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How to Choose the Right Houseplants for Your Home
Houseplants offer so many benefits! Bringing a bit of nature into our home environments can help us feel calmer, more rested, and more at peace. Houseplants can also be used to accentuate or bring attention to the finer points of your decor.
But which houseplants will work best? There are a good many to choose from, and some are more demanding when it comes to growing conditions.
Here's some advice from our real estate agents.
- Examine Your Lighting
Not every home is ideal for houseplants, meaning there may not be enough light for the plants to flourish. Plants need some essentials: sunlight, water (but not too much!), and nutrients. But the main thing is sunlight. Usually, houseplants do best in a south- or east-facing window. West windows may have too much sun, while north windows seldom provide enough. You may be able to supplement poor light by adding a grow light.
Often, plants are sold with tags that indicate the level of lighting they require. - Take Note of Humidity Levels
Even when light is sufficient, some plants suffer because conditions in the home are much drier than their place of origin. Telltale dry leaf tips are just one symptom that humidity is too low. One remedy is to place container plants on top of pebbles in a humidity drip tray. Add water to the rocks or pebbles. A humidifier in the room may also help, especially if your home is super dry in the winter from central heating. It's best to let plants dry out a bit between waterings. Avoid overwatering or root rot can occur. - Keep Temperatures Under Control
Just as too-dry conditions in the winter will wreak havoc on your houseplants, so will too-hot conditions when you crank up the heating in winter. Most indoor plants can handle cool though not cold conditions. Try to avoid extreme temperature fluctuations.
What Plants Should You Grow?
Many houseplants such as Pothos, Heart-leaf Philodendron, Snake Plant, and Spider Plant originated in tropical or subtropical places where they flourished in low-light conditions.
Cacti and some succulents will require somewhat brighter light, in general. Schefflera needs medium light.
Here are some of the houseplants most favored by homeowners based on lighting conditions.
Low light plants:
- Prayer Plant - Don't let this plant get too cold.
- Cast-Iron Plant - It's a tough plant, as its name implies. It's also good for cleaning the air.
- Pothos - This plant is so hearty when grown in warm regions outdoors, it can become invasive. Our cooler climate helps make it more manageable.
- Aglaonema - This is a great plant for beginners. It only requires fertilizing once a year.
- Bromeliads - These can live under fluorescent light.
- Dieffenbachia - It likes a bit more sun but will do best with a lightweight curtain between it and the sun.
Brighter sun:
- Sago Palm - These beautiful palms can make quite a statement in your Maine home, but be sure to place them in your brightest spot, or they'll drop leaves. Don't set them in direct sun.
- Weeping Fig - It needs some bright light but make sure it's indirect.
- Silver Pothos - Though it can handle low light, its distinctive silver patterns will be more pronounced under brighter conditions.
Need more tips about finding houseplants or staging your home before listing it among Augusta homes for sale? Contact us today.