How to care for indoor plants and cacti according to The Botanist

Article by Your Home and Garden

Florist Eden Kersten of The Botanist has a unique way of bringing nature into her home. She shares her expert care tips to help your indoor plants thrive

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Eden’s top 5 indoor plant tips

Fail-safe indoor plants include Monstera deliciosa, philodendrons, begonias and cacti.
To see if a plant needs water, check soil and water if it is dry. I water most of my plants once a month in the bath, and water the spathiphyllum every two weeks.
Ensure your pots have holes for drainage, or otherwise place pumice in the base of the pot.
Water the leaves as well as the soil by placing plants under a shower or tap.
Plants love natural light but should be kept out of direct sunlight to ensure the leaves don’t burn.

Eden’s cacti tips

Cacti are super easy to look after as they barely need watering. They are also slow growers so you shouldn’t need to re-pot them for years.
Cacti scar easily so be gentle when transporting them and try not to touch or move them unnecessarily.
Be careful to avoid spines. You may want to get spineless cacti if you have young children.
Keep an eye out for mould. If cacti grow mould, or if they break, bruise or scar, you can shave the area with a knife to help it heal and eventually form a callus. Shave on a slant and allow it to drain and dry out (you may have to do this a couple of times).
You can transform the shape of a cactus by cutting it and allowing new offshoots (pups) to grow.
You can keep cacti anywhere – indoors with heaters on, outside or even in the bathroom.

Gallery | 5 Photos
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Eden with son Jude.

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Melburn basket, $54.95, from Freedom. Spectre sofa in charme mocha, $4495, from
Me and My Trend. Other items Eden’s own.

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Eden’s cat, Orange, shares his home with many rare plants.

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Eden bought her dining table from Vitrine.

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Try it:
Try your hand at vintage shopping. Eden scours inorganic collections and op-shops for planters and much of her furniture and decor.

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The portrait and floral artwork was given to Eden by her mother, a vintage collector who helped inspire Eden’s sense of style.

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Eden sources her pots and planters from The Botanist, Trade Me and secondhand shops. She also picks up ones she finds on the street.

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Style it:
Plants will add personality to your bathroom and bring a fresh touch to a sterile environment. Some plants will thrive in moist conditions.

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The home’s former owner was a woodwork teacher, who finished the house beautifully and created a built-in bathroom cabinet.

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“We get the afternoon sun pouring through the back of the house and the morning sun coming through the bedrooms”

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In the backyard, the family have retained camellias, fruit trees and a small vege garden, and hope to add a glasshouse.

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The woman behind the popular floristry business The Botanist has been collecting plants for years and when she and husband Jason bought their first home last year (in Auckland’s New Windsor) she was finally able to install the plants in their “forever home”.