We are focusing on plants for Hanging Baskets & Pots this week.
While hanging houseplants can be stunning additions to your home, they do require proper care to thrive. Here are some essential tips to keep your hanging plants happy and healthy:
Light: Most hanging houseplants prefer bright, indirect light. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight, as this can lead to sunburn and damage the leaves. If your space lacks natural light, consider supplementing with artificial grow lights.
Watering: Proper watering is crucial for the health of your hanging plants. Check the moisture level of the soil regularly and water when the top inch feels dry to the touch. Be cautious not to overwater, as this can lead to root rot. Ensure that your hanging pots have drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
Humidity: Many hanging houseplants thrive in humid environments. Mist your plants regularly or place a humidifier nearby to maintain adequate humidity levels, especially during the dry winter months.
Fertilizing: Feed your hanging plants with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the growing season (spring and summer) to support healthy growth. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer package for proper dilution and frequency.
Pruning and Maintenance: Regularly trim dead or yellowing leaves to promote new growth and maintain the appearance of your hanging plants. Additionally, check for pests such as aphids or spider mites and treat them promptly if detected.
Our current selection we would recommend ~ Hanging Plants
SPIDER PLANT (Chlorophytum) We love this timeless plant, cant go wrong with this one ~ prefers bright, indirect light. Household temps between 13-27. Tip is not to over water & keep the soil lightly moist, mist regularly or stand on a try of moist pebbles. (Cat & Dog safe)
SWEETHEART VINE (Philodendron Scandens) Prefers bright, indirect light or light shade, likes temperature range between 15-24. Water when the soil begins to dry out, less in the winter. They do not like to site in water prefer to be misted & and on a tray of wet pebbles. Look after & your vines will shine!
PEPEROMIA Prefers bright, indirect light (Avoid next to a radiator) Temp range 18- 24. - Bathroom or Kitchen is perfect for them, but would like other rooms if you mist regularly. the have great foliage with a great range of leaf shapes, textures & colours! (Cat & Dog safe)
EPIPREMNUM Prefers indirect light or light shade, likes temperature range between 14-25. Summer keep moist, in winter less. Prefer to be misted & and on a tray of wet pebbles. Avoid draughts.
All these plants have an amazing added benefit to us ~ Air Purifying … Just one of there magical powers!
MEET THE TEAM!
Our Houseplant Department in store is a great place to meet our knowledgeable team pick up some advice & always that extra plant you need!
Altons Houseplant Website page - Great selection of plants, pots & accessories.
We are focusing on keeping your houseplants happy this week…It can be a bit of a mind field! Food, pots, environment & also having a quick chat to your plants in your care... a lot of responsibility!
We are focusing on keeping your houseplants happy this week… Food, pots, environment & also having a quick chat to your plants in your care all help to keep them happy!
Happy Houseplants!
Keeping your lovely houseplants content comes down to having the right environment, which is a combination of light, soil & watering. A good tip is researching the place your plant originated from it will give you ideas on trying to replicate some of its natural environment.
Watering – super important you get this right & don’t fall into the trap of thinking all your plants require the same amount! Research is the key…
Feeding – Sometimes you may feel your plant needs a bit of a boost, check the many options of ready to use plant food – click here.
Environment – Windowsills, Kitchens, Bathrooms, Hallways, Office Spaces, Living Rooms, Porches… Many living spaces now have lots of places to home your houseplants but the important concern is to match your plant with their forever home! Match the conditions to your new plant, for example if you have a shady spot not great for cactus & full-on sun not great for ferns! Key is research again…
MEET THE TEAM!
Our Houseplant Department in store is a great place to meet our knowledgeable team pick up some advice & always that extra plant you need!
Altons Houseplant Website page - Great selection of plants, pots & accessories.
Succulents
Easy to grow houseplants which we like! They are available in a range of shapes, colours & textures... making them highly collectable.
Happy Houseplants!
Succulents are good starter plants - make one of this your first Houseplant! Low maintenance needing minimum care & drought tolerant. Low moisture, dry air, good drainage and high temperatures. However, some do grow well in semi-shade and humid conditions.
Add a succulent to your collection:
Aloe Vera - is a very caring plant, they clean your air & can also soothe skin, the sap from inside their leaves acts as a natural sunburnt soother & also a moisturizer... Good plant to have around.
Super happy in direct sunlight or bright indirect light...can also make a visit to your garden in the Summer as long as its in a warm sunny spot! Rescue when the weather becomes cooler.
Jade Plant/Money Tree (Crasula Ovat) - these make houseplants for life! Did you know they symbolize 'great friendship, luck, & prosperity', make great gifts! These mini trees like plants grow slowly (10-15 years) taking there time to reach ultimate size.
MEET THE TEAM!
Our Houseplant Department in store is a great place to meet our knowledgeable team pick up some advice & always that extra plant you need!
Altons Houseplant Website page - Great selection of plants, pots & accessories.
Magic of Bonsai! Fun fact... Bonsai translates as 'tray cultivation'.
Bonsai is a tree/shrub/seedling planted in a small container, the art is the training & pruning with careful cultivating you will be able to create the tree on a miniature scale.
Happy Houseplants!
Bonsai (Indoor) they are usually tropical or semi tropical species. They like a lot of light (not direct), also constant temperature & humidity, along with consistent watering (rainwater). A regular turn will keep them happy!
We have a great selection in store:
MEET THE TEAM!
We have a great selection for Bonsai plants & containers.
Our Houseplant Department in store is a great place to meet our knowledgeable team pick up some advice & always that extra plant you need!
Alton’s Houseplant website page - Great selection of plants, pots & accessories.
Terrariums
Terrariums are miniature gardens in glass containers, the magic is keeping the humidity high which in closed terrariums (with lid) means moisture can re-circulate, watering shouldn’t take place more than a few times a year. Alternatively, open terrariums (without lid/open top) are for plants that don’t require high humidity = a bit more watering.
Terrariums are super fun & ideal for an attractive display/centrepieces.
Happy Houseplants!
Keeping your Terrariums plants happy they require bright but indirect light & away from any heat sources.
Closed Terrariums are perfect for small, slow growing tropical plants that enjoy those humid conditions.
Suitable plants for closed: Pepromias, Hypoestes, Pilea, Small Left Ferns, Fittonia, Creeping Fig, Synognium, Epiprermnum
Open Terrariums they require little maintenance & no need for high humidity.
Suitable plants for open: Succulents, Cacti, Air Plants, Crassula Ovata, Haworthias, Burros Tail
Happy Terrariums are usually low maintenance if you stick to the keep points of: Appropriate Plants, Suitable Location & Water Sparingly.
MEET THE TEAM!
We have a great selection for Terrariums plants & containers.
Our Houseplant Department in store is a great place to meet our knowledgeable team pick up some advice & always that extra plant you need!
Alton’s Houseplant website page - Great selection of plants, Terrariums containers, pots & accessories.
We have a great selection of orchids within our Houseplant department (Instore) along with all that's required to look after your orchids.
We love Orchids! The vibrant colours & the elegant stem make this one of our most popular plants. Our orchid flowers arrive in an array of different shapes, sizes & exotic colours making them the perfect houseplant statement.
Orchids (Moth Orchids) are amazing plants for any beginners as they require minimal maintenance. They are well suited to central heated homes & most orchids dislike sun or too much light, they prefer bright but not direct.
Good tip they like regular watering & misting but are a tad fussy when it comes to their choice of water preferring rain or boiled!
Many orchids need to be planted/grown in bark compost over the traditional houseplant compost. Enjoy the long lasting blooms!
MEET THE TEAM!
Our Houseplant Department in store is a great place to meet our knowledgeable team pick up some advice & always that extra plant you need!
Altons Houseplant Website page - Great selection of plants, pots & accessories.
Air Plants
We have a great selection of air plants within our Houseplant department (Instore & Online) along with all that's required to create an amazing display!
Happy Houseplants!
Air plants (Tillandsia) they are amazing plants known as tropical epiphytes meaning they attach themselves to almost everything including trees & using their branches without parasitizing them, this also includes making themselves at home on rocks (lithophytes).
Home is also a good place! They will survive in well ventilated areas, the plants are happiest if the temperature does not drop below 12oC (54f) & can tolerate those tropical temps of 30oC (86f) if you keep any eye that its humid. Important no direct sun.
They love a bit of rain water (which we can help with in this part of the world!) Mist 2 to 3 times a week or soak weekly, immerse in water, drain well.
Flowering, most air plants have a life cycle meaning they grow to maturity, flower, set seed & then die, but not before producing small off shoots from the base. Once the parent plant has died this can be pruned leaving the off shoots to grow on.
Displaying, you can use dry wood, seashells or a frame. You can use copper wire or silicone adhesive.
Meet The Team!
Our Houseplant Department in store is a great place to meet our knowledgeable team pick up some advice & always that extra plant you need!
Altons Houseplant Website page - Great selection of plants, pots & accessories.
We have a great selection of Palms from the Parlour (Chamaedorea elegans), Areca (Butterfly Palm), Kentia.
Most palms prefer bright indirect light as their leaves will be scored by direct sunlight through glass. Allow top of soil to dry between watering, mist regularly. Avoid cold draughts.
Pruning, no special treatment required, old leaves should be removed by cutting not pulling at plant.
Parlour (Chamaedorea Elegans), Popular here at Alton’s! They can reach up to 3ft or more & once they have aged & been natured, they can produce a small flower.
Areca (Butterfly Palm), can grow up to 8ft tall, can make a great statement plant for large rooms or office spaces.
Kentia, really good at standing lower temperatures & perfect with places that have low light.
Palms can live up to 10 years (& more if they like their environment!) so, think of them as a great addition to your houseplant family! Just don’t over water them.
Check out the full range in store, Houseplant Department also where you can meet the team & have a chat with the experts if needed.
