Buy a big and expensive one. This will increase the keen/lazy ratio.
When I lived in Belgium, I rented a house that had been empty some time with an unattended F benjamini in a galvanised trough without any drainage holes. In my time there it had minimum attention and not only survived, but grew.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Try Setcreasea purpurea (can't guarantee the spelling).
Unknown in the wild. Apparently the original house plant was found in a secretary's office in Mexico abandonned for over a year. It seems indestructible. It used to be more common.
Disadvantage: it won't add much height.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I had a massive one of those many years ago. It's more of a mantlepiece or shelf plant I think. I've a horrible feeling I'm going to need to buy some more containers🙄
My Bilbergia does get some sun as the porch faces south and some shade from a small tree, but as long as it is not too cold it shouldn't mind a light, northern aspect, as there is not much actual sun down in the rain forest! It did get a few brown edges from the heat this year, though nothing serious. It seems to flower fairly randomly for me without much seasonality and the sudden appearance of a flower is always exciting
Monstera? I got a messy and monstrous one from a neighbour a few months ago. I took some cuttings and tidied up the mother plant and put it in my north-facing bedroom. It seems happy so far. I usually put some big pebbles at the bottom of pots to help with drainage. If the pot is not too big it may actually limit the growth of monstera and make it less monstrous....
I've also got a Schefflera growing in a galvanised planter that only has a tiny drainage hole. I only water it once a week and if the top soil is dry. It also seems happy so far, putting up lots of new growth even around this time of year.
@msqingxiao. Thank you for your suggestions. They are excellent and would do really well but I've been there back in the 70s. Retro is a bit different if you were there first time round! I fancy something I haven't' grown. before
I think I might be getting into indoor plants. The only thing that holds me back is that if I'm away, hopefully it won't rain in my house so the interesting stuff will likely die.
I’d certainly put an inner pot that is light enough to lift out for cleaning, taking to the sink etc, with your new plant inside that. I’m sorry you’ve managed to kill off some ficus Benjamina, I’ve found theses to be pretty indestructible. I’ve still got one from my working days, when it sat on my desk for years, and survived on the dregs of my mugs of milk free Earl grey tea! You’d definitely need some extra pots if you weakened and bought another monstera. I had two, too big for the room, so sacrificed them for cuttings. They all took. I’ve still got about ten, despite anyone foolhardy enough to visit us, not being allowed to leave the house without taking one with them.
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I've got one in my north facing kitchen that's is very happy-
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
When I lived in Belgium, I rented a house that had been empty some time with an unattended F benjamini in a galvanised trough without any drainage holes. In my time there it had minimum attention and not only survived, but grew.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Unknown in the wild. Apparently the original house plant was found in a secretary's office in Mexico abandonned for over a year. It seems indestructible. It used to be more common.
Disadvantage: it won't add much height.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I've a horrible feeling I'm going to need to buy some more containers🙄
I've also got a Schefflera growing in a galvanised planter that only has a tiny drainage hole. I only water it once a week and if the top soil is dry. It also seems happy so far, putting up lots of new growth even around this time of year.
I love the leaves in pitter-patter's and Pete's pot plants above.
The only houseplants I have are pelargoniums in the winter and a peace lily, so I am here to read/admire/learn.🤓
I’m sorry you’ve managed to kill off some ficus Benjamina, I’ve found theses to be pretty indestructible. I’ve still got one from my working days, when it sat on my desk for years, and survived on the dregs of my mugs of milk free Earl grey tea!
You’d definitely need some extra pots if you weakened and bought another monstera. I had two, too big for the room, so sacrificed them for cuttings. They all took. I’ve still got about ten, despite anyone foolhardy enough to visit us, not being allowed to leave the house without taking one with them.