Coffee On The Crescent Plant Care Guide
We love plants. They lift our mood, clean our air and just make the shop look lovely. All five of us have plants everywhere at home too. So here's our guide to keeping them happy and healthy in your home.
Maranta's (Prayer plants)
These are really special and fun because their leaves say goodnight to you by folding up like praying hands. Then in the morning they open out again to receive the days sunshine. Place it somewhere you are going to see it at the start and end of your day they are wonderul.
Here's Tims Maranta Fascinator. They are tropical plants so will love the humidity found in your kitchen and bathroom. Keep them by the window but out of direct sunlight. I water mine once a week in the winter and twice in the hotter months.
Monstera Deliciosa (The Big Cheese)
Are you even human if you don't have a cheese plant! Both beautiful and fast growing they get their name for their characteristic cheese like pattern in their They love bright indirect light so a south facing room is ideal. They can do well in l shady spots but their growth will be slower. Water once a week and twice in warmer months. They grow fast.
Sansev Laurenti (Snake Plant/Mother in laws tongue)
These are brilliant for beginners they are almost impossible to kill. They are desert plants so are experts in survival even in some of the harshest environments. If you love plants but have a tendency to forget to water them this is a good one to get.
They prefer direct sunlight (picture below) but they are also really resilient to shady areas. They are ideal for those spots in your house (shady or bright) that may not be suitable for any other plant.
Water them once a month in the summer months and you every two months in the winter.
Sansev Cylinders
Another resilient and beautiful desert plant the Sansev cylinder prefers bright indirect light but can also thrive in low light areas. We have them in a shady corner in the back of the shop and they are doing just fine. Water when the soil gets dry.
Coffea Arabica
We love stocking these for obvious reasons. They have beautiful rich and dark green colour. They love a bit of humidity so kitchen and bathrooms are ideal. They only have thin leaves so avoid putting them in direct sunlight.
This wonderful plant will tell you when it needs water as the leaves will noticeably droop. downwards. Don't worry give them water and 24 hours later they'll be refreshed and looking like the picture below. I water once a week as part of my plant care routine.
These grow quickly and can be repotted easily if you want them to promote further growth.
Aloe Vera
These desert dwellers are really suited to dry environments, they have evolved to stored water in their spiky leaves so that they are able to survive in the wild for long periods without rain. Try to recreate this in your home by letting the soil dry out completely between waterings, and you can avoid watering altogether during winter.
Again being desert plants they like the sun, so a nice sunny windowsill should do nicely, just keep an eye on them and if you see them getting a bit sunburnt then pull them back a bit.
Silvery Ann (Pothos)
These beautiful plants are low maintenance and when grown out, make stunning trailing plants. A great spot for these is on a shelf or desk so that they are able to trail down as they grow. They will thrive in a room with a good amount of ambient light but can tolerate low light levels too. Water them when the soil has almost completely dried out, maybe about once a week in summer once every 2 weeks during winter.
Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica)
These are among some of the most popular houseplants around. Similar to a monstera these can get big if you put them in a big pot or can happily stay small if kept in a smaller pot.
They enjoy a room that get bright light but not hot or direct sun otherwise the leaves are likely to burn. During the summer months water them about once a week and give them a little bit of plant food once a month and during the winter months water once every 2 weeks and don't give them any plant food.
Alocasia (Black Velvet)
These beautiful tropical plants are native to the jungles of borneo!
As such they tend to prefer a warmer room that stays around 12ºc-30ºc (so keep an eye on the thermostat during winter). They will thrive in a spot that gets a good amount of bright indirect light, be careful not to put them in to sunny of a spot otherwise the leaves may burn.
Water little and often, so as not to let them get too dry but also be careful not to over water them otherwise thy might drop their leaves.
Dracaena Marginata (Dragon Tree)
These spiky trees love a bright spot but without too much direct sun as it could burn the leaves. They are really good at letting you know when they need some water because the spiky leaves will flop down when they are thirsty. But be care not to water too often as this will cause the roots to rot. Yellowing leaves is a sign of this. Watering about once a week during summer and once every 2 weeks during winter should do the trick.
Calatheas
These are wonderful house plants but can be a little picky. Calatheas originate from the forest floor floor of tropical rainforests. They need light but have delicate leaves so no direct sunshine.
They need to be kept warm and will thrive in the the humidity of your kitchen and bathroom. In the shop we have a beautiful calathea on the shelf just above the dishwasher. Every time we open the door it gets a lovely dose of mist to keep it happy. If you place it in your bedroom make sure you give it a mist daily.
Be careful when watering though they hate too much water. You may notice we often put pebbles in a tray underneath Calatheas in the shop. We then water the pebbles. This way the roots can call up the water when they need it and there's no risk of overwatering. And on that note they will also much prefer rain water rather than tap.
If its somewhere it doesn't like it will tell you. The leaves will start to go brown. Ask yourself which is most likely and act accordingly.
Too much sun?
Too much water?
Too cold?
Not enough humidity?