How to Place Houseplants Around Your Home

Houseplants add life to a room. They soften sounds and clean the air we breathe. The trick is to place them so that both you and they are happy with the location. Here are a few tips to selecting just the perfect spot for your houseplants!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Spray Bottles
• Houseplants
• Gro-lights

1. Consider the light requirements for each variety of plant. Some require bright light and some prefer shady nooks. Plants will grow and thrive when you meet their lighting criteria.

2. Place tall plants along broad expanses of walls to break up the space. Dracaena is an example of an upright plant perfect for this - it will tolerate very low light conditions and live for many years.

3. Use spreading, upright plants such as palms as a room divider or to direct the flow of traffic in a room or entryway.

4. Set vining plants on book cases or on countertops. Trailing or vining plants such as philodendron or pothos soften a blank expanse of wall from the top down.

5. Locate shrub-like plants under lamps and on table tops. Ferns, aglaonema and small shefflera show well when displayed alone or in groups.

6. Establish a sunny area for blooming plants such as African violets, Christmas cactus or orchids. Greenhouse windows or bright, humid bathrooms and kitchens are perfect for these warmth- and moisture-loving plants.

7. Place low-light, hardy plants such as aspidistra or mother-in-laws tongue in dark, cool spots such as stair wells or back corners.

Tips & Warnings

• Plants will use more water if they get more light. Do not overwater plants in low-light areas.
• Rotate plants weekly so they don't grow leaves all on one side. The foliage always grows toward the light source.
• Provide additional light with gro-lights if leaves yellow and drop.
• Don't set clay saucers directly on wood surfaces. Use a trivet to provide air circulation and prevent moisture rings.

[randyvane]

on 7/15/2009 My house is dark... which plants would you recommend to brighten it up?