Midsummer

Houseplants respond well to a little extra care in midsummer, getting a new lease of life so they finish the summer at the peak of health and looking at their very best.

We have a passion for houseplants here at the garden centre in Pickering, with a fantastic display of lush palms, ferns and succulents among brilliantly colourful orchids, streptocarpus and exotically scented beauties like hoya. Pop in and browse through our collection and see what takes your fancy to add to your own collection.

Group houseplants together to add impact to your displays – it’ll help them, too, as the humidity in the air increases when plants are grown together. Taller flowering plants such as philodendrons trained up a pole and moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) make a great backdrop for lower-growing bromeliads, ferns and streptocarpus, creating a jungly tropical oasis on your windowsill. You can even grow plants with similar light, humidity and watering requirements together in the same large container.

Keep dead-heading flowering plants to keep them neat and also encourage more blooms, and remove any damaged or browning leaves so they don’t spoil your display. Tie in the new growth of climbing plants regularly to a moss pole or short cane to avoid stems breaking and keep them tidy.  Swiss cheeseplants (Monstera deliciosa) take moisture from their moss-covered supports via their aerial roots, so mist regularly too.

And finally, if plants are looking a little tired check they aren’t pot-bound. Houseplants outgrow their pots every few years, so to help maintain healthy growth move them into a larger container once the roots run out of room. Use a self-watering pot, available from the garden centre, and you’ll save yourself time and worry too as your plant can take as much moisture as it needs, without you having to remember to water – the perfect solution for busy gardeners.