Authors Erin Harding and Morgan Doane became plant friends over Instagram. Initially, only knowing each other by their social media handles, they solidified their cross-country bond by sending plant cuttings to each other through the post.
Their shared love of plants inspired them to create an online community, House Plant Club, where plant lovers worldwide can use the hashtag #houseplantclub to share photos of their green children, as well as tips for plant care.
This month, they release their own book, an easy-to-follow guide called How To Raise A Plant And Make It Love You Back. It offers expert plant care advice for newbie plant parents and fun projects to try at home, like DIY terrariums (a pretty glass container for your plants), pinch pots, peg boards, and plant arrangements for the ultimate Instagram shelfie.
Ahead, Erin and Morgan share their tips and tricks for raising succulents, cacti and monstera deliciosa – and making them love you back.
Succulents
Succulent plants are so named because they have plump, fleshy leaves that store water. They are great entry-level plants for someone looking for low-maintenance greenery. The wide variety of shapes, colours and sizes within this category makes collecting them endlessly exciting. From the trailing varieties such as sedum morganianum (burro’s tail) to the strange "living rocks" called lithops, succulents provide quirkiness and character to any houseplant grouping. Although diverse in looks, most succulent plants prefer to be handled the same way, with bright light, well draining soil, and not too much water.
How to care for succulents
Water: During the growing season of spring through summer, succulents can be treated much like other houseplants. Water thoroughly once the soil has dried to about 1 inch deep. This can be done once a week or more, depending on the conditions of sunlight and heat. During winter, succulents need a rest period and should be watered only once or twice a month. Misting is not necessary for succulents – they do not benefit from added humidity.
Light: With few exceptions, succulent plants need direct sun daily in order to thrive. A south-facing windowsill is the ideal location for succulents indoors. Haworthia is a subset of succulents that will thrive without direct sun but should still be grown in bright, indirect light.
Soil: Drainage is key for succulent soil, as these plants do not do well when kept too wet. Turface is a great soil amendment and works well as a decorative top dressing, too. Specially formulated cactus and succulent soil is available commercially as an easy alternative to mixing and measuring your own.
Fertiliser: Succulents will grow fuller, and produce bigger and brighter blooms, when nourished properly. Standard houseplant fertiliser should be diluted slightly with water, to prevent scorching, and used about once a month during spring and summer. Specially formulated succulent fertilisers are available commercially as well.
Propagation: Propagating succulents has become a very popular hobby among plant enthusiasts because it’s very easy to do and requires little work. Almost any part of a succulent can become a new plant, whether stem or leaf cuttings. Some succulents produce offsets, which can be separated to become new plants. While other plant cuttings need to go directly into soil or water, succulent cuttings need a few days to dry out between separation and planting. Once the cut portion has callused over, it can be placed in succulent soil and watered lightly.
Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa is a star among houseplants because of its striking leaf shapes and sizes. Its unique foliage is featured on many commercial products, from tea towels to coffee mugs. Nicknames for this plant include Swiss cheese plant and fruit salad plant. It is also often erroneously referred to as split-leaf philodendron. Monstera is a separate genus from philodendron, but they are similar in that they are both members of the araceae family (the arums). Immature monstera deliciosa plants have small heart-shaped leaves. More mature plants produce leaves with the signature holes and perforations.
How to care for monstera deliciosa
Water: Water when the top inch of soil has dried out. Let the water run through the plant until it comes out of the drainage holes. Don’t be afraid to set tropical plants such as monstera deliciosa outside during a good rainstorm, or even in your shower stall, for a good soak.
Light: Native to rainforest environments, they are used to being shaded by taller trees. In the wild, they even use aerial roots to attach to trees and climb to great heights. In your home, you may need to provide your monstera deliciosa with a surface that mimics a tree trunk, such as a moss pole (a stake or pipe covered with moss, readily available in stores and online) for the plant to climb. Place it in a bright spot without direct sun.
Soil: Standard potting soil can be amended with perlite for extra drainage and aeration, but it’s not a must. Repot monstera deliciosa every year in the spring to give its large root system fresh soil and nutrients. Container size does not necessarily need to increase every year as long as the roots all fit, with a bit of room left over in the pot.
Fertiliser: Standard houseplant fertiliser can be used, according to package directions, during the active growing season of spring and summer.
Propagation: Rooting monstera deliciosa in water is easy and visually appealing. To propagate your plant, use a sharp knife to cut a stem off below a leaf node. The main plant will also usually sprout a new leaf somewhere below the cut you made. Place the cutting in water, which you should change about once a week. Roots will begin to form after a few weeks. Once they reach 4 to 6 inches, it is safe to transfer the cutting to soil, in which it will continue to grow into a new plant.
Cacti
As houseplants, cacti provide great architectural detail. Some, such as cereus, are tall and columnar, some are squat and round, like mammillaria, and others are wide and branched, like opuntia. Their hairs, hooks, spikes and spines give them a defensive texture that you’ll want to avoid, lest you get poked. If kept in the right conditions, some indoor cacti will bloom beautifully in the spring, which can be a rewarding surprise after a winter of neglect.
How to care for cacti
Water: Like succulents, cacti require winter rest periods when you can virtually ignore them. Water only once or twice a month, just enough that they won’t shrivel; there is no need for overly thorough watering during this time. Increase water in spring as the weather warms. During the active growing period, cacti can be watered similarly to other indoor plants. Once the top inch or so of soil has dried out, water thoroughly until the excess comes out of the drainage hole.
Light: Cacti should be kept year-round in the brightest light possible, with direct sunlight if available. South-facing windows will provide the best light. West-facing windows may suffice depending on your location, but north- and east-facing windows should be avoided.
Soil: Use fast-draining soil that won’t hold on to moisture. Amend standard houseplant soil with turface or similar granules, or use commercially available soil specially formulated for succulents and cacti. Cacti do not need large containers in order to thrive.
Fertiliser: Treat like succulents. Dilute standard houseplant fertiliser and scale back recommended dosage by half. Do not fertilise during the winter rest period.
Propagation: Thick gloves are recommended whenever handling cacti. Propagate by taking stem cuttings or by removing branches or offsets. All cuttings should be allowed to dry out for a few days before placing in soil to form roots.
This extract is taken from How To Raise A Plant And Make It Love You Back by Erin Harding and Morgan Doane, published by Laurence King on 22nd October 2018. Available for £12.99 at www.laurenceking.com
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Source: Refinery29 – Morgan Doane