House plants have been a saviour throughout lockdown, while many of us have been transforming our homes into productive workspaces.
But the trusty house plant is also a trend that has taken over the UK with fan groups dedicated to collecting as many house plants as possible and social influencers adding them to their designer home interiors.
They've become so much more than just something you buy a friend who has moved into their first home.
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And, with so many amazing plant shops in Bristol to choose from, locals in the city are spoilt for choice when it comes to purchasing a little green-leafed friend to brighten up their space.
But, now that many of us are returning to the office - and with the winter months meaning that the heating might be on a bit more at home, how on earth are we expected to keep our house plants alive and at their best, for longest?
We asked six of the best-loved plant shops in Bristol what their top tips were to stop your indoor plants from dying and here's what they had to say...
Bananas are full of nutrients for your plants
Mila Plants started off life as a rare plant stall at St Nicholas Market and the Harbourside, eventually turning into a pop-up shop in Cabot Circus and now the team at Mila are about to open their second store on Park Street.
Sam McKay, director/owner of Mila Plants, gave us the Mila tips, tricks and hacks for keeping house plants alive and told Bristol Live: " Number one tip we should all know is put down the watering can! Your plants need much less watering than you think. In fact, most plants will tell you when they want watering.
"Look out for drooping leaves, leaves curling and general limpness. This is an indicator that your plants are ready for a water. When we over water, we run the risk of roots rotting which means the plant cannot take up water, this then looks like underwatering so we water more and further compound the issue.
"Tricks: Group your plants together where possible. They will help each other by raising the ambient humidity and mimicking their natural environment. Also, tiering your plants in a nice arrangement can be a fab feature for your room!
"Hack: Go bananas for bananas! The skins of our much loved, energy-rich bananas are full of nutrients for your plants. No longer do you need to spend a fortune on chemical-filled store-bought fertilizer. Just chop up the skin of your banana, steep in water for 24 hours and use that water for your plants. They'll LOVE it."
How often should you water a plant?
Fancy Plants is a specialist houseplant business with two shops on Perry Road and Gloucester Road in the city.
Offering one of the biggest choices of plants in the area (with giant palms and tiny cacti on their list), staff pride themselves in having a real love of plants and, in addition, are trained over several months so that they can give the very best advice to customers.
Fancy Plants say that they combine "friendly advice, great choice and competitive prices" and they work closely with local businesses and those looking to green up their homes to find the right plant for their home or workplace.
They dub themselves the "original jungle in the city, a place for people to come and browse, breathe in the clean air and choose the perfect plant".
Tips from the team on how to keep house plants alive, include:
- Reduce watering, many plants will go through a period of dormancy in the winter with lower light levels so don't need as much water as they do in the Summer. Watering a little less often will avoid them getting root rot.
- Mist tropical plants daily or increase humidity as much as you can when your heating is on to avoid browning on tropical leaves. You can also put a little bowl of water next to them to increase humidity
- Move plants nearer to the light - although avoid chilly windowsills - and group plants together for extra humidity
- Try not to repot plants in the winter. They really benefit from being left alone. Repotting in the winter can mean you overload them with moisture and nutrients when they don't need them
- Most houseplants don't need extra feeding in the winter either. Ideal feeding times are May to September.
- Once Spring arrives your plants will start to wake up, so May to September is a perfect time to repot them if they need it
- When you are repotting, water the plant a couple of days before you repot, only move it into a nursery pot one size bigger and make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the new pot
- Keep leaves dust free, just give them a wipe regularly, and watch out for signs of pests and treat immediately if you spot any
- And finally, remember your houseplants are outdoor plants in their natural environment so do a bit of research and try and replicate the conditions they like, humid, shady, dry, hot, cooler etc.
Clean your house plant's leaves to keep it alive
Jungle is a small independent plant and flower shop, located in the beating heart of Stokes Croft.
Opening their doors in the summer of 2021, they've been overcome with a great reception from all their customers so far and they offer a wide range of all types of indoor house plants, hand-tied bouquets, as well as a small selection of gifts.
What's more, their friendly staff are always on hand to give tips and advice.
That being said, here's what they said in response to our question.
How do we keep our house plants alive?
Plant tips from Jungle: "Wiping your plants leaves.
"Dirt, dust and soil on the leaves of your plants can block sunlight and reduce the plants ability to photosynthesize.
"Regular cleaning can eliminate these issues and help your plants look and feel their very best.
"The simple act of cleaning houseplant leaves will also act as a built-in pest control to prevent future bugs from inhabiting your plant
"Just spray your plants down , then wipe away.`
"We recommend using a GROW eco plant mitt."
If your plants are dying, you're not necessarily a bad plant parent
Wild Leaf is located on Gloucester Road and has provided plant designs for the likes of Harvey Nichols, Patagonia, Wave, The Real Wood Project and even Bristol SU.
The team at Wild Leaf say: "At Wild Leaf we believe plants are an investment, not a throwaway expense. We always help our customers find the most suitable plants for their homes and explain the plants’ care needs. Sure, we’ve all killed a plant (or two….) but those experiences are not proof that we’re bad plant parents. With a little knowhow, it’s entirely possible to keep plants alive for many years.
"Keeping plants alive has nothing to do with having a “green thumb” or any other magical ability. It’s just a matter of understanding what plants need. It’s always best to give your plants similar conditions to their native habitats, that way they’ll receive the correct amount of light and a suitable temperature.
"A tropical plant will typically prefer bright but indirect light because they evolved under a tree canopy. Desert plants like cacti will prefer a sunny position.
"Once a plant is in a good position, the next most important aspect of care is watering. It’s important to understand that roots need oxygen to breathe and over-watering can suffocate a plant.
"So, this means allowing the compost to dry out enough so that air can get in. How long it takes for the compost to dry out depends on the type of plant, the amount of light the plant receives (plants use more water when they’re getting lots of light), and the type of compost.
"At Wild Leaf we always recommend checking the compost before watering. We always give our customers a care guide that explains how to water their new plant, and we’re very happy to demonstrate our favourite methods for assessing moisture levels.
"Check out our Instagram @wildleafbristol to see our plant care videos."
Choose the right soil for your plant
Oak & Reed is an eco-conscious plant emporium based in the heart of Easton.
With an ever changing selection of tropical house plants, bonsais and terrariums; they love sourcing the rare and bizarre.
After many years of experience they offer specialist plant advice and the "cheapest repotting service in town".
Their tricks and tips for keeping plants alive include:
"Water- Always use rain or filtered water. If this is not acceptable try leaving some tap water in an open container over night. The chlorine and other impurities will evaporate leaving you with reasonable water for your plants.
"Water from the bottom of the plant using a tray or wick system.
"Some plants look and feel dry on the surface, however below where the roots are could be very wet. Try using a humidity probe to test the water content. This has had great results for us.
"Soil- Choosing the right soil for your plant is also very important; aroids like Philodendron and alocasia prefer to have a lot of air around their roots, so try using a substrate that contains lecca ( clay pebbles ) and grit.
"We mix are own soils at the shop which enables us to alter the soil qualities and quantities.
"Regular checks on your plants help to prevent the spread of pests. We use natural remedies such as white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.
"If you are watering your plants too much you may end up with a knat infestation. Carnivorous plants love having wet feet and also of course eat insects."
Feed your plants and give them rainwater - just like they'd get outside
Bush Bristol is based in the heart of the city next to the thriving area of Bristol harbourside, Wapping Wharf.
Within the area there are independent shops, cafes and restaurants, mainly run by Bristolians selling from shipping containers.
The team at Bush Bristol gave us a few top tips on how to help support your house plants, including:
- Adapt your watering regime , less in winter between October - March increase more in the summer .. this especially applies to Cacti & Succulents....
- Water your House plants with filtered or rain water ....due to Bristol being a high lime scale area and other added chemicals, house plants love fresh, slightly warm pure water.
- Only repot in Spring - House plants like to go dormant over the winter months so enjoy the extra space and new nutrient's in the fresh new soil when they start their growing period in Spring.
- Each house plant has all have their own character and each requires their own special soil - we recommend 'Soil Ninja' a UK brand which has a fabulous range for all of those interesting characters.
- Feed your house plants between April - October - Again , same rules applies , correct Soil and correct fed - we recommend Vegan UK brand 'Phryve' .
Let us know in the comments below if you have any more top tips for house plant owners, or if you have tried any tips in the list above and how they worked for you.
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