.png)
An insight of the interior of plant enthusiast Lingyi Lee’s beautiful home, showcasing her collection of plants. PHOTO: LINGYI LEE
Ms Lee and Mr Lim found out about which plant to get by first understanding the space and conditions of their home.
If your home doesn’t get much light, choose non-flowering plants (NFP) which will survive in low light, says Ms Lee. Some of the common NFPs are ferns, mosses, and ginkgo.
Mr Lim says, “Sunlight does not have to come in the form of direct sun rays. Light bounces off many surfaces, as long as your plants have access to the sky, you’re probably safe.”
Understanding the space available in your home is also important. “You can’t get plants that are too huge [or] have the potential to grow a lot because of space limitations,” Ms Lee says. Don’t be fooled by its size upon purchase. For example, Kentia palm can grow 4 times its original size.
​
2. CHOOSING OF YOUR PLANT
Mr Imran, who has been growing plants for six years, advises newbies to start small with a modest budget.
“Go for the basic ones like money plant or fiddle leaf, then you can see how they grow and adapt to your environment,” Mr Imran says.
“Don’t buy plants that are too hard to care for or those you want just because it’s trending ... you might lose interest in keeping them alive,” he adds.
If money is an issue, you can try asking around for cuttings. Make plant friends by joining the Facebook group, Plant Swap Singapore, where plant lovers share or trade their cuttings, as well as their valuable tips!
An example of what propagating is. A cutting from a plant called Sansevieria. PHOTO: MARK IGNATIUS FERNANDEZ
“It’s good to have plant friends so that you can share and exchange cuttings with, which also saves you a lot of money,” Mr Imran says.
For Ms Lee, the best way to pick a suitable plant that works for your environment is to “speak to people selling you plants”.
​
​
3. TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM
.png)
Mohammed Imran, holding up an affordable and easy to care for plant which is called Monstera Adansonii. PHOTO: MARK IGNATIUS FERNANDEZ
After purchasing your plant, it is important to take great care of them, if not, they will die. “Ensure that they receive sufficient sunlight, adequate amount of soil and fertilisers such as goat pellets and water them regularly,” Mr Imran says.
Contrary to popular belief, plants need less water than you think.
“The number one cause of death is overwatering, not underwatering,” Mr Lim says.
Another factor to consider while taking care of them is to look out for pests. It is important to check for pests regularly and treat them as soon as possible. If a plant in your home gets infested, the likelihood of the surrounding plants being infested is high. “You might have a pandemic in your garden,” Ms Lim adds.
“With humans, you fall sick, plants fall sick as well, so it’s just a matter of knowing how to treat them,” Ms Lim says.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
4. DON'T GIVE UP!
There will be days where you don’t see any results after putting so much effort into taking care of your plants.
“Don’t be demoralised when your first few plants don’t make it, it’s an ongoing process to learn what works in your environment,” Ms Lee says.
“Some [plants] will die, some won’t do well but I think it’s really about finding joy in the process,” Ms Lim says.
With these tips and tricks, you are all set to start your own indoor garden. Have fun!
.png)
How to start your own garden at home
Three local plant enthusiasts share valuable tips with MARK IGNATIUS FERNANDEZ about creating a garden in their homes.
Daniel Lim and his partner Liane Lim, showing a piece of their plant collection which they grew in their bedroom. PHOTO: MARK IGNATIUS FERNANDEZ
Mr Daniel Lim, a local production manager at Shopify who has been working from home because of the Covid pandemic, has since become a plant enthusiast.
Mr Lim says, “I spend so much time at home and I needed something to keep me sane, so plant[ing] was that outlet.”
If you are like Mr Lim, or you are just interested in picking up a new hobby like indoor gardening, this could be the perfect time to do so.
To help you get started, I asked Mr Mohammed Imran, Mr Daniel and Ms Liane Lim and Ms Lingyi Lee, all of whom are plant enthusiasts with a large following on their plant account on Instagram.
​
1. UNDERSTANDING THE SPACE OF YOUR HOME