Celebrating the houseplant renaissance with a new stage
As the fashion for houseplants encourages even non-gardeners to think about growing, BBC Gardeners’ World Live is introducing a new stage dedicated to indoor gardening – Blooming Interiors.
Experts Matt Biggs, author of Practical Guide to Growing Healthy Houseplants; Jane Perrone, presenter of the podcast On The Ledge and Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek) will be on hand, with an exclusive houseplant edition of his Weird and Wacky Plant Show.
British Florist Association experts will also present daily demos on creating stunning indoor displays. Read a review of the show.
Houseplants – British Flower Bus
Floral designer Jonathan Moseley and his team will be on the British Flower Bus for more floristry tips, including wedding florals.
If you’ve got the bug, there are more than 100 nurseries and specialists selling quality plants, many suitable for indoor gardening, in the Floral Marquee and Plant Village.
Know your plants
Houseplants come in all shapes and sizes, and all have different requirements for watering, feeding, light, humidity and potting compost. Plants that come from tropical climates tend to like moist soil and high humidity, whereas cacti from desert areas are happy in dry air and don’t need watering as much.
The more you can find out about the houseplants you own, the better you’ll be able to care for them, so invest in a good book on houseplants or join an online community to connect with others who share your interests. (And listen to On The Ledge podcast of course…)
Most houseplants are killed by one thing – too much water. Confusingly, plants are just as likely to be wilting because they are waterlogged as opposed to because they are short of water.
Always test the compost with your finger before watering and as a rule only water when the soil feels dry down to a depth of about 3cm (although bear in mind point number 1 – there are many exceptions to this rule).
Finally, make sure you allow pots to drain and remove any water from the bottom tray or cachepot so the plant isn’t sitting in water.
Keep them close
Stick a houseplant high up on a shelf and the likelihood is you won’t spot when it needs some TLC. Instead, place your most prized houseplants somewhere you’ll see them often – on the kitchen windowsill where you can look at them as you wash up, or perhaps on your bedside table.
That way, you can enjoy their beauty and step in quickly when your plant has a problem. For more houseplant advice, visit janeperrone.com.
For more on the next BBC Gardeners’ World Live, visit www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com.
