Hot trend: Indoor plants & how to keep them alive

While it may be attributed to the current enthusiasm for 1970’s modernist architecture, not since that decade have we seen such keen interest in indoor plants. It’s arguably one of the hottest trends of the last year and it’s easy to see why. A splash of greenery can freshen any interior and that’s before you even consider the fabulous health effects - after all, air purification and a connection to nature never hurt anyone! So, while the benefits of indoor plants are many, we understand that they can be a scary undertaking for those lacking in green thumbs, which is why we’ve come up with three key things to keep your greenery thriving.

Image source: My Domaine

Water

This is the trickiest thing to master and ironically, it’s over-watering that is often the biggest killer of indoor plants. Most plants will respond well to watering every five to seven days in the warmer months and once every seven to ten days in the cooler ones. You also want to make sure that your pots offer plenty of drainage as without it, your indoor plants can develop root rot which often signals their demise.

Light

Even the most suitable plants for the indoors need sunlight. About the only exception to this is Devil’s ivy – typically found on the forest floor it will thrive almost anywhere. But the upshot is that most indoor plants require plenty of indirect light – never put them in direct sun.

Image source: Lindsay Salazar

Soil

As with all flora, fertiliser is key if you really want to accelerate the growth of your indoor plants. Buy a good quality, well-draining potting mix that contains a slow-release fertiliser and you’ll be set.

When in doubt, go faux

If you find you are still struggling you can always opt for the artificial variety. We have a fabulous range of faux plants and blooms at YU Interior and with changes in technology it really is getting harder and harder to tell the difference!