5 Houseplant Tips from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Keen to green up your interior? Try some advice from the indoor plant specialists at this year’s show
Chelsea isn’t only about gorgeous gardens. Tucked away from the crowds in the wooded Ranelagh Gardens, a series of House Plant Studios showcased a variety of tropical indoor plants. Hosts were on hand to share expert tips on filling our homes with foliage, from feeding and pruning to trying not to mollycoddle them.
2. Don’t be afraid to prune them
It’s not just outdoor plants that require a trim now and then. “Pruning can be a great way to prevent houseplants getting too big and boisterous, or can be done to encourage bushier growth and new leaf development,” James says. “Always cut near a stem or leaf node, and avoid leaving sections of stem after the node, as these will die back and can cause disease to develop.
“Be sure to use a clean, sharp pair of scissors or secateurs to avoid rough cuts or splintered stems, which again can cause issues with the plant’s health,” he continues. “Propagate any pieces you’ve removed in water where possible. This is a great way to get new plants or to thicken out the parent plant by putting them in the same pot, if space allows.”
When it comes to ferns, Jo, who has also written The Unkillables, a book on hardy houseplants, advises that trimming off unhealthy leaves or tips that have gone brown or crispy can also give them a boost. “You don’t want your plant to be putting its energy into these bits,” she says.
Got outdoor green space, too? Find a landscape contractor or gardening services professional to help maintain it.
It’s not just outdoor plants that require a trim now and then. “Pruning can be a great way to prevent houseplants getting too big and boisterous, or can be done to encourage bushier growth and new leaf development,” James says. “Always cut near a stem or leaf node, and avoid leaving sections of stem after the node, as these will die back and can cause disease to develop.
“Be sure to use a clean, sharp pair of scissors or secateurs to avoid rough cuts or splintered stems, which again can cause issues with the plant’s health,” he continues. “Propagate any pieces you’ve removed in water where possible. This is a great way to get new plants or to thicken out the parent plant by putting them in the same pot, if space allows.”
When it comes to ferns, Jo, who has also written The Unkillables, a book on hardy houseplants, advises that trimming off unhealthy leaves or tips that have gone brown or crispy can also give them a boost. “You don’t want your plant to be putting its energy into these bits,” she says.
Got outdoor green space, too? Find a landscape contractor or gardening services professional to help maintain it.
3. Try a terrarium
Want a hardy indoor foliage solution for a spot that’s lacking in light? A terrarium could be the answer.
“Many people struggle to keep houseplants alive, but the great thing with a terrarium is that you can leave it alone for as long as a month or two or while you’re on holiday,” says terrarium expert Ben Nel, whose studio, Botanical Boys: Botanical Recharge, won Silver at the show. This, he explains, is because a terrarium – where plants are grown under a glass dome or in a large, wide-necked bottle – is a self-contained ecosystem.
That is, of course, if you know what you’re doing. “Terrariums don’t like direct sunlight – in fact, they thrive in the shade, in conditions where most other houseplants would struggle,” he says. He adds that ferns, which can be tricky to keep alive, will flourish inside a terrarium. “The humidity is spot-on,” he says.
Want a hardy indoor foliage solution for a spot that’s lacking in light? A terrarium could be the answer.
“Many people struggle to keep houseplants alive, but the great thing with a terrarium is that you can leave it alone for as long as a month or two or while you’re on holiday,” says terrarium expert Ben Nel, whose studio, Botanical Boys: Botanical Recharge, won Silver at the show. This, he explains, is because a terrarium – where plants are grown under a glass dome or in a large, wide-necked bottle – is a self-contained ecosystem.
That is, of course, if you know what you’re doing. “Terrariums don’t like direct sunlight – in fact, they thrive in the shade, in conditions where most other houseplants would struggle,” he says. He adds that ferns, which can be tricky to keep alive, will flourish inside a terrarium. “The humidity is spot-on,” he says.
4. Feed them
Houseplants need more than water and suitable conditions to flourish, as Jo explains. “Fertilise houseplants during the growing season – April to September-ish, and you’ll really propel the life of your plant,” she says. “New shoots will appear faster and leaves will become glossier.”
But there’s no need to go out and buy fertiliser. “What you need is likely to be in your home already,” Jo says. “For example, spent coffee is absolutely full of nutrients.” If you don’t have enough of a supply at home, get pally with your local coffee shop and ask if you can relieve them of their used coffee grounds over the summer.
Jo also suggests bananas. “Soak banana skins for two to three weeks in water and then use that water as feed,” she says. “It’s a brilliant natural fertiliser.”
More: 7 Trends from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023
Houseplants need more than water and suitable conditions to flourish, as Jo explains. “Fertilise houseplants during the growing season – April to September-ish, and you’ll really propel the life of your plant,” she says. “New shoots will appear faster and leaves will become glossier.”
But there’s no need to go out and buy fertiliser. “What you need is likely to be in your home already,” Jo says. “For example, spent coffee is absolutely full of nutrients.” If you don’t have enough of a supply at home, get pally with your local coffee shop and ask if you can relieve them of their used coffee grounds over the summer.
Jo also suggests bananas. “Soak banana skins for two to three weeks in water and then use that water as feed,” she says. “It’s a brilliant natural fertiliser.”
More: 7 Trends from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023
5. Favour fungi
OK, so this isn’t technically a houseplant, but it is something unexpectedly pretty you can grow in your home.
For the first time at Chelsea, there was a stand dedicated to mushrooms, hosted by Caley Bros (who are, in fact, two sisters – Lorraine Caley and Jodie Bryan). We featured fungi in our Chelsea trends round-up piece and you should expect to see this edible option becoming more popular. Not only are they easy to grow at home, they can look beautiful, too.
At the sisters’ stand, which won the New Design Award, ’shrooms were displayed atop fluted columns, where white oyster mushrooms, sculpture-like, burst elegantly from the top of a canvas drawstring bag, shiitakes grew in a mound on a golden platter, and flame-like Cordyceps looked pretty beneath a terrarium. The sisters even grow mushrooms in macrame hangers, as seen here.
For novices wanting to grow their own edible mushrooms, the sisters – who sell simple grow-your-own kits – suggest starting with the grey oyster mushroom. “They’re really forgiving if you don’t do everything perfectly,” Lorraine says. Other easy varieties include shiitake, lion’s mane and pink oyster mushrooms.
“You don’t need to be an expert to grow mushrooms at home. You don’t need much space and you can grow and harvest your first crop in as little as four weeks,” Lorraine says. The first step, she advises, is to buy a good-quality indoor kit that’s ready to grow, follow the instructions closely and keep it well hydrated.
“Some varieties will double in size every 12 to 24 hours,” she says. “It’s a great transformation to witness.”
More: 8 Tips for Growing Food at Home from Chelsea
Tell us…
What’s your top tip for houseplant success? Share your advice in the Comments.
OK, so this isn’t technically a houseplant, but it is something unexpectedly pretty you can grow in your home.
For the first time at Chelsea, there was a stand dedicated to mushrooms, hosted by Caley Bros (who are, in fact, two sisters – Lorraine Caley and Jodie Bryan). We featured fungi in our Chelsea trends round-up piece and you should expect to see this edible option becoming more popular. Not only are they easy to grow at home, they can look beautiful, too.
At the sisters’ stand, which won the New Design Award, ’shrooms were displayed atop fluted columns, where white oyster mushrooms, sculpture-like, burst elegantly from the top of a canvas drawstring bag, shiitakes grew in a mound on a golden platter, and flame-like Cordyceps looked pretty beneath a terrarium. The sisters even grow mushrooms in macrame hangers, as seen here.
For novices wanting to grow their own edible mushrooms, the sisters – who sell simple grow-your-own kits – suggest starting with the grey oyster mushroom. “They’re really forgiving if you don’t do everything perfectly,” Lorraine says. Other easy varieties include shiitake, lion’s mane and pink oyster mushrooms.
“You don’t need to be an expert to grow mushrooms at home. You don’t need much space and you can grow and harvest your first crop in as little as four weeks,” Lorraine says. The first step, she advises, is to buy a good-quality indoor kit that’s ready to grow, follow the instructions closely and keep it well hydrated.
“Some varieties will double in size every 12 to 24 hours,” she says. “It’s a great transformation to witness.”
More: 8 Tips for Growing Food at Home from Chelsea
Tell us…
What’s your top tip for houseplant success? Share your advice in the Comments.
If your houseplants don’t tend to live long or thrive under your care, you could be killing them with kindness.
“People have a tendency to mollycoddle houseplants,” says botanical stylist James Whiting of Plants By There, who was hosting styling workshops at the Malvern Garden Buildings studio. “They treat them like a free-draining, outdoor plant and overwater. You need to adapt your plant care to your environment.”
So how much should you water your houseplants? “The best rule of thumb is to use exactly that, your thumb,” James says. “Don’t be afraid to press down into the soil an inch or two and feel how dry or wet the soil is.”
If it’s at all damp? “Refrain from watering and check again in a day or so,” he continues, “and if the soil is dry, then water well and allow any excess to drain off. This general rule applies to most houseplants aside from cacti or succulents.”
He also says it’s best not to have a watering schedule, avoiding getting into a habit of watering, say, weekly on a Sunday. Instead, we should get in tune with each plant. “This more personal approach will also mean you notice things such as pests more quickly before they do lasting damage to your plant,” he says. “House plant thirst levels will vary depending on how warm or bright your home is, whether there’s a draught, and how moisture-retentive the soil is, too, which is why the thumb test is best.”
Jo Lambell, who won Silver-gilt for her Beards & Daisies: Plant School – Planting the Future studio, also suggests using ice cubes to water plants. “It provides a slow-release drink,” she explains, “which is especially good if it’s hot weather and you’re out at work all day.” Rainwater is often a safer bet than tap water, she adds. “Calatheas in particular tend to prefer it,” she says.