmer months. During winter, you can allow the soil to slightly dry out before watering again.

6

Feed fortnightly from spring to autumn with Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Thrive® Houseplant Liquid Plant Food Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®

Growing Tips: • Remove dead stems from the base of the plant.

• Gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust.

• Mist leaves every couple of weeks to create a humid environment – especially during dry conditions.

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

• Divide and repot every 2 years in spring.

Peace lily

With its attractive, dark green lush foliage and compact habit, you can see why the peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp.) is considered one of the most popular indoor plants grown in homes and offices. These hardy and low maintenance plants can help improve indoor air quality and also have beautiful, tall white flowers that can appear throughout the year.

HOW TO GROW 1

Choose a pot at least 200mm wide (or larger depending on the size of your plant) and position in a warm spot indoors, away from direct sunlight.

2

Fill the pot with Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter®.

3

Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.

4

Position in pot and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. Water in well, keeping the water away from the leaves.

5

After the initial water, water regularly to keep the potting mix moist. Reduce the frequency during winter. Moisture levels can be checked by inserting your finger into the top few cms of the mix.

6

Feed every 2 weeks with Yates® Thrive® Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food during the warmer months to promote strong root development, healthy foliage growth and lots of beautiful flowers. During winter, fertilise once monthly.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

Yates® Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter® Yates® Thrive® Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food

Growing Tips: • Remove unsightly leaves and dead flowers regularly.

• Dust peace lily leaves regularly by wiping with a soft cloth. Dust can clog up the pores of the leaves and make it difficult for the leaves to function.

TOP 10 INDOOR PLANTS 2019 Copyright Yates Australia & New Zealand

• Because of the toxic nature of this plant, keep the pot out of the reach of children and pets.

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For a comprehensive guide to indoor plants purchase Angie Thomas' book:

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I N D O O R P L A N T S and how NOT to kill them

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