Spotlight on Houseplants

When you work for Miracle-Gro®, taking work home means bringing your passion for plants into your house…literally! We asked a few of our team members to share their favorite houseplants along with their tips and tricks for caring for their plant babies.

Xan, Creative Lead

I came to be a houseplant owner by being an outdoor gardener first and wanting to overwinter some of my favorite plants inside. My success with those plants motivated me to add houseplants to my collection. Most of my houseplants spend their summers outside, but I keep a few indoors all year round to regulate the light and water they receive—when I’m doing it right at least.

My longest lived plant is a Jade Tree. It’s 15 years old and about 36 inches high. People struggle with them, but I think it’s because they don’t give them enough light and/or mess up the watering. I have mine in a south-facing window and have two small, LED growlights mounted close to it for a boost everyday. Plus I check the leaves before watering (when they get a bit spongy, it’s time). I water it about once a month and give it some Miracle-Gro® Succulent Plant Food. Finally, after all this time, it bloomed this year! I am so proud! Only a happy houseplant will bloom.

My houseplant game has improved significantly with the addition of 3 things: good grow lights with timers, discreet water indicators for the soil, and a small humidifier. I am not skipping over the importance of starting with the right Miracle-Gro® soil. I use the Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix and don’t have an issue with gnats. I read that’s a problem for folks, but not for me or my plants.

LeeAnn, Consumer Services

I developed my love of houseplants from my grandmother. Some of my earliest memories involve watering and caring for plants at her home, especially her African violets. I remember she always had Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix and Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food in the cupboard under the kitchen sink. I know she would be ecstatic that I work in Consumer Services and get to teach others about using our products and caring for plants.

My favorite is a plant I believe to be a type of Alocasia, though its tag was lost years ago. My grandmother gave it as a small 6-inch plant to my brother in 1988, just a few months before she passed. My mother cared for it on his behalf, and it eventually grew large enough to require a 10-gallon container. About eight years ago, I inherited the plant. I divided it into a smaller, more manageable size and rooted the remaining sections to share with family and friends.

My brother, who is not a plant person, occasionally asks about "his" plant, which usually leads to a walk down memory lane. Sharing and keeping memories alive has been one of the most meaningful parts of having houseplants.

Brian, Social Media Lead

Monsteras are THE iconic houseplant. They're shape shifters: as babies they look like a heartleaf philodendron with small heart-shaped leaves that size up as they climb a moss pole (or a tree in the wild). Each time they push out a new leaf, they get bigger until they eventually gain those characteristic fenestrations (holes) in their leaves.

I’ve had my biggest monstera for about 8 years. I got her in college. She can only fit in one corner in my house, and she shaded-out everything below her. I have her planted in a terracotta pot that is almost too heavy to lift, and I feed her Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food (even before I started working for SMG, lol) every other week all spring and summer. She outgrew her moss pole years ago, so I had to use a large tree branch to tie her up so she can climb.

For a Big Monstera make sure you:

• Let it dry out between waterings to prevent root rot.
• Make sure it has something to climb and attach to. If it doesn't, it will send out teeny leaves—you cannot lie to this plant.
• Feed it! They are hungry plants. You are growing an athlete, so don’t skimp.
• The more sun the better. Monsteras can tolerate low-medium light but will only thrive in moderate-high indirect light. We only really do our best in the best environments, so why would your plant grow well in a dark corner?

I have several monsteras now, including some gorgeous (and pricey) variegated versions, but this big girl is still my ride-or-die. Don’t ask for a cutting because I’ll never chop her. Eventually, I’ll have to watch TV through one of her many many fenestrations.

Lynn, Consumer Services

I love spider plants, and why wouldn't I? They are super low maintenance, non-toxic to pets, and easy to propagate. What more could you ask from a houseplant? I propagate the spider plant babies and use them in pots in shaded areas outside during the summer. Free plants for my friends, too! Of course, I keep all of my plants looking good by using Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix and Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food.

As a horticulture grad, I have to be growing something all the time. My houseplants keep me happy in the winter. During the spring and summer, most of my houseplants fill my screened-in porch, but for the winter, they get to come inside and fill just about every room in my house!

As you can see, we love to grow! It’s easy to transform your indoor space into a lush, green haven - start growing indoors today with Miracle-Gro! Your own indoor houseplant success story is just a click away. Check out our line of indoor gardening products and houseplant care articles today!