They’re out there and waiting for you – little pots filled with bright colour that will make your indoor spaces blooming beautiful in winter.
The easiest way to stay in touch with nature and to add a little homeliness and style to any room is the flowering houseplant. Thanks to modern growing techniques and state-of-the-art greenhouses, we can pick and choose between a wide array of flowering favourites such as African violets, chrysanthemums, cyclamens and azaleas, just to name a few.
The advantage of the colder months is that the flowers of many houseplants last much longer than they normally would in summer. You are thus making a good investment in eye candy if you buy them now.
Flowering houseplant rules
Stick to these basic rules and the pleasure and value of flowering houseplants will be yours:
Water: Too much of it is sometimes the reason why houseplants die. The key to success lies in the simple ‘sense of touch’. Push your finger into the soil to feel if the top layer has dried out. The golden rule for most flowering houseplants is to ensure the soil never dries out completely. So if it feels dry it probably is, and then you should give it water. In winter, it is best to use tepid water and not ice-cold tap water.
This story is from the August 2016 edition of The Gardener.
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This story is from the August 2016 edition of The Gardener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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