15th August 2016

Indoor plant porn.
Did you know there was such a thing?
Well, there is…and I am addicted.

If you’ve been following me for a while on Instagram @clareb8, you would know that indoor plants and I have a little ‘thing’ going on.
Well, that is, all except stubborn Miss Maidenhair who just refused to cooperate…(her loss…).

I joke that I have more indoor plants than furniture. But let’s be honest, it ain’t no joke.

We currently have almost 30 indoor plants in our home – scattered throughout each room.

For me – plants inject life into a space. The freshness of a living plant inside the home is a beautiful thing.
Plants produce oxygen and purify the air – so not only are they pretty, but they are also good for our health.

I have lots of different types of plants.
Succulents, Orchids, Devils Ivy, Monstera, Fiddle leaf figs, Chain of hearts…the list goes on…
My favourites are the ones that thrive on neglect. Because, nobody likes a needy plant.

If you haven’t dipped your toe into the indoor plant pool yet, but are keen to, these are my suggestions for the indoor plant virgins out there:

– Peace Lily. You can do NO wrong with a Peace Lily. They practically talk to you.
When they’re thirsty, they droop like nobodies business.
All they require is a gentle watering to soak right through – and they stand tall again. Happy as Larry!!
A little prune now and then to cut back old flowers and leaves, but besides that – they really don’t demand much attention (winning!).

– Chain of hearts. I’ve had one of these beauties for over 18 months and she is almost 4 metres long!!!
I think I’ve probably only watered her half a dozen times!

– Rubber Plant. Such a beautiful plant and super tough. They love lots of filtered light and regular watering, but only once soil has totally dried out.

– Succulents. They need nothing. A little filtered light and sprinkle of water about thrice a year. Bob’s your Uncle!

There has been one plant I have had zero success with, as mentioned above: Maiden Hair Fern.

She was sunburnt and didn’t cope well. I chopped her right back and kept her well watered in the dark pantry for a month. She grew back beautifully – only to crisp up again and fizzle away. Safe to say she was turfed!!

Super on trend plant, the Fiddle leaf fig can be a little testy also. They are typically a tropical plant and love hot, humid conditions. So country Victoria isn’t really the best climate for them. However in saying that, I have had pretty good success with my FLF’s.
I’ve had 3 figs for about 4 years and they’ve all done beautifully, until the past few months, I lost the smallest when she just kept dropping leaves and there was nothing I could do to save her, so we sadly had to part ways….
I feed my figgy’s coffee grinds – they love it! No, I’m not kidding. Tell me a women who doesn’t like coffee…
Just sprinkle some grinds into the top of the soil and water in well.
Fiddle’s like lots of filtered light. Try not to move them around too much, as they like to remain in one spot. Also, water only when the soil is completely dry.

My favourite plant at the moment is my Monstera. She is glossy, broad leafed and very pretty. Another easy care plant.

Most indoor plants require decent light without direct sun. Try not to position them right in the window because eventually they’ll burn…but pop them a metre away from a window, in filtered light and they’ll be loving life!!

If you’re home isn’t very bright, but you’re keen to get on the indoor plant bandwagon – try starting with one of these:
-Mother in laws Tongue
-Peace Lily
-Zanzibar Gem

All super hardy and don’t require too much T.L.C. (tender.loving.care….), or much light.

Another very important tip is to give the leaves a gentle wipe down with a clean cloth and water to remove any dust once a month or so. Plants need to be clean in order to breathe. If they’re covered in dust, they’ll struggle.

I put most of my plants in either the bath or the shower to water.
Apart from the tiny ones – which are happy bathing in the kitchen sink.
Let the water seep riiiiiiight in. I dig my hands into the soil to aerate and let the water really get in there.
They love a little cheeky tickle….

So there’s my indoor plant tips for beginners from my own personal green-thumb experience.
If you’ve got any questions, don’t hesitate to ask and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

For those who haven’t thought about indoor plants yet, head out this week to your local nursery, and pick one up. I dare you. You’ll be pleasantly surprised and I bet you’ll be hooked in no time!

Have a great week.

Big love,
Cx