Jamie Durie is renowned furniture designer, horticulturist and celebrity judge on Sony Channel reality TV series, The Apartment: Rising Stars Edition. Here, Jamie reveals his top tips for keeping your indoor garden lush, beautiful and healthy.
This article was first published on The Finder.
Play to the natural light
Plants rely on natural sunlight for photosynthesis, so it’s important to position your plants near a window where they can get lots of it directly. However, be mindful of how much sun different plant species need, too.
Don’t overwater
“Plants need and want drainage, so make sure theres a hole in the bottom of your pot with a tray underneath it. Not many plants like wet feet!”
In general, plants with bigger leaves make better indoor plants
“Plants that have a larger leaf will photosynthesise better than plants that have small leave. That’s why plants like the fiddle leaf fig make very good indoor plants.”
Use the right soil structure
“Soil structure is super important, because essential nutrients use it like a transportation system. If you’ve got heavy clay, the nutrients aren’t moving through it. So you end up with clay that’s full of nutrients but the soil structure won’t allow it to get to the plant. Have a good mix of organic matter and sphagnum moss. A well-drained soil structure that has a sandy compound with lots of organic matter mixed through it is the best soil medium, especially in interior landscapes.”
Don’t forget to use mulch
Mulch, a material made of decaying leaves, bark or compost, helps enrich the soil and prevent it from drying out. It’s usually spread as a blanket over soil. Jamie says it’s useful in combating the drying effects of air-conditioning.
Make an intelligent plant selection
Flower-wise, orchids are an excellent choice for local homes. “Orchids are one of the toughest things in the world. They survive very well, even in air-conditioned climates,” says Jamie. Alternatively, opt for plants that don’t require soil, like air plants, otherwise known as the tillandsia species. “ This species is probably one of the best indoor plants you can get, because all you really got to do is spray it with a mister every so often and they are happy,” says Jamie.