Living Space: Take Root

Take Root The who’s-who and how-to of all things houseplants

Written by JAY LANKAU

AS SUMMER SLIDES INTO FALL, home goods stores never miss the opportunity to put out as many fall-leaf decorations as possible. Even when the South is still a ripe 85 degrees, store shelves are stacked with nature’s reds, oranges and yellows. It can be exciting and refreshing to have a change of scenery, but the color green in nature benefi ts the psyche (a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study even found it lowered mortality rates). And with many of us spending extended periods of time indoors, why not bring that outdoor greenery in?

Semi-tropical and generally evergreen, houseplants are a great way to fi lter a home’s stale air and brighten up rooms with something living. If you’re over the banana-bread craze, turn your attention to something low-maintenance, leafy and good for your mental wellbeing. IF YOU’VE NEVER HAD A HOUSEPLANT BEFORE These houseplants, according to STUMP owner Brian Kellett, are adaptable and hardy, making them ideal for beginners. “You don’t have to water them more than once a week or once every two weeks,” he says.

SNAKE PLANT

The sansevieria is also called a snake plant (the variety with a yellow band is called “mother-inlaw’s tongue” on account of its tall and pointy appearance). A great addition to any room, the low-maintenance snake plant has sturdy, vertical leaves that are often variegated in stripes of dark green. It can adapt to all kinds of lighting and prefers to dry out fully between waterings. A favorite of Cast & Grey Botanical’s Emily Hinners, the snake plant can even go a full month without being watered. “It helps fi lter the air in your house every night, so it takes care of you more than you take care of it,” Hinners says.

POTHOS

Bushy and beautiful, pothos is a type of ivy that comes in many variations, such as golden pothos, jade pothos and marble queen pothos. Its relatively small size makes it a great plant for any desk or shelf. However, it may need to be trimmed or pruned occasionally in order to keep the ivy from getting too long, or “leggy.” Pothos loves bright light but can adapt to dimmer rooms. It likes a rich potting mix. It also needs to dry out a bit between waterings, making it very forgiving for busy owners who might forget to water it.

ZZ PLANT

Another hardy fellow, the ZZ plant has thick, waxy leaves. Like many houseplants, it also helps purify indoor air. ZZ plants come in small or medium sizes and are versatile when it comes to light. Keep it out of the window, though, because it can’t tolerate bright, harsh sunlight. It, too, likes to dry out before getting another watering, and it can generally go even longer without water in the winter months.

IF YOU’VE GOT A GREEN THUMB A little more temperamental than the beginner plants on page 43, these picks are for intermediate-level plant keepers. As Hinners says, “There’s a bit of sleuth work involved in making sure they’re thriving, but nothing too diffi cult.”

MONSTERA DELICIOSA

The fashionable monstera deliciosa features heavily on interior design websites, often called the Swiss cheese plant because of its natural leaf holes. Its long, reaching stems and wide, evergreen leaves fi ll larger spaces inside the home. Bright to medium indirect light is the monstera’s favorite, and it needs water about every one to two weeks. If it’s getting more light, it may dry out quicker, so keep an eye on the soil moisture. This houseplant has roots that allow it to climb, so to keep it from growing out of control, the team at Cast & Grey Botanical recommend a moss pole. A word of caution: keep this plant out of reach of pets and children, as ingesting the leaves causes irritation.

FIDDLE LEAF FIG

If you follow any home decor accounts on Instagram, chances are you’ve seen the fi ddle leaf fi g around. Tall, wavy and handsome is the fi ddle leaf fi g’s claim to fame, but this star can also be a prima donna. It needs bright light, so it should always be within seven feet of a window. Water for the fi ddle leaf, like many houseplants, is very much as-needed. If the soil seems dry, then it’s time for water. The leaves on the fi ddle leaf fi g are its most fi ckle part, prone to both infection and pests. Thankfully, Meredith Zipperer of Hester & Zipperer has her own formula for getting rid of those pesky bugs. “With houseplants, you will encounter pests at some point,” she says. “Fill a spray bottle with three parts water and one part dish soap, and spray the plant down.”

PEPEROMIA

With thick, succulent-like leaves, the peperomia is a relatively low-maintenance houseplant that has a wide variety of crossbreeds. Valued for its ability to propagate easily, the peperomia comes in all kinds of types, like watermelon, grey luna and teardrop peperomia. With so many varieties to choose from, you can be sure that there’s a peperomia out there that suits your style. Medium to bright light helps keep this plant healthy. Be sure not to water too much, though, as it’s prone to root rot, which occurs when a plant is overwatered or has a poor drainage system.

POTS & TOOLS You don’t need an abundance of tools to take care of your houseplants, but a few staples will make maintaining them much easier and cleaner. Hinners’ picks include a trowel for potting, gloves, wooden dowels for checking the soil’s moisture, and, surprisingly, a turkey baster. “The turkey baster, for me at least, is essential on watering day,” Hinners says. “If the saucer under the pot starts fi lling up too quickly, it’s easy to draw it back up with the baster so nothing goes to waste or ruins my wood furniture.”

The type of pot you have your plant in can also make a big diff erence. Terra cotta wicks moisture away from the soil, so it’s perfect for plants that need to stay a bit drier, like the ZZ plant. Meanwhile, anything that needs frequent watering is better off in a plastic or glazed ceramic pot. “Whatever vessel you choose,” Hinners says, “always make sure your plant is potted in something with a drainage hole.”

OTHER TIPS & TRICKS

When do you pot a plant? Kellett explains that you can actually pot it right after you get it from a nursery or garden center, or you can wait for up to a year. As for soil, each plant has different needs and grows at different speeds depending on its environment, but generally speaking, the soil will need replacing every 3-4 years.

Let’s talk about plant food, a.k.a. fertilizer. Fertilizer is recommended to help boost the soil’s nutrients and help your plant thrive. There are all kinds of options for indoor plant fertilizer, but Herb Creek Landscape Supply says the number one pick is Jack’s Classic. “We have all the Jack’s fertilizers, and they all work really well,” shares one team member. The indoor variety comes in an easy-to-use, messfree, water-soluble form.

According to our expert plant panel, the No. 1 mistake people make is overwatering. If something doesn’t quite look right, the answer may not be to give it more water, but to check the soil and leaves for bugs or anything out of the ordinary. Pay attention to the plant’s foliage for clues, particularly the color and growth habit.

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