GROW YOUR OWN

PLANT EXPERT KATIE HEWARD GIVES SOME TIPS ON LOW MAINTENANCE GREENERY FOR THE HOME

AS THE winter months approach and there’s less natural daylight, the temperature starts to plummet and the central heating goes up – and it’s not just us who are affected by the change in environment.

‘It’s important to give your house plants a little extra TLC

ALOE VERA

Succulents such as Echeveria and aloe vera are ideal for growing indoors.

They require little maintenance, lots of light and a dry climate.

For best results, position your aloe vera in full sunlight on the south side of your conservatory. To keep them happy, water sparingly in the winter (almost not at all), making sure they aren’t sitting in water. Maintenance rating

(1 = low, 5 = high): 1/5 to help them through,’ says Katie Heward, co-founder of plant maintenance firm Plant Sit. ‘A conservatory is the perfect place to display your plant collection. But it’s important to choose wisely when you are filling it with greenery.’

Here, Katie shares her top tips on which conservatory plants to pick and how to keep conditions spot on.

PEACE LILY (Spathiphyllum)

These fantastic flowering plants are a popular choice for lightfilled conservatories where they tend to produce more white spathes and flowers. They need a little more watering than the other plants – make sure the soil doesn’t dry out and mist frequently to increase humidity. In the winter months, they like as much light as possible to keep producing flowers, so position in a sunny spot. Maintenance rating: 3/5