Happy Houseplants

happy houseplants

Your simple guide to indoor plant care

TEXT by Jasmine Bible +PHOTOGRAPHY by Tom Daly

Love plants but lack a green thumb? Fear not—with the right light exposure and the proper amount of watering, you can keep houseplants alive (we promise!). We headed to one of our favorite local gardening centers, Fifth Season Gardening Center in Charlottesville, VA, and spoke with Pam Scott (whom we’ve officially dubbed the Gardening Goddess) for some advice.

We strolled through the expansive gardening center to choose some of our favorite houseplants, and Pam helped us sort them into categories: low light, mid light, and high light. Not sure what type of light you have? Grab your compass! A north-facing room, or one with no windows, is low light. An east-facing room or west-facing room typically has mid light. A south-facing room with lots of windows has high light.

happy houseplants - Nest Realty

Scroll through to mark your favorites, then head to your local gardening center to purchase. Ask for tips on which size planter to use, and what type of soil or additives they recommend. We even made snazzy flashcards for you! Click here for a downloadable PDF, then print them out, and stash the flashcards somewhere handy. Follow the placement suggestion and watering schedule to keep your plants happy!

LOW LIGHT


happy houseplants - Nest Realty
NAME: JANET CRAIG, Dracaena
LIGHT: Low Light
WATER: Once every three weeks. Completely soak in the bathtub to be sure the root ball gets rehydrated. Be sure to plant in a pot that allows for drainage.
POSITION: North-facing room with no direct sunlight.
NOTE: Poisonous to cats and dogs. Place them out of reach.

happy houseplants - Nest Realty

NAME: ZZ, Zamioculcas Zamiifolia
LIGHT: Low Light
WATER: Once every three weeks. Soak to be sure the root ball gets wet.
POSITION: North-facing room with no direct sunlight. It can also survive under fluorescent lights.
NOTE: ZZs are toxic. Keep away from kiddos and pets, and wear gloves when handling.

happy houseplants

NAME: PEACE LILY, Spathiphyllum
LIGHT: Low Light
WATER: Twice a week, submerge them completely.
POSITION: Super low light. Very low natural light is ideal.
NOTE: Poisonous to cats and dogs. Place them out of reach.

MID LIGHT 


happy houseplants

NAME: SILVER SATIN POTHOS
LIGHT: Mid Light
WATER: Water when the soil is completely dry. Typically once every 10-12 days. If the leaves turn yellow, you are over watering.
POSITION: Early morning sun, half-day full sun, or filtered all-day sun.
NOTE: Silver Satins love to vine. Hang or place on a shelf where they can cascade.

 

happy houseplants
NAME: SPEAR ORCHID SNAKE PLANT, Sansevieria Cylindrica Var. Patula “Boncel”
LIGHT: Mid Light
WATER: Once every two weeks.
POSITION: Early morning sun, half-day full sun, or filtered all-day sun.

 

happy houseplants
NAME: PATENS SNAKE PLANT, Sansevieria Patens
LIGHT: Mid Light
WATER: Once every two to three weeks.
POSITION: East- or west-facing window with half-day sun. No direct sunlight.

 

happy houseplants

NAME: CROCODILE FERN, Microsorium Musifolium “Crocydyllus”
LIGHT: Mid Light
WATER: Water when the soil is completely dry. Typically once every 7-10 days. They love humid environments like the bathroom or kitchen. Proper drainage is very important.
POSITION: Mid to lower light. Direct sun can scorch the leaves.

happy houseplants

HIGH LIGHT


happy houseplants
NAME: MEYER LEMON TREE
LIGHT: High Light
WATER: Once a week with a thorough soaking.
POSITION: Full sun in a south-facing window. You can even put them outside in partial shade during summer months.
NOTE: Sometimes citrus trees have bug issues. Horticultural oils can help. Ask your local gardening center for advice.

 

happy houseplants

NAME: PENCIL CACTUS, Euphorbia Tirucalli
LIGHT: High Light
WATER: In spring and summer, water once a week. In fall and winter, water once every two weeks.
POSITION: East window with strong morning light, or all-day light if filtered. Bright but not direct is best. If your succulents are turning purple, they are getting too much light.
NOTE: Poisonous to pets and humans. Use gloves when handling.

 

happy houseplants

NAME: JADE PLANT/MONEY TREE, Crassula Ovata
LIGHT: High Light
WATER: In spring and summer, water once a week. In fall and winter, water once every two weeks. Let dry out completely between waterings as Jade is susceptible to rot.
POSITION: Filtered bright light is best, or strong morning light from an east-facing window. All day direct light will result in scorching.

 

happy houseplants

NAME: BARREL CACTUS, Ferocactus
LIGHT: High Light
WATER: In spring and summer, water once a week. In fall and winter, water once every
two weeks.
POSITION: Bright, all day filtered light is best. Otherwise, full half day sun from an east- or west-facing window can work.


Which houseplant is your favorite? Is there one we missed? Share in the comments!

We shared this story with you in our Spring/Summer 2020 Issue of NEST Magazine. To view the full issue, click here.

Spread the love

Written by
Posted in Asheville, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Greater Louisville, Greensboro, Jackson, Lake Norman, NEST Magazine, New River Valley, Raleigh-Durham, Shenandoah Valley, Spring/Summer 2020, Wilmington
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comments closed

Comments are closed.

Join our Newsletter

×