A new trend is 'In the House!' (Literally)
A new trend is 'In the House!' (Literally)
Picture ivy and pothos crawling along a bright kitchen window. Aloe vera with their tell-tale spikes filling in a sunny living room alcove window. Snake Plants lining your bedroom window. Philodendrons filling your home office.
Isn’t a house more inviting when a garden can stay inside with you year-round? Over the last couple of years, bringing a ‘garden’ indoors has seemed to take off. Today I’ll be sharing several reasons why houseplants are so popular and sought after, and why I am a huge fan of them as well!
We at Ebert’s have always specialized in outdoor flowers and plants (that’s how we started after all), but in the past couple of years have added houseplants to the mix! Our guests seem to like the idea, especially in spring. We have added houseplant supplies, holders, and decor for sale as well!
Creating the Houseplant “Look”
My favorite thing about houseplants is the different ‘looks’ they create and how they can beautifully transform a home. Lots of beautiful aesthetics can be created in your home with the addition of houseplants. Want a country-inspired, homey cottagecore look? Trailing plants like ivy and philodendron scandens are great. You could create a more ‘rainforest’ or ‘jungle’ look in your home if you go with tropical-looking plants, like Elephant’s Ear, Bird of Paradise, and Bromeliads. Cacti, succulents, and desert-type houseplants create a cool ‘hot and dry southwestern’ feel inside your home! Or, if you love the coastal and nautical style, palms, Dracaena (Happy Plant), and more complete the beachy feel! A sweet ‘70’s’ look that I also love is houseplants in bohemian macrame holders! Houseplants fit into all home style types and are extremely versatile. No wonder they are so well-loved!
Why They’re So Popular
One of the biggest reasons that the houseplant trend has become so favored is the fact that it is bringing nature inside your home. From what I’ve seen and heard, people have made an effort to be more appreciative of nature, the great outdoors, God’s creation, and being kind to the earth in recent years. Bringing nature’s beauty into your own home, combined with the low maintenance, fits perfectly with this! Even if you don’t acquire a huge living space, in my opinion, there’s always space to fit houseplants. And plants don’t have to be huge… My husband and I have a small section in our living room for house plants. We also have four air plants, which are great as they are small, unique, and don’t even require soil! (See December 15th’s Flower Fact Friday post on Facebook for more air plant info)!
Houseplants also provide mental and physical benefits! Many individuals, and in the younger generation especially, enjoy health and wellness. Caring for houseplants can be extremely relaxing and can relieve stress because it requires slowing one’s time down and tending to something. At least, it works for me (and I assume, many others). With so much technology and screens in our world today, putting that blue light away and focusing on your own little ‘nature inside your home’ is so important.
And of course, they are pretty low maintenance! What could be better?
Although low maintenance, beautiful, and fun, houseplants obviously require some care and the right conditions to be happy and look their best. One of the easiest houseplants to care for is the ZZ plant. They only need water every 2-3 weeks!
Light
Probably the most important aspect is lighting. Most houseplants that I’ve cared for and researched require indirect lighting (or an artificial light source, like mine pictured below). LED plant lights act as indirect lights for houseplants, so it is a great choice if you have a darker, more dimly-lit house. However, always research the type of houseplant(s) that you have for more specific information on lighting needs.
Watering
Watering a houseplant correctly is very important… but that doesn’t mean that houseplants need a ton of water! This makes them even more convenient! Several houseplants that I have in my house and have done research on, need water about every 1-2 weeks and like the soil to get pretty dry before each watering. Succulents, cacti, and desert plants like their soil to be dry before the next watering. However, this is not the case for all houseplants. For example, African Violets require water more frequently (about once a week depending on season/temperature). Checking the soil of a houseplant by simply sticking your finger into the soil about an inch is a good rule of thumb. If the soil is dry, it’s a good time to water. If there is still dampness, give it a day or two. You want to make sure you water the soil thoroughly and do not let the houseplants sit in the water. Try not to let the plants get to the wilting point, but if they do, water it. Most water for houseplants is fine, however, softened water may not be the best because it can contain salts that can damage the soil over time. Refer to the plant’s tag or do the research on the watering needs for your specific kind of houseplant(s).
Additional Care Tips
- Make sure your pots have drainage holes (and if they don’t, you can drill your own)!
- Don’t be afraid to repot plants that are getting bigger and prune off the crispy and yellowing leaves. While repotting, loosen the roots on the bottom of the plant before placing it in the new pot with new soil. Don’t forget to water them in!
- Spring and summer is the best time to fertilize (in moderation) where the plants can benefit from the nutrients the most. Don’t fertilize a freshly re-potted plant because after repotting, the plant still has new, fresh soil to get its nutrients from.
With the addition of the houseplants, your home will be transformed into a beautiful element of nature. Eventually, I plan on getting more houseplants and spreading them to more rooms, to create that country ‘cottagey’ feel! See what you can do to create more beauty in your own home with houseplants! With almost endless varieties to choose from, they’re a fit for any home. So make some room, because a truly refreshing movement is ‘in the house!’
Sources:
https://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/care/watering-houseplants/
https://www.thesill.com/blog/plant-care-fertilizer
Norfolk pine under a grow light