Martha_Stewart_Living_-_February_2016_USA__

Houseplants make nature available to everyone, whether

you live in a house or an apartment—no backyard needed.

Worried that your thumb will turn brown the moment

anything botanical crosses the threshold? Truth is, there are

houseplants for gardeners of every level of experience and

ability, and for those living in spaces with any amount of light.

If you tend to overwater, choose a fern. If benign neglect is

more your mode, select a succulent. If flowers are a must, grow

Medinilla. The trick lies in matching the right plant to your

available light, finding a plant for your comfort level, and

g a rden i ng i n s y nc w it h you r s t yle. G ive pl a nt s a mple c ont a i ner s,

don’t crowd the roots, provide the best organic potting soil,

and supplement it with fish-emulsion fertilizer every three

weeks between March 1 and Thanksgiving. Soon enough,

you will be rolling in the green indoors.

EASY

Grow a philodendron as a hang-

ing plant (this one is displayed

as a kokedama, a moss ball

suspended by monofilament).

Allow it to cascade down a tall

container, or tuck it into a

terrarium—it is ultra-adaptable

and can grow in low light. Cul-

tivars like ‘Brasil’ have bright

slashes of yellow variegation.

TIP Philodendrons help re-

move indoor air pollutants.

Unlike some Dracaena that

become lanky and lose lower

leaves in low light, ‘Variegata’

remains dense even when it

reaches its mature three feet

in height. Allow the soil to dry

out slightly between waterings.

TIP If yours becomes too tall,

cut off the top—it will branch

out at the bottom.

If you’ve failed with ferns

due to lack of humidity, give the

mother fern (Asplenium bul-

biferum) a try. Not prone to leaf

browning, it prefers indirect

light and frequent watering.

TIP Each frond holds a crowd

of tiny plantlets that can be

removed to share with friends.

INTERMEDIATE

All sorts of new spider plants

(Chlorophytum comosum) are

appearing at garden centers.

Some have broad leaves;

others have broad stripes or

variegation running down

the middle of each leaf, rather

than hemming the edges.

TIP Remove browning leaves

and clip leaf tips. Spider plants

are great filters for indoor air.

Whether you let it trail down or

climb up, this lacy asparagus

fern (Asparagus densiflorus

‘Sprengeri’) forms a green

curtain in a low-light window.

Keep the roots moist to pre-

vent the leaves from yellowing.

TIP Watch out for the thorns

along the stems.

ADVANCED

Rex begonias, such as ‘Silver

Lace,’ love a light soil with air

flowing all around. Good air

circulation prevents powdery

mildew. Keep soil lightly moist.

TIP Rex begonias prefer me-

dium light and warm tempera-

>> To learn how to make a kokedama tures, especially in winter.

(a plant wrapped in moss), see page 105.

EASY

Mother

fern

INTERMEDIATE

Spider plant

EASY

Philodendron
cordatum
‘Brasil’

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