Indoor plants are the accessory de-jour, and we’re obsessed. There’s just one little issue: we kind of suck at keeping them alive. But, hey, never a failure always a lesson, right? After a few “slip-ups” (sorry, succulents) we’ve learnt all there is to know about keeping your plants alive and looking pretty damn good to boot. Who knew being an adult was this easy?
For all the wannabe plant parents out there, consider this your indoor plant bible.
Devil’s Ivy / Pothos
Where you’ve seen me before:
Every hipster’s Instagram or Tumblr, achingly hip cafes, and homewares stores.
How to please me:
I’m so easy to grow, I’ll be shocked if you actually manage to kill me. Just don’t let me sit in soggy soil.
Where to keep me:
I love hanging out in a vase of water—and can grow perfectly well in there—or in a well-drained pot. I love sunlight, but my leaves can get a bit burnt if I’m kept in direct sunlight.
Fiddle Leaf Fig / Ficus Lyrata
Where you’ve seen me before:
Cafes, the home of your friend who’s cooler than you, living large in the wild.
How to please me:
Water me sparingly, if you’ve watered me too much my lower leaves will fall off. Make sure you dust the leaves of your fig so that they can absorb as much light as possible. If my leaves are yellow and shedding, I’m too wet.
Where to keep me:
Keep me in a well-lit spot away from direct sunlight and drafts and I’ll love you forever.
Rubber Plant / Ficus Elastica
Where you’ve seen me before:
Flatlays, expensive hotels, and a loft apartment in NYC.
How to please me:
Spritz my leaves with water to keep me nice and moist, but watch out for my leaves turning yellow as that means you’ve watered me too much. If my leaves are drooping it means I haven’t got enough water, so feed me.
Where to keep me:
I’ll thrive near a window with a sheer curtain, I love sunlight but direct sunlight can hurt me.
Succulent / Araceae
Where you’ve seen me before:
Balconies, desks, and bedside tables.
How to please me:
I love all the sunlight I can get, let me have at least six hours of indirect sunlight a day and I’ll love you forever. If you notice me stretching (turning toward the light and growing with increasing space between my leaves) it means I’m not getting enough sunlight. If leaves are losing their vibrancy it means I need more light, too.
Where to keep me:
Keep me where I have access to sunlight, but not too much or my leaves will burn.
Mother In Law’s Tongue / Sansevieria trifasciata
Where you’ve seen me before:
Making a living room look cooler, adding life into an office or bathroom.
How to please me:
Allow my soil to dry out between watering as I can do okay without daily watering, and when you do water me make sure to get just the soil, not my leaves; otherwise they’ll rot.
Where to keep me:
Keep me in a large pot so my roots don’t get too crowded and I have room to grow. I like sunlight, but I don’t need it constantly.
Image credit: Greenery NYC