How Do I... Choose Indoor Trailing Plants?
Hanging your plants can save space and add depth and interest to a room – here's how to choose and care for them
Georgia Madden
12 January 2019
In this practical series, we ask experts to answer your burning home and garden questions. Here, Jason Chongue, creative director at The Plant Society, shares his top tips for selecting and caring for indoor trailing plants.
There’s much to love about indoor trailing plants. Not only are they perfect for small spaces as they don’t swallow up precious floor space, they can also add colour and appeal to a plain room scheme. Trailing plants require no special care to stay healthy – just make sure they are within easy reach for watering.
Where do you like to use trailing plants?
When it comes to styling with indoor trailing plants, I love using them to soften the edges of shelves or harsh joinery. By doing this, you can balance out the man-made elements in a space and introduce a sense of life and freshness.
If you live in an apartment, introducing a cascading plant can soften and ground the space, while keeping the floor clear for everyday use.
Trailing plants also look great on sideboards and hanging from the ceiling.
When it comes to styling with indoor trailing plants, I love using them to soften the edges of shelves or harsh joinery. By doing this, you can balance out the man-made elements in a space and introduce a sense of life and freshness.
If you live in an apartment, introducing a cascading plant can soften and ground the space, while keeping the floor clear for everyday use.
Trailing plants also look great on sideboards and hanging from the ceiling.
What’s the most common mistake people make?
Hanging or placing trailing plants too high. This makes it difficult to water them and check on the health of your plants.
Hanging or placing trailing plants too high. This makes it difficult to water them and check on the health of your plants.
What’s your top tip for keeping trailing plants healthy?
Regular watering. Always water your plants on the soil surface and allow the water to drain through. Don’t sit plants in water for extended periods of time as this can lead to a range of health problems. Allow the soil to dry out for a day or two in between watering.
Regular watering. Always water your plants on the soil surface and allow the water to drain through. Don’t sit plants in water for extended periods of time as this can lead to a range of health problems. Allow the soil to dry out for a day or two in between watering.
What are some of the easiest species to grow?
1. Devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum): Pictured here, this lush, hardy plant is a great choice for beginner indoor gardeners as it requires very little maintenance.
1. Devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum): Pictured here, this lush, hardy plant is a great choice for beginner indoor gardeners as it requires very little maintenance.
2. Heart-leaf philodendron (Philodendron cordatum): An easy-to-care-for plant with beautiful, heart-shaped leaves, shown here to the right of this image.
Care tips for devil’s ivy and heart-leaf philodendron:
Care tips for devil’s ivy and heart-leaf philodendron:
- Light: Both of these plants should be positioned in spots with filtered to bright light.
- Watering: Typically water once a week in the warmer months and once every two to three weeks in winter.
- Feeding: Fertilise with a slow-release fertiliser once every six to nine months (see fertiliser’s packaging for dosage). In the warmer months, feed with a liquid fertiliser once every two to three weeks.
- Good to know: When the vines become too long, simply trim them at a leaf node to maintain lush, dense growth.
3. Wax flower plant (Hoya): This tropical, indoor plant has thick, waxy leaves. Hoya plants can also flower, bringing a beautiful scent into your home.
- Light: Best grown in a position with filtered to bright light.
- Watering: Aim to water once a week in the warmer months and once every two to three weeks in winter. Be sure not to overwater this plant – let it dry out between waterings.
- Feeding: Fertilise with a slow- release fertiliser once every six to nine months (refer to fertiliser’s packaging for dosage). Feed with a liquid fertiliser every two to three weeks in the warmer months.
- Good to know: To promote flowering, move your hoya plant to a brighter spot.
4. Mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis): A striking, tropical succulent with drooping, pencil-like stems, pictured here near the base of this pot plant.
- Light: Grow in a place with filtered to bright light.
- Watering: Typically water once a fortnight in the warmer months and once every two to three weeks in winter.
- Feeding: Fertilise with a slow-release fertiliser once every six to nine months (see fertiliser’s packaging for dosage). In summer, feed with a liquid fertiliser once every two to three weeks.
- Good to know: You can propagate a mistletoe cactus simply by trimming off some healthy branches and planting them directly into potting mix.
5. Macho fern (Nephrolepis biserrata ‘macho’): With its big, arching fronds, this easy-to-maintain plant is sure to make a statement when hung in the home.
- Light: Choose a spot with filtered to bright light. Avoid areas with very hot afternoon sun.
- Watering: Aim to water once a week in the warmer months and once a fortnight in winter.
- Feeding: Fertilise with a slow-release fertiliser once every six to nine months (refer to fertiliser’s packaging for dosage). Feed with a liquid fertiliser once every two to three weeks in the hotter months.
- Good to know: Ferns typically don’t like drying out. To avoid this, try sitting the plant above a saucer filled with pebbles and water. This will create humidity around the plant and keep the foliage from browning.
Tell us
What’s your favourite trailing plant? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, and join the conversation.
More
Looking to brighten up your home with greenery? Get some tips from a gardener near you
What’s your favourite trailing plant? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, and join the conversation.
More
Looking to brighten up your home with greenery? Get some tips from a gardener near you
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Anything that keeps on growing inside, without too much trouble :)
Rhipsalis could you please advise repotting mix soil is it a cactus mix or orchid mix