Blooming Nicely...
The Gardener|August 2016

They’re out there and waiting for you – little pots filled with bright colour that will make your indoor spaces blooming beautiful in winter.

Anna Celliers
Blooming Nicely...

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.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

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.

MORE STORIES FROM THE GARDENERView All
A Touch of Class
The Gardener

A Touch of Class

A cut above the rest and attractive enough to fill all the spaces you can see in your garden or in pots...

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2023
Bordering on food aggression!
The Gardener

Bordering on food aggression!

The economy, fires, drought, Russians, fuel prices, and politicians, dictated what we ate in my youth. The only exception was that Eskom worked...

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2023
Quarantining new koi fish
The Gardener

Quarantining new koi fish

Give your new koi the best start

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2023
Big deal GLADIOLI
The Gardener

Big deal GLADIOLI

To get balance in a flower bed, we rely on tall flowering plants to provide height and show off amazing blooms. One of our favourites to plant are gladioli. They might look impressive, come in some gorgeous colours, and are great for a vase, but they are also easy to grow with a few golden rules.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2023
PRETTY FILLER Scabiosa
The Gardener

PRETTY FILLER Scabiosa

There are over 70 varieties of Scabiosa (pincushion flower) in both the annuals and perennials categories with arguably some of the best ones local to our country, and excellent pollinator attractors too.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2023
TRIPLE treat
The Gardener

TRIPLE treat

A floral combo that's bursting with colour

time-read
1 min  |
November 2023
CHLOROSIS how to fix it
The Gardener

CHLOROSIS how to fix it

Chlorosis is not a death sentence for your plants. With prompt identification and the right interventions, you can restore your plants to their lush, vibrant selves.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2023
COREOPSIS 'UpTick'
The Gardener

COREOPSIS 'UpTick'

For an easy-to-grow, tough perennial, with masses of pretty blooms, plant Coreopsis hybrids and watch the bees and butterflies come into your garden.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2023
Decorative Dahlias
The Gardener

Decorative Dahlias

With a little basic care, you can grow these showstopping plants in your own backyard with minimal effort.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2023
The beauty of BEGONIAS
The Gardener

The beauty of BEGONIAS

For endless colour and a garden that looks vibrant throughout the seasons, these are your go-to choices.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2023