In this week’s issue:

• Weekly Q&A
• Top Houseplants To Gift This Valentines Day
• Houseplant Tinder
• Anthurium Clarinervium
• Unknown fact about the Hoya Kerrii
• And more…

🇬🇧 Sheffield Answers

Every week, I get tons of questions about growing houseplants. In “Sheffield Answers”, I’m going to pick one out each week and answer it. Want to submit your own and get it featured next week? Click here to ask me a question!​

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Question: "I have a Ficus Tineke that has been getting brown spots on the edges of the leaves. I topped it and put the top part in water. The leaves no longer get brown spots, but the plant that’s still in the soil still gets brown leaves. Why is that?" Karyn Cott

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My Answer: "It sounds like you’ve not solved the problem the plant had in the first place. Brown leaves on a Ficus is normally a watering problem. I overwatered my Ficus Tineke for weeks and once I checked the root ball it was a sopping mess. The brown leaves came shortly after. Only after waiting for the soil to dry and being careful with my watering did the brown leaves stop. Great job taking a backup cutting though 🙌"

Top Houseplants To Gift This Valentines Day 🌹

Well, Valentine’s Day is almost here.

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Chocolates, cards, and fancy dinners. That stuff’s all nice.

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But what about a gift that literally grows with your love? For us enthusiasts, a brand new houseplant might just be the perfect way to say, “I love you,” in a way that lasts.

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Anyway, on the weekend I sat down to give some of my top picks for Valentine's Day houseplants (in no particular order):

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Okay, let’s get the obvious one out of the way first…

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Hoya Kerrii:

Small, easy to gift and of course, favoured for its heart-shaped bright green succulent leaves. You can also get them with some really nifty pots. Now, be warned: I mentioned in a recent video that this plant won’t really grow at all – so just keep that in mind!

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Dieffenbachia:​
This one isn’t so obvious. Those who appreciate a gift that's as unique and layered as a great romance, the Dieffenbachia is a more daring option than the Hoya Kerrii for example. But hey, it reminds us that sometimes, love (and plants) can be beautifully complicated.

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Silver Squill:

With striking silver-spotted leaves, this bulbous South African native is as unique as it is charming. A real standout that whispers prosperity and elegance.

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Grape Ivy:

A low-maintenance trailing plant that brings to mind lazy, sun-drenched afternoons. It’s perfect if you want a touch of that Mediterranean vibe indoors.

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Small African Violets:

Cute, compact, and on-trend, these little wonders add a splash of color without taking up too much space. They even look great grouped together with a bit of moss or LECA around their pots.

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Well that’s all. Any of these green gifts stealing your heart this year? Hit reply and share your pick. I read all of your responses!

SPONSORED BY HOUSEPLANT SOS

Being a good plant parent can be hard sometimes.

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Often, we try our best thinking that we’re giving our plants what they want.
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And then, seemingly like magic, they start drooping like I’ve just told the year’s worst dad joke.
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That’s why this edition of Houseplant Digest is sponsored by my self-paced online course, Houseplant SOS. This is like the A-Z guide teaching you how to grow A+ houseplants and avoid all of the guesswork (that’ll cost you unnecessary time and money!)

👉 Click here to check it out!​

🪴 LET'S TALK

Houseplant Tinder

Not all houseplants are created equal, just like not all relationships are a match made in heaven.

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But if houseplants were dating profiles, what would they say?

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The Snake Plant (Sansevieria): Independent, low-maintenance and thrives on neglect. Perfect if you’re emotionally unavailable but still want commitment.

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The Monstera: Bold, dramatic, and always growing. Will take up a lot of space in your life, but will look amazing while doing it.

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The Fiddle Leaf Fig: Gorgeous but high maintenance. Demands attention and the perfect environment to thrive. Proceed with caution.

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The Pothos: The ultimate ride-or-die plant. Will stick with you through anything, even if you forget about it for a week or two.

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The Venus Flytrap: If you're into drama, this one's for you. High risk, high reward, just don’t cross it.

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Let me know if I missed anything...

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Swipe right on your next plant based on what you're looking for in a relationship. Who knows? Maybe you and your Monstera will be the next great love story.

Plant Of The Week

Anthurium Clarinervium

This little guy has his own Valentine’s Day charm (look at it real hard and you’ll also see the heart shape). Its Anthurium variety, meaning its great for rare houseplant collectors and especially as a gift for this week.

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▸ You can order it here (UK only) 👉 https://collabs.shop/tm0qze​

Use code SHEFFIELDMADEPLANTS for a further 10% discount.

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Products I use to keep my plants strong and healthy

▸ Amazon UK 👈

▸ Amazon USA 👈

📹 Watch & Grow: This Week On YouTube

👉 I Stopped Killing Orchids Once I Knew This​

👉 The Clever Reason Smart Gardeners Don't Use Soil​

Did you know?

Here’s a catch about the Hoya Kerrii: Most of the single-leaf versions sold around Valentine’s will never grow into a full plant unless they have a bit of stem attached. So, while it’s a cute symbol of love, it might not be the most long-term relationship… kind of ironic for a romantic holiday.

Houseplant Digest is brought to you by Houseplant SOS, my self-paced online course teaching you how to grow A+ houseplants and avoid all of the guesswork (that’ll cost you unnecessary time and money!)

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If you want 1-on-1 help with your houseplants, click here and book in a consultation with me.