Trying to add plants to your home this year? Need help keeping plants alive? Plant experts are here to share tips for beginners.
Which House Plants Should You Get?
For Low-Maintenance Plant Owners
- Succulents are resilient and can take a lot of neglect before it shows.
- Jade or aloe plants tend to be slower growers in the Midwest, which is good for folks who don’t have a lot of space.
- Hoya, or vining plants, have succulent characteristics and come in different shapes and sizes.
For Garden Unit Dwellers (AKA Who Don’t Have Much Sun)
- Snake plants, which require minimal care, come in different colors and shapes.
- ZZ plants are also tolerant of low lighting, so you can put them in further away corners of living rooms.
- Cast iron plants can handle a lot of shade.
For Pet Owners
- Pilea and peperomia variety plants tend to be more compact and firm, and have leaves that don’t flicker (or resemble cat toys).
Do your research! Some plants can be toxic to pets and kids.
The Best Indoor Spring Blossoms
The good news is that many indoor plants bloom year round and would be great as reminders of the spring season, said Melissa Obrien from Madison’s GROW Greenhouse.
- Anthuriums have red, leaflike flowers, and African Violet sport small purple blossoms.
- Bromeliads, related to the pineapple plant, are also pet safe.
When Should You Say Goodbye to a Plant?
If you take the roots out of the pot and see they are all squishy and slimy, they are dead, and it’s time to cut them off, Chicago Plant Salon owner Nika Vaughan said. If you cut off most of it, and the root ball is brown and squishy, the plant is ready to be composted.
But don’t be too fast to dump a droopy plant.
“If you have little bits of fresh green, where you're like … ‘ I went away for two weeks and I forgot,’ … but hey, now there's these little nubs popping out again: That is a sign that the plant is resilient, and it's trying to come back,” Vaughan said.
Where Can You Buy Plants In Madison?
Here are a few local shops with experts who will help you find the perfect plant for your home.
- GROW Greenhouse, located inside Garver Feed Mill
- Red Square Flowers has locations at 127 State St. and 337 Mifflin St.
- Naly's Floral Shop at 1203 N. Sherman Ave.
- Madison Greenhouse Store at 1354 Williamson St.
- Felly’s Flowers, multiple locations
