If you're anything like us, you love the look of your favourite plants adorning your home, but fall short when it comes to their maintenance leaving them looking a little worse for wear. With so many different options and with each one needing a certain kind of TLC, it can all seem a bit daunting for those of us without green fingers. So we got in touch with Lisa, Founder of Root Houseplants, for some advice on how to not kill our houseplants.

Root Houseplants was founded in 2017. Lisa wanted to share her enthusiasm and knowledge of house plants with others and she loves helping her clients and customers find the right plant to suit their space. Root currently sells online via their website and has two stores based in Liverpool and West Kirby.
How did you originally get into your profession selling house plants, was it always a passion/hobby of yours?
It started as a hobby - my mum and dad have an amazing garden and when I moved back to their house I was like “I wanna bring it all inside!” I started with the usual cacti and succulents, then it just escalated! When I was buying my house, I wanted to continue to fill it with green but it was difficult to find the plants I wanted.
For those (like us) who can't seem to keep a plant alive for longer than a week, what low maintenance house plants would you recommend?
Ha! I would say do not despair, think about the light you’re giving the plant, light is plant food. Easy, low maintenance plants include Zamioculcas zamiifolia, any Sansevieria, Pilea peperomioides and the very classic, Monstera deliciosa (Swiss Cheese Plant).
And anything super fancy for those more seasoned in plant maintenance who might like a bit of a challenge?
I would say Calathea (Goeppertia) can be a little more challenging but if you love big leaves and velvety looking plants, go for Anthurium clarinervium, Anthurium crystallinum or Philodendron melanochrysum.
Should we be changing how we look after our house plants during the Summer months when our houses generally get a lot warmer and brighter?
Yeah, for sure, it’s warm, there’s more light and your plants are actively growing; this means you should be fertilising, you’ll probably be watering more frequently too. It’s a good time to re-pot any plants that have outgrown their current homes and the warmer weather means you might get some pests. If you do find any uninvited guests on your plants, don’t panic, give the plant a good shower down, wash under the leaves, and maybe treat it with a natural pesticide.
What are your top tips for a happy and healthy indoor garden?
Enjoy it and find the joy, take the time to appreciate just how special it is to be helping plants grow. Think about light, make sure your plants can see the sky, light is the key.
What is your ultimate favourite house plant?
This is so tough! I love Hoya, Philodendron and Anthurium; maybe my Philodendron ‘Florida Ghost’, it is pretty special and super easy to care for.
We hope you found this useful, if you'd like more information or to have a browse of Lisa's extensive plant offering then you can visit the Root Houseplants website below!
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