Garden Houseplants How Martha Keeps Her Houseplants Thriving—Plus 9 of Her Favorites Take a look at how Martha displays some of her most beloved houseplants. By Melissa Ozawa Melissa Ozawa Melissa Ozawa is the features editor at Martha Stewart Living. Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 22, 2024 Close Martha has too many hobbies and passions to count, but caring for her plants is the most gratifying, she says. She grows them in her greenhouse in Bedford (the more striking and unusual, the better) and displays them throughout her home in unique ways. Here, Martha shares her current favorite plants—from knockout orchids and sculptural succulents to bountiful begonias—along with personal stories and pointers to help your leafy lovelies flourish and thrive. Martha's Houseplant Care Tips Every plant has its own needs, preferences, and personality quirks. But there are five good practices that apply to most. Light To give your houseplants a bright future, learn the lingo to optimize plant placement. Full sun: A minimum of six hours of direct exposure a day; an unobstructed south-or southeast-facing window is ideal.Part sun: Expose plants to four to five hours of sunlight daily. Try a window that faces east or west.Shade: Shade-loving varieties need light but not strong, direct rays. Northern exposures work well. Rotate your pots every week or so to give plants even access to sun. Fertilizer When it comes to feeding plants, this is Martha's motto: You eat; your plants need to eat, too. Fertilize them during the growing season, which for most plants starts in March and ends in November. Fish emulsion is a great all-purpose option; just add some to your watering can once a month. Yes, it can smell a little, but the odor dissipates within a few hours. Water Water your houseplants well, but don’t overdo it. Many houseplants suffer from too much watering, not too little. Test for dampness by sticking your finger into the soil up to your first knuckle. If it’s dry, water using the same method experts recommend for gardens and yards: Rather than sprinkling a few drops every day, which keeps roots closer to the surface, pour long, less frequent drinks so they grow deeply. If possible, move pots to your sink or tub and use a long-spouted watering can to direct the stream to the soil until excess water flows out of the drainage hole. Plan to do this more often in winter, when homes are filled with dry heat, than in more humid summertime. Grooming Keeping plants tidy is about more than aesthetics—it helps them stay healthy, too. Wipe down foliage as needed to remove dirt and grime, which prevent photosynthesis. Snip dead or yellowing leaves, which can harbor disease and pests. And hydrate the air, too, especially in winter, since dehydrated plants can attract invaders like spider mites. To increase humidity, fill a metal or plastic tray a few inches deep with pebbles, then add water and put your plants on top. Refill when the liquid evaporates. When choosing potting soil for houseplants, all-purpose blends work for most, but a cactus mix is best for succulents, while bark is ideal for orchids. Repot and Revive There are two signs that a plant has outgrown its home: Its roots are busting out of the drainage hole in its pot, or it wilts shortly after being watered. To move it to more spacious digs, choose a slightly larger container and cover the drainage hole loosely—so water can escape but soil can’t—with a pottery shard or flat stone. Place a scoop or two of organic potting soil in the bottom. Carefully remove the plant from its old vessel, and gently tease out the roots to encourage them to spread. Then, lower it into the new pot. The top of the root ball should sit about 1 inch below the rim. Fill in with more soil, tamp it down lightly, and water thoroughly. You can choose a new vessel based on style. Here’s what you need to know about the three most common kinds. Terra-cotta: Since it’s untreated, it’s porous, so these containers dry out faster than sealed ones and are great for succulents. Don’t worry if white streaks or powder appear on their exteriors; these are harmless mineral deposits. (One of Martha’s favorites is Guy Wolff Pottery.) Ceramic or glazed clay: Available in a rainbow of colors, these pots have been sealed, so they hold moisture well and make excellent homes for thirsty ferns or selaginellas. Cachepot: These vessels, typically made from porcelain or china, are purely decorative. They have no holes, so keep your plant in a smaller pot with drainage (like the plastic one it came in from the nursery) and tuck it inside. To water, pull out the inner pot and let it drain before putting it back in. How Martha Displays Her Favorite Houseplants 01 of 09 Orchid (Grammatophyllum scriptum var. citrinum) Noe Dewitt With chartreuse blooms bursting from giant stalks that can reach 3 feet in height, this diva (Grammatophyllum scriptum var. citrinum) demands the spotlight—and is here to stay. "It's long-lived," says Martha. "Two months can go by, and not one petal will drop." Her advice: Place it in bright light, and keep the growing medium (orchid bark) thoroughly moist at all times. 02 of 09 Chinese Money Plants Noe Dewitt Chinese money plants (Pilea peperomioides) are unfailingly generous. "Like a good investment, they multiply," says Martha, who often arranges them on dining tables because the leaves are shiny and bright. "Plus, they're not fussy—they'll grow in dim or bright light," she says. The prolific plants send out offshoots that can be propagated when they reach 2 to 3 inches in height. (Martha loves to give the minis to kids.) Just clip one where it emerges from the soil and nestle it into a small pot. Keep the plants in well-drained soil, and water only when it feels dry. Houseplants 03 of 09 Peperomia Caperata "Red Ripple" Noe Dewitt Martha was drawn to the "extremely weird foliage" of this easygoing houseplant (Peperomia caperata "Red Ripple"), which does well in part sun or shade and can even handle a little neglect, like if you forget to water for more than a week. While the grooved purple leaves are the main attraction, this cool character does produce flowers—in the form of spaghetti-like spikes—in summer and fall. 04 of 09 String of Bananas Noe Dewitt "I'm hooked on hanging succulents, and am always looking for new ones to add to my collection," Martha says. String of bananas (Senecio radicans) is a relatively fast-growing variety that prospers in lots of sun and cactus-blend soil. Water only when the soil is dry. 13 Best Indoor and Outdoor Hanging Plants for Your Home 05 of 09 Pitcher Plant Noe Dewitt Don't be fooled by the graceful 4- to 5-inch-long "pitchers" dangling from this beauty (Nepenthes alata): They lure, trap, and devour flies, ants, and small wasps. "It's important for them to have some water inside," says Martha. "I taught my granddaughter, Jude, how to fill each one with about an inch." 06 of 09 African Violets Noe Dewitt "My Aunt Clementine had quite the collection of African violets, and displayed them in cabinets and glass boxes," says Martha. "She taught me how to carefully water beneath the leaves (to avoid spotting and rot), remove spent blooms with tweezers, and use manicure scissors to snip dead leaves. I still follow her advice today." For healthy results, let the top of the soil dry out between waterings, and put them in indirect bright light, like the windowsill in Martha's servery. This prominent placement is intentional, she says. "They're not happy someplace where you don't look at them all the time." 07 of 09 Cactus and Euphorbia Noe Dewitt "Whenever I find a plant that is beautiful and odd, I buy it," says Martha, who picked up this uncommon cactus (Myrtillocactus geometrizans forma cristata, left) and rare euphorbia (Euphorbia lactea forma cristata variegata) years ago on a trip to Arizona. "I brought them home on the plane in my purse. They were smaller then," she says. Keep them in a sunny spot in very well-drained soil (like a cactus blend mixed with some coarse gravel), and allow it to dry out fully before watering. 08 of 09 Medusa's Head Noe Dewitt The literal translation of this no-fuss succulent's name (Euphorbia caput-medusae) is "Medusa's head"—no explanation needed. It won't turn you to stone, but its milky sap can irritate skin, so handle with care; if you get some on you, wash it off immediately. "This plant is extraordinary and sculptural, and you can go away for a couple of weeks without worrying about it," says Martha. 09 of 09 Begonia "Martha Stewart" Noe Dewitt Much like its namesake, the rhizomatous Begonia "Martha Stewart" has flair to spare. Bred by Logee's nursery, where Martha loves to buy her begonias, it sports foliage in shades of chartreuse, orange, and bronze and sprouts delicate pink flowers in winter. Since the roots grow horizontally, not vertically, plant these in shallow pots. Then, give them moderate light, and let the soil dry out between waterings. The Beauty of Begonias: All About These Beautiful, Easy-to-Grow Houseplants Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, November 2019 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit