I know that many people do not dare to have plants because they think they have no hand and they are going to die. In my experience, keeping them healthy is not that complicated. You just have to have a few basic aspects in mind and especially look at the plant, she tells you a lot of what she likes and what she does not. To encourage you to start with the plants, I bring you a list of 5 plants easy to grow that do not require too much attention and that in return will give you many joys with each new leaf, I assure you.
As Nika Vintage says, «The love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies.»
And I think this is totally true.
BASIC GUIDELINES ACCORDING TO MY EXPERIENCE
Without pretending to give expert advice, which I am not, I just want to give you some touches of what I think is the basic thing that determines that the plants are well.
Something very obvious is WATERING. Each plant has its own irrigation guidelines and a priori it may seem a mess to know what each one needs and to bring different rates of irrigation if you have several plants.
It is true that this may seem daunting but the reality is that the plants will ask for irrigation, there is nothing better than learning this by experimenting.
If you simply observe the plant and touch the substrate, you can know if it needs to be watered. With a slight idea of whether or not your plants hate excess moisture and take it into account, the rest comes almost naturally.
In my case I have about 20 plants at home and I have the pattern of watering them on Sundays. That day I practically water all of them except for those that do not need as much water as the cactus, Dracaena and some more that I only water every two or three weeks.
In addition to this, mid-week (usually Wednesday or Thursday) I have a second habit to take a look at all of the plants, and put my finger in the substrate and water those that need more water (especially in the summer).
If you get used to it, it costs nothing.
Another key point is THE LOCATION. It is something that I have experienced several times when moving a plant. This was perfectly healthy and growing in its initial location, but if I decided to move it because I’m looking for the right decorative vignette, the plant starts to have problems in its new location. For example this is my Catathea before (it has dry ends but the explanation is here: My plants are coming back from vacation)
and after moving it from the kitchen window to a piece of furniture that is in a place away from the window in the living room :
Photo: Home archiLAB
This means that plants are very affected by the amount of light, temperature and currents, so it is something to be taken into account.
At the beginning you can take into account the specific care recommendations of the plant that will help you decide where to put it, but if you later see that it does not work, that it has yellow, or dry leaves or any other symptom, try to find another location because that can be the problem
If what you are looking for is a plant for a specific place in your house, analyze the luminosity and characteristics of that place and look for a plant that adapts to it.
This is the fundamental thing, it is not so much, is it? Controlling only these two factors I assure you that the plants will work well.
This does not mean there is not more, but this is the super important thing that you have to handle at the beginning.
Then you will have to add some other details such as:
-Remove the leaves and dried flowers so that they do not consume nutrients and resources of the plant and allow the healthy parts to grow. As with weeds that will try to capture nutrients for themselves.
-Add fertilizers so that the plant gets all the nutrients it needs. You can use universal substrates that carry fertilizer incorporated, so you save some work.
-Transplant to another pot when it is small so that the roots do not suffer. This happens after several years, nothing to worry about immediately.
In my Monstera you can see a clear example of a transplant that was needed.
Photo:Home archiLAB
Photo: Home archiLAB
We now go to the list.
My recommendation regarding easy care plants are:
MONSTERA
Photo: Home archiLAB
It is a tropical climbing shrub. There are many species but the best known are Monstera Deliciosa, Monstera Pertusa, Monstera Oblique and Monstera Accuminata. The one I have is Monstera Deliciosa. It’s super fashionable! This plant cannot go be missing in your home if you want to have a trendy decoration.
From my own experience I know that it is a plant that is easy to care for.
WATERING: It needs a moderate irrigation, allowing the substrate to dry between each irrigation. In the summer, it is watered more or less once a week and in the winter you have to spread out the watering depending on how long it takes the earth to dry.
LIGHT: Needs clarity but not direct sun.
ENVIRONMENT: It requires humidity, so it is advisable to spray it with water regularly, especially in summer. It does not tolerate dry heat well so be careful with placing it near the heating in winter. Find a cool place in this season.
OTHER ADVICE: The yellowing of the lower leaves that later turn brown usually occurs in winter due to excessive irrigation. To solve it, let it dry until it recovers and reduce the frequency of the waterings.
DRACAENA
Photo: Home archiLAB
The Dracaena or Dracena is a plant that is very easy to care for and at the same time is quite striking because it is quite tall.
WATERING: It needs little irrigation but when you water it, do it abundantly and allow the substrate to dry until the next irrigation since an excess can cause the roots to rot. As a guideline according to Nika Vintage, it could be said that irrigation should be every 10 days in summer and 20 in winter, although it depends on the place of residence, of course.
LIGHT: Like Monstera, you need bright light but not direct sunlight.
ENVIRONMENT: It likes humidity so it is good to be sprayed with water from time to time.
OTHER ADVICE: If you notice that its leaves turn brown and the plant is limp, it is because it has too much moisture. Let it dry and reduce the risk. If you have wilted leaves it can be due to water shortage. If dry parts appear on the leaves this indicates a dry environment. You must pulverize it.
HEDERA HELIX
Photo: Home archiLAB
The Hedera helix known as Common Ivy, is a species of climbing plant of great length that comes from the humid forests of Europe, Africa and Asia. The Hedera helix can reach up to more than forty meters in length and its leaves are intense green.
WATERING: It needs a moderate irrigation: 2 times per week in summer and in the winter half this amount. The truth is that I have watered it once a week also in summer, but it is true that summer in Dublin is a cool spring …
LIGHT: Holds well in places with little light but can lose the coloring of the leaves. I have it in a bright place without direct sun, which in Dublin is easy to get, and the plant is so happy that it has reached the ground!
ENVIRONMENT: The pulverization of its leaves is very good, especially in summer. But in winter, if you are in a heated room, spray it too. As an alternative to spraying, you can put the pot on a plate or bowl with a layer of wet pebbles, making sure that the water is not in direct contact with the ground.
OTHER ADVICE: Add fertilizer in spring and summer every 15 days. I use dissolved liquid fertilizer which I mix with the water. To maintain the strong stems of the Ivy it is good to cut the tips 1 or 2 times a year. It’s time mine had one now…
ALOE VERA
Photo: Home archiLAB
Aloe Vera is known by everyone for its medicinal properties for the treatment of skin or hair, but it is also a succulent that will bring a very exotic touch.
IRRIGATION: Water moderately, prefers drought to excess water. Its weak point is the excess of water and the cold. I water it once a month approximately.
LIGHT: Abundant light but no direct exposure to the sun.
ENVIRONMENT: In the winter it protects Aloe vera from the cold since it is its worst enemy (not to go below 0ºC).
OTHER TIPS: Brown leaves means you are getting too much sun. Aloe can spend long periods without water, especially in winter. However, when the leaves are thin and wrinkled, it means that they are thirsty.
SANSEVIERIA CYLINDRICA
Photo: Home archiLAB
Sanseviera is a succulent plant and is the TOUGH plant by excellence. One of the easiest indoor growing plants. It has a reputation for being indestructible!
It has cylindrical leaves, erect in the form of a fan, that come from the same neck of the plant. Its size is quite unusual, so it is exotic and very striking.
WATERING:It requires very little irrigation, once a month is enough in winter and every two weeks in summer. Check that the pot drains well through the bottom hole and does not accumulate water in the bottom because it does not like moisture at all.
LIGHT: With good lighting it will grow better and have better color although it is very adaptable to any circumstance.
ENVIRONMENT: Although it prefers warm and well-lit places, it can withstand the dry and hot atmosphere of the rooms and the lack of light. You can also place it outside if there is no frost where you live.
OTHER ADVICE: The only thing that it does not tolerate is that you wáter it too much.
Of the plants that I have at home, these five are undoubtedly the most recommended to start, according to my own experience. They are not going to give you a lot of work and they are very grateful.
Of the rest, for their beauty and special they are, I would highlight the CROTON, the CALATHEA and the PILEA.
I personally do not consider them complicated plants, but they are more sensitive to location and an inadequate irrigation (neither excessively). For being a little more sensitive I have not included them in the list but I leave them as food for thought for when you increase the family.
Now you have something to start with.
Find a suitable corner for them and make them a space in your house because after they enter your dwelling you will not want to see your house without them. A little attention and they will thank you with their best picture.
By the way, if what you are worried about is your vacation periods, there is also a solution: How to water the plants during vacations.
Stop excuses !!
If you love with them, as I know you will want more, I’ll bring you the second part of that post shortly with 5 more proposals! Stay tuned
