The grown man’s guide to houseplants
Ready to punch up your living quarters? There’s a shortcut – go green
Pops of greenery, in the form of houseplants, are the easiest way to add a new dimension to old digs. For all the (totally valid) time we spend nurturing and curating our wardrobes, it’s easy to neglect the space that surrounds them. No more.
If you’re already pumping the brakes on this interior adventure for fear of killing your new plant before they even make it to Instagram, take comfort: houseplants vary in their stages of neediness.
Get acquainted with GQ’s sure-fire, hall-of-fame floral champions, take your pick, and give nature a stake in your interior design.
The easiest houseplants to nurture
Fiddle-Leaf Fig
You’ll have seen this old-reliable floating around your social feeds for many a year. And there’s good reason: the fiddle-leaf is unimpeachably handsome, and versatile enough to work any room – call it the navy blazer of your plant collection. But be warned: it demands equal levels of care.
Saguaro Cactus
Travelling for business twice a week? Killed the last four plants that you adopted? Opt for the borderline indestructible, totally stylish saguaro cactus. If you can’t keep this guy alive, there’s no helping you.
Dracaena Golden Coast
Perfect for getting a little height into your green space, the Dracaena has a secret weapon: purification powers. Not only does it pull its weight aesthetically, the Dracaena will act as an all-natural air filter as well.e Grown Man’s Guide to Houseplants
The rules of thumb
1. Get in touch with your roots. Once a week, feel the soil for moisture. If things have gone bone dry on the upper layer, it’s probably a good time to water. But take note: overwatering is a common plant killer.
2. Keep them groomed. A few bugs setting up camp on your new plant? No problem. Any more than that means trouble. Keep things healthy by inspecting regularly and gently wiping leaves down.
3. Obey the rule of verticality. To ensure your greenery is on point – and to add some visual interest – cluster plants of varying heights together.
This article originally appeared on GQ Middle East.