Add colour to your interior using plants

Indoor plants require a lot of time to look after, and quite frankly, if you don't have much of it to spare, you will not be able to manage them.

Plants are like human beings, if you fail to feed them, they will die, says Josephine Nakimera, who sells flowers at Kawanda stage.

"Give them what they need. It may be water, plant food, good soil or they may need spraying. Check for what might be lacking at a particular moment and provide it," she tips.

Meanwhile, gardening expert Frank Lule says not only do flowers make a living room look beautiful with their natural look, they also provide us with oxygen during the day during photosynthesis.

Justine Nabwami, a land scape designer with Jusmat Creations says having flowers with big leaves inside your home is better because they brighten the room and they are easy to clean unlike a flower with tiny leaves.

"A flower with small leaves is also good but it should be accommodative with few leaves.

So what's maintenance like?

Nabwami says that a clean towel and water mixed with few drops of cooking oil can be used to clean flower leaves.

"Cooking oil does not block leaf pores instead it makes the flower look clean and attractive. The flowers should be cleaned to match with the tidiness of a home."

According to Nakimera, it is important to water plants at intervals. The flowering ones need a lot of water. "Water them two to three times a week. Non-flowering plants need less water. Water them once a week or once a month, depending on the type."

Lule says you must clean plants with a soft cloth. Prepare soapy water, dip your cloth in it and rub it on the leaves, especially for the non-flowering ones.

Flowers need to be washed to unblock the stomata so they can breathe and live properly, he adds.

 Photo by Jacquiline Nakandi

How do you feed plants?

If you intend to give them plant food, they cannot absorb it when the air stomata are blocked. After cleaning, dry them. Then get soluble solutions like plant food, according to the type of plant and apply it on the leaves. This will help keep the leaves clean, neat and healthy.

The most beautiful indoor plants depend on plant food. Every plant has its specific type of plant food. Go to a supermarket and ask for plant food according to the name of the plant. Get to know the names of the plants.

Prices of plant food range from sh10,000 to sh100,000, depending on the type of plant. The type of application depends on the type of plant food. Some are applied on the leaves and others in the soil so that it can be absorbed through the roots.

 Nabwami advices that indoor flowers should often be put near open windows to have enough light. You can decide to take them outside for one or two days every week.

She says, during the dry season when it is very hot, a flower should be placed on the porch/verandah or shed at night to have fresh air and then taken back inside in the morning.

Nassozi says that, just like humans, flower plants too need natural breath and vitamins.  A person can choose to put it out for five minutes at night and take it back when going to sleep.

"Flowers are like children. To plant them, a person should have passion because they require a lot of care," she adds.

Water plants

Nabwami says there are some lovely indoor flowers planted in water. Simply put the flower in a vase of water.

But be sure to change the water after a week to prevent fungi and mosquitos to breed.

Tap water which has cooled a bit without chloroform is good enough. "Some people use them for center tables as long as there are no children to pull them down since they are delicate," adds Nambwami.

Here are some flower plants that can work well for indoors: Cape Primrose, Geraniums,  Ixora, Brazilian Fireworks, Christmas Cactus African Violet, Shrimp flower, Peace Lily, Goldfish flower, Miniature Roses and many others.