In the modern home we live into today houseplants do have a place and can serve the dual purpose of cleaning air and/or adding some beauty and life to a room. What if you’re just getting started and want to begin growing planting in a room. Let’s run through a few questions you need to ask yourself before putting in any houseplants.

To get started pick a room then how would you characterize the overall environment of the room? It’s important to remember you are providing an “environment” for your plants. Just as you want to create a good learning or home environment for your lifestyle or family, houseplants need an environment where they can flourish.

Three questions to help zero in on your rooms growing conditions:

• What’s the lighting in the room? Sunny, partially lit or dark.
• What’s the micro-climate in the room? Is the room cold, cool, warm or hot in the summer and winter?
• Is the air in general moist or dry in the summer and what about the winter?

For example, bright areas with lots of sun year round a Ficus, Dracaena or a Palm may be just the ticket. In rooms with lower light other Dracaenas or Aglaonemas may be a better choice.

Answering these questions will go a long way to helping you discover if your room is right for plants and what plants will do well in that space.