Houseplant 101

If you are in need of a boost of positivity then when not add a plant or two to your room! If you are feeling stressed or worried then you will be glad to know a study found that having plants in your workspace can increase well-being by 47% and productivity by 38%! In this post I will be telling you everything you need to know about finding houseplants, caring for them and how you can share your houseplant goodness with others.

Why should I have houseplants?

Research has shown that having plants within your house (or in this case uni room) can reduce levels of psychological and physiological stress! Not only this but plants can have great effects on your health such as reducing effects of respiratory conditions by naturally purifying the air.

What plants should I have?

If you are thinking ” I have never been able to keep a plant alive what am I do wrong” you are not alone. The answer may be in the type of plant that you are buying. In truth there are many different types of plant that you could get that would survive indoors but your best bet would be succulents, aloe vera and other easy to care for plants such as jade plant, peace lilly, snake plants, ivy or calathea.

If you are looking for inspiration then the house plants experts website is a great place to start as they have an abundance of suggestions of plants that will thrive indoors. For more information on how gardening can improve your mental health check out my post here.

How often should I water?

This will very much depend on the plants you have. When you buy plants they will likely have a label on them to tell you how often they should be watered and how much light they need. If you do not see this information ask someone in the shop or have a look online.

Make sure that you do your research as this is a key factor to keeping them alive. A lot of house plants love a soak and wait method where you drench the soil and then wait until it goes very dry before watering again.

What pot do I choose and when do I repot?

Most of the time when you buy plants they will come in a plastic pot and this is a good thing as it helps with watering and repotting. When you are looking for a nicer looking pot (usually ceramic) for your plant you will want it to be a little bigger than your plastic pot so that it fits neatly inside. Do not be tempted to plant directly into the new pot. This is because being able to remove the plant from the nicer pot allows you to see how much excess water is left in the bottom and to drain it. If you remove the plastic pot and plant directly into the nicer looking pot you run this risk of getting root rot or mouldy soil due to lack of drainage and poor air circulation.

When you see that roots are tightly contained in your pot or they are starting to break out then it is time to upgrade to a bigger size. Remember to always use appropriate soil for the plant you are repotting, typically this will be houseplant specific mix but there are different varieties.

Where is the best place in Lincoln to get house plants?

During freshers week and a couple of times throughout the year there are usually house plant stalls outside the SU. I find that these are typically overpriced so do your research before you go. One of the best places in Lincoln to get house plants is Sykes Florist on the highstreet.

They have a dedicated house plant room and you can also browse their website which has loads of information on care for each plant given in the description too but do watch out for overpriced plants and shop around to ensure you are getting a good deal. B and Q and lidl also have great options if you are looking for something a little cheaper but they can definitely be hit and miss depending on the time of year that you look.

How can I remember to water them?

If you struggle to remember when to water then the Planta app might be your saviour. With plant identification, smart care reminders and step by step care guides this app has it all when it comes to plant care. It is free to download and more information can be found here. If you do not want to download an app for this then you could instead try setting reminders on your phone for however frequently you different plants need watering.

What are cuttings and why do people take them?

If your plant is growing like crazy then you are doing everything right! This also means it is probably a great time to consider cuttings. Cuttings can be literally cut from your plant or often in delicate plants like jade plants they are just parts of the plant that fall of which can be saved. Cuttings can make great gifts as they will allow family and friends to share in the goodness that is houseplants. There are many Facebook groups for trading cuttings so if you are looking to expand your plant family cheaply it may be a good option for you. More advice on growing plants from cuttings can be found here.

I hope that this post has inspired you to get (and look after) some houseplants. Be sure to share photos of your houseplants with us @uolstudentlife on social media as we would love to see the wide variety of houseplants that students at UoL have.

“A beautiful plant is like having a friend around the house”

Beth Ditto