You have probably seen our massive poster at the shop, and if you haven't, it says "We Support Plant Parenthood." Well, we do! We support it so much, we would never recommend the more experienced plants to beginner parents.
In this blog, we will go over the easier to care for plants, and in the next blog we will touch on the harder to care for varieties. These are based on plants you keep inside, with possibly not the highest light requirements. Lots of people got lots of plants when they started working from home during the pandemic, but we all know it must end one day and it means you won't be watching them like a hawk anymore!
So, what denotes an easy care plant? Some brands put 'Easycare' on the label to give you a false sense of security - but we ALL know some of those are far from "easy" to care for. No, it doesn't make you a bad plant parent... We all have to start somewhere, and sometimes it takes a few murders in cold blood to get it right. Also, you might kill a few plants... 😉
Okay, so here we go. Easiest to care for plants, and how to do it. Kinda like a tutorial for dummies, because that's how we had to learn, too!
-
Philodendron. Not all of them, don't get me wrong some are hard to care for, especially the rare ones. Why are they harder to care for? Because no one obsesses over a $10 plant, but you keep your eyes on the rare kind! Philodendrons come in MANY MANY varieties. Heart Leaf (Cordatum) are very easy to please.
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: They are able to handle quite low and quite bright lights. Naturally, they can burn if they're in direct sun - but we are talking about indoors here. In lower light they will survive, but they won't thrive as much. Be sure to rotate them and check for new growth, just to see how they're going. They are hard to kill, and if they look unwell you can always just move them.
WATERING REQUIREMENTS: I water my bedroom shelf babies about once a week, if that. The thing about most Philodendron varieties is that they have a good tell when they're thirsty, and you can give them a good soaking so the water flows through the bottom.
-
Monstera Deliciosa. I admittedly killed my first Monstera. I was a new plant parent - it was literally my first plant. I kept it in my room and watered it every few days... Can you guess why it died!?! Now, I have large, flourishing Monstera in my home that I basically ignore.
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Monstera like moderate to bright indirect light. Keeping them in a window where they get 6 or so hours of sunlight a day is wonderful. Monstera leaves develop with fenestrations as they mature, so don't worry if as a smaller plant they don't have them yet. They'll come!
WATERING REQUIREMENTS: These guys are pretty laid back, let them dry out between waterings and then give them a big drink so the soil is flushed through. Remember, the more sunlight they get the quicker the soil will dry quicker. It is important to let them dry out, as it is more forgiving to underwater than over.
-
Pothos. The Epipremnum aureum is a visually pleasing, very low maintenance vining plant. Commonly known as 'Devils Ivy', they grow in almost any setting. They can grow up, they can grow down and they will grow fast!
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: You can't really go wrong with light for these fellas. I have them in the window of the shop, I have them on a shelf inside in low light. Obviously, lower light promotes slower growth, but it doesn't stop it completely.
WATERING REQUIREMENTS: Again, these guys are very chill. Water them every 3 days, water them once a fortnight, to them it's all the same. What we definitely recommend is letting the soil dry out between watering. The water metre is your friend!
-
Dragons Tail. The Rhaphidophora decursiva is a mean looking bad-ass of a plant, that doesn't need you OR your attention. Left to their own devices, they tend to grow sideways, like... you guessed it, a tail!
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Although they love bright, indirect light they are also able to survive in low light and still look very noice. You can train them to grow upwards, too!
WATERING REQUIREMENTS: Low water is the best for the dragons. They love to dry all the way through and then some, with a big drink after. They also have very obvious tells when they're thirsty, including the curling of their large and lush leaves.
-
Peace Lilies. Dramatic, but easy to care for. They put on a big song and dance when they want something, but they'll reward you for your work with lovely large white flowers!
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: The brighter the better for PL - they like the sunshine, and won't be as happy in the dark. You probably won't get flower if you keep them in the dark, but you never know!
WATERING REQUIREMENTS: Oh what a dramatic plant. Crazily enough, still easy to look after. They will flop down the the energy of a million acting students when they want water, but when you give them a thorough drink they will be up and about in no time. Personally, I enjoy a plant that tells you exactly what it wants and gets its shit together very soon after getting it.
So that's my top 5 - there are some others that I consider to be easy, but I have heard that's not the case for everyone, so I will save those ones for next time, and add the ones for more experienced collectors, too!
Thanks for reading! Email us at hello@talkdirt2me.com.au or through the website if you have any questions or would like to chat.
K