Choosing Healthy Plants

Insider's Garden : Episode TIG-206 -- More Projects »

The secret to a green thumb is knowing a plant's needs for water and light. Before buying any plant for indoor use, it helps to know where you are going to place it in your home so you can select the appropriate plant for those growing conditions, which include temperature and the amount of light it will receive.

Tips for choosing a healthy plant:

Check for insects by looking at the underside of leaves.
Avoid plants with drought stress, indicated by yellow foliage.
If you are unsure which plant to select, let someone from the nursery help you.
Be sure your container has a drainage hole in it, since plants don't like to sit in water. Add gravel to the bottom of the pot if it has no holes, and set the plant on top of the rocks (which create a platform for it).

Hardy, Easy-to-Grow Plants

These plants don't require a lot of attention and provide striking color and texture. No matter what your growing conditions are, you can find a plant that will thrive!

Devil’s ivy

Devil's ivy (Pothos aureus) is one of the sturdiest and easiest plants for indoor gardeners to grow. Slow-growing, it has trailing leaves and foliage marbled with either green or white.