The Dos and Don’ts of Houseplant Styling

June 25, 2020 by micah catherine 3 Comments

Houseplants can soften or sharpen a room by bringing unique textures, colors, and shapes to an otherwise bland living area. Alongside furniture, they’re a piece of art, an ever-changing living sculpture—adding just the right touch to make a house feel like a home. Houseplant styling is one way you can take advantage of the potted foliage that might otherwise be scattered haphazardly around your home. Well, it might be that bad, but a little style never hurt anyone. Here are my top dos and don’ts for houseplant styling:

DO mix colors and textures. The varieties of indoor plants are virtually endless, and with them comes a vast range of leaf shapes, patterns, textures, and colors. Instead of buying multiple of the same plant (or family of plants), choose plants that have contrasting, but complementary patterns. Pair the multi-colored, wayward leaves of a Tricolor Stromanthe with the uniform, rich-green leaves of a ZZ Plant and the sharp, thick stalks of an Aloe plant.

DO vary plant sizes. Just as important as mixing color and texture, group plants of varying widths and heights for a more organic look. An easy way to stagger plant heights is by incorporating plant stands or hanging vine plants from the ceiling. This houseplant styling trick can add dimension to any room and can help fill in corners that would otherwise be left awkwardly empty. If you don’t have enough plants to style a room corner or are short on plant stands, a large floor plant like the White Bird of Paradise will fill in the cobweb-y corners in no time!

DO follow the odd-number rule. Grouping plants in pairs around your room can quickly lead to a symmetrical and formal look instead of the urban jungle you were hoping for. When styling, arranging plants in odd numbers (groups of three is a safe bet) can give your room a more casual feel, especially if these plants also vary in size, color, and texture. For the floor, group a Parlor Palm with a Snake Plant and Chinese Money Plant. For a shelf, pair a vining English Ivy with a Bird’s Nest Fern and Blue Columnar Cactus.

DON’T overlook your pots. It may come as an afterthought, but your pots can play a big role in how styled your plants are, too. Choose pots that complement the color and texture of the plants they hold. For a more modern look, shy away from pots that flare at the top and instead choose straight-edge designs with solid prints, two-tones, lines, or geometric patterns. Different textures, such as shiny brass planters or rough, woven baskets also add style without being overbearing.

DON’T leave home decor behind. While you can use plants to fully furnish the shelves, floors, and side tables of your home, that doesn’t mean you can’t also collect fun and unique home decor as well. Books, photographs, candles, ceramic elephant sculptures (basically anything you would find at HomeGoods) will all add visual variation to your furniture, not to mention a potential pop of color. If you’re not ready to commit to vast numbers of plants in your home, this is a great way you can incorporate your foliage and decor styling skills, without the added responsibility of plant care.

DON’T forget to research. You might be ready to jump right into houseplant styling, but always remember that plants need unique care. Make sure the plants you’re grouping together all have similar requirements for water, light, and humidity. Golden Pothos, which remains healthy even in low-light conditions, may not do well when paired with a Fiddle Leaf Fig near a brightly lit window. Similarly, grouping plants that all thrive in humid conditions, such as ferns and succulents, allows them to create a pocket of moisture to help each other grow.

Ready to get creative?
Styling your plants can be a fun adventure, especially if you have the base knowledge to do it properly. I’d love to hear about how you’re making your home more stylish with your plants!

XO,
Micah

Low Light: 4 Signs Your Plant Isn’t Getting Enough Sun

June 18, 2020 by micah catherine 1 Comment

Scenario. You spot a beautiful plant at the store and can’t help but bring it back home, only to notice a few weeks later that it’s slouching and frail, a pale reflection of its once thriving self. While houseplants can unfortunately fall victim to many ailments, today we’re talking about one of the most harmful: low light.

A lack of adequate sunlight can starve a plant of its natural food source, the sugars it produces through photosynthesis. As you can imagine, this is bad news, in more ways than one. Here’s how your plant will tell you it’s lacking light:

Leaf Color
Most plants have rich green leaves, or colors that appear vibrant when healthy. These glorious hues that make plants so aesthetically pleasing are from the amount of chlorophyll within their leaf cells. Without sun, plants can’t function at full capacity and won’t be able to photosynthesize. Over time, the leaves will lose their vibrancy and pale, eventually growing yellow and weak. They’ll easily fall from your plant if nudged.

Stem Height
As the primary source of energy, sunlight drives a plant’s ability to grow tall and strong. Plants living in a low light situation, especially those that need bright and direct light, may experience stunted growth. A plant without an adequate light source can grow lanky, with spindly stems and leaves that are widely spaced. If you’ve noticed that your plant doesn’t seem to be growing anymore, it may be due to a lack of light.

Leaf Size
All plants have leaf sizes unique to their particular breed and current level of growth. However, if your plant isn’t receiving the proper amount of sunlight and nutrients, the leaves may stop growing at a smaller size than normal. They may also feel much thinner and softer, even after they’ve reached maturity. If they also have brown edges, this is a sign of stress, often due to low light.

Plant Tilt
If it appears as though your plant is straining toward a source of sunlight, it probably is. The proper definition of this phenomenon is phototropism. The cells in plants (auxins) on the sun side will grow shorter and sturdier, while they’ll grow long and spindly in the shade. This creates a plant that “leans” toward light. If your plant is tilting dramatically toward a window, it’s a clear sign that your plant needs more sunshine.

How to Revive a Light-Lacking Plant
First, research your plant and read up on the level of light it needs. All plants are unique in their need for sunlight. While some plants prefer indirect sun, others require multiple hours of bright light each day to thrive. Once you know what your plant needs, place it in an area of your home that will provide the proper level of light. Remember to water it properly, and in a few weeks, it should be looking perky and healthy.

Have you ever had a plant struggle from lack of light? Or need help knowing what to do? Comment below!

XO,
Micah

Monstera Deliciosa: The Lush Floor Plant with Iconic Leaves

June 11, 2020 by micah catherine 1 Comment

Last weekend marked a significant life event for me as a plant owner: I finally bought myself a Monstera. There’s something special about this floor plant… it has caught my attention time and again. It might be those unique “swiss cheese” leaves. Or its deep, forestry green color. Whatever the reason, the allure of this unique plant led me to purchase one. I love it.

Contrary to some people’s first thought, this plant’s full name—monstera deliciosa—isn’t the name of a spell from Harry Potter. (You life-long HP fans would already know this, but hey, it’s me.) While there’s some debate as to why half the name means “monster”, it is clear that the epithet, deliciosa, is in reference to the delicious edible fruit it produces. Unfortunately, as an indoor floor plant, Monstera plants won’t create any fruit, though they will grow gloriously tall and lush. Here’s what you need to know to take care of these split-leaf beauties:

Light Level
Monstera plants are tropical, hailing from the dense, soggy rainforests of Central America. They’re actually vining plants that will make their way up trees to be closer to the light. In fact, it’s theorized that the holes that develop as leaves mature is to help light reach lower leaves living near the shaded forest floor. As the ornamental floor plant in your home, however, a Monstera will thrive in bright indirect sunlight. And you’ll still get to watch the “fenestration” process of these growing leaves. Be sure to occasionally wipe the dust off these large leaves to ensure proper photosynthesis.

Pro Tip: If your Monstera plant casts a shadow, it’s getting too much sun! Try moving it further from a window so it receives more indirect light.

Water Schedule
Monstera plants are tropical, but that doesn’t mean they prefer moist soil at all times. Wait until the first 1-2 inches of soil are dry to water your plant again. Then slowly pour clean water around the entire base of the plant until it begins draining out the bottom of the pot. Remove this excess water immediately to avoid root rot. Mostera plants also like humidity, so a daily misting is a great way to keep them happy, especially if you live in a dry climate.

Vining Support
In addition to their underground roots, Monstera plants also grow aerial roots designed to provide leverage when climbing trees. Without any support from a trellis or wooden climbing stick, your plant may grow sideways instead if up. If you’re noticing that your plant seems to be spreading out, install a support system and encourage the plant to grow upward by securing it gently with rubber twist ties. If this seems like too much trouble, you can always prune and propagate them!

I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly excited about my new “monster” plant. Has this plant been on your list? Do you already own one? I’d love to know your thoughts!

XO,
Micah