Photo: Sarah Dovolos
We asked owner Jessie Jacobson for her tips on caring for houseplants, and how beginners can start to create an indoor garden of their own.
Indoor houseplants occupy the sweet spot of relaxing hobby and enviable aesthetic, so it’s no surprise they’ve taken over social media. With countless individuals assigning themselves the labels of #plantlady or #plantparent, it’s a good time to be a greenhouse.
The experts at Tonkadale Greenhouse are here to answer questions, and the greenhouse offers an extensive selection of plants and flowers. They also offer fairy gardens, container gardens and custom designs for every season.
We asked owner Jessie Jacobson for her tips on caring for houseplants, and how beginners can start to create an indoor garden of their own.
Top tips for caring for houseplants?
- Find the right light. “When selecting a plant, make sure you research how much light it requires every day and that you have a space in your home that will accommodate it accordingly,” says Jacobson.
- Be realistic about your schedule. “Choose plants that suit your lifestyle. For example, if you’re not home often or travel frequently, a plant that requires a lot of regular watering might not be a good fit. Consider a cactus or succulent, both of which need less water.”
- Give plants room to grow. “The plastic pots most plants come in might not be attractive, but don’t discard them. Instead, leave your plant in the grower’s pot and set it inside a decorative container. This allows more flexibility and makes them easier to water.”
- Even plants need bath time. “Giving your plants time to soak in water is important—take the whole collection to the sink or bathtub so they can soak thoroughly. But be careful to not let them sit long in standing water.”
Best plant varieties for beginners?
“Snake plants are very easy to care for, and there are lots of varieties,” says Jacobson. “It’s adaptable to very low light and requires very little water—about once per month depending on the size of the plant.”
Plants for people looking for a challenge?
“The fiddle leaf fig is notorious for being hard if you don’t have the right location for it, have the wrong light or are mis-watering,” says Jacobson. “I’d recommend practicing on smaller, less expensive plants before diving into a trickier one like this.”
Trending now?
“People love monstera, ZZ plants and different varieties of peperomias, because there’s lots of opportunities to mix and match varieties,” says Jacobson.
