SOURC. INDOOR PLANTS
“Plants are the life of the home. A living, breathing decoration element that gives back so much more than the effort you put in”
– Rosie + Morag, Little Leaf Co
Indoor Plants.
Rosie and Morag are the passion and soul behind Perth’s first store dedicated to indoor plants – Little Leaf Co. We’re lucky enough to have them and their insider knowledge on Sourc. We hit them up for what we should know now and what we will need to know tomorrow, plus the how-to on keeping your plants performing their best.
Meet the more woke member of the indoor plant family – the elkhorn fern. They love to fast and aren’t keen on anything artificial. They love getting amongst the trees, but are equally at home in urban areas. These guys would walk for equal rights and justice for women if they could. Here’s how to make them thrive...
Rosie and Morag, Little Leaf Co
Why we love them.
Elkhorn ferns are super sculptural, they have interesting foliage and are a great statement plant. Better still, they are native to Australia.
How to keep them alive.
They’re epiphytes, like orchids and bromeliads. They do great outdoors in temperate climates, but also make fine houseplants with only a little effort.
You’ve probably seen them mounted on a backing board and attached to a wall, or attached to trees in the garden. However, they do great in pots, too.
SUN These plants like bright, natural light. However, as their usual home is under the canopies of trees, which provide shade, so keep them out of direct light. Indoors, they are best suited to a bright and indirect light-filled spot. In the winter, when the light levels are lower, you may need to move your elkhorn to a brighter spot.
WATERING Keep it evenly moist, but not soaking wet. As a general rule of thumb, watering an elkhorn every seven-10 days is the way to go. In winter, water less - up to two weeks should be fine, just check that the soil doesn’t dry out. To water, pour in a good amount of water over the leaf and shield fronds, also lightly watering the roots. These ferns actually absorb water through the leaf and shield fronds, as well as their roots, so you want to make sure to wet all parts.
FOOD Feed these ferns with seaweed health tonic (we like to use the organic Searles SeaMax), but use only half the recommended strength. These guys don't like too much food, and artificial fertilisers can burn the fronds (we use a half-strength of Searles 5 in 1 organic fertiliser).
Scene + heard.
Rosie and Morag on what’s happening right now in trends, maintenance and who and what to watch.
Following.
Jason Chongue @jasonchongue … architect-turned-plant-retailer-cum-plant-curator-and-author. We’ve collaborated with him on a couple of jobs, and love him as a person and a professional in our industry. Rosie
Bug wars.
Mealy bugs love humidity as much as they love decimating your plants. So keep an eye out for them after early March’s tropical weather. Rosie
Pot luck.
Anything on a pedestal is the pot to shop for at the moment. And the same goes for larger and smaller plants. Pictured above with the elkhorn is one we love – light-weight and textural. Rosie
Doing now.
In the shop, we’ve just topped up all our resident plants’ soil. We use Searles Premium Potting Mix, which also includes fertiliser (anything to keep it simple), then water it in. Thanks Rosie, couldn’t do it without you! ;) Morag
Planting.
Syngonium macrophyllum has been MIA for about four years. However, we have finally secured a load. It’s a giant-leafed hanging plant (think Jack and the Beanstalk). You don’t see many around for sale, and it can grow up or drape down. Morag
Selling out.
Boobs and bums seem to be hot in store right now. It’s still summer so they are likely also hot outside, too! Can’t explain this one, but they are super cute. Morag
Failing forward.
Maiden hairs… I’ve killed more than I should mention. And after several years, have decided it’s best to keep them outside in a self-watering pot. I soak mine with water every second day. Rosie
Tip for the season.
We have just got in the most fabulous plant totems in brass. Traditionally totems are bamboo or coir, so this is a sophisticated option, and the brass looks great against the greenery. Morag
SOURC. EDIT
Utilitarian and designer buys for the garden that will get you wanting your fingers in the dirt.
Lighten up.
INFO about this pot.
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Glove and go.
Gardening gloves.
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First cut.
Propogation.
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Dig it.
You’ll look forward to repotting with these.
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