Plant Care: Q&A with Kelly from Malone's Greenhouse


It’s no secret that House of Nomad is CRAZY about plants! Last weekend we hosted our first ever Potting Party and collaborated with our friends at Malone’s Greenhouse to create a plant care guide that gives the tricks of the trade for plants from low to high maintenance, with tips on how often to water, what kind of light each plant needs and more. Click here for the FREE, printable guide!

For those wanting to take an even deeper dive into plants, check out this Q&A with Kelly from Malone’s. We’ve been longtime fans of Malone’s and not only did she teach our Potting Party — but you can often find a member of our team scouring their rows of gorgeous plants for clients! Here’s the inside look on our talk with Kelly — and her fantastic knowledge of plant care.

Q: Do you put your plants in the shower to water them?

A: “If you come up to me and say I’m thirsty and I throw a cup of water at you, it wouldn’t really fix the situation. That’s what it is like when you just pour water on a plant. I like to put my plants in the shower and set them down in water and gently mist them. It cleans off the dust and gives them a good drink of water.”

Q: What’s your go-to house plant recommendation?

A: “If you are looking for an easy plant to start with — snake plants and aloe are wonderful, both low light and low water and both purify the air.”

Q: What plant requires the least water?

A: “The snake plant is the lowest water requiring plant, that’s why they are really easy! For a 4” pot, you can water every couple weeks or for a 6-8” pot — just once a month. The bigger the pot, the longer it takes to dry out. One tip, snakes don’t like cold or moisture on leaves so don’t mist them. They’re also great because they naturally purify the air!”


Q: How do you care for a fiddle leaf fig?

A: “Let it get completely dry before you water it, but when you do water you want to soak it. They need bright light, and can handle a bit of morning sun or late evening sun but no middle of the day (11 to to 3 p.m.). Try a south or west facing window, which are the brightest and warmest.

Q: Any tips on troubleshooting the right amount of water for fiddle leaf figs?

A: “Fiddles tell you if they are over or under watered! If the very edges of leaves turn brown — it is too dry. It means they are pulling moisture from ends of tips of plants. But if it get black splotches on the leaves, that means too much water. Try a moisture reader to maintain proper moisture.”

Q: How do you help your cactus to thrive?

A: “Make sure to not overwater, especially if they are not in bright sun. For a 2” to 4” pot, water once a week; for a 6” to 8” pot, water every couple weeks; for 10” pot, water once a month. Also, they do best in full sun (kept right in the windowsills), they can handle bright light instead.”

Q: Do cacti really have a winter season?

A: “Yes! In the wintertime, you will only water only once or twice! This is where many people go wrong, continuing on in their regular watering schedule and their succulents rot during colder months.”

Q: How do you know when to repot a cactus?

A: “For cacti, you don’t have to repot until they are so large they are outgrowing the container. As a general rule, once you pot a cactus it can stay in the same pot for several years.”

Q: How can you tell if a plant is still alive?

A: “If you ever have a plant and wonder if it is salvageable or not, use your fingernail to scrape the bark and see if it’s green inside.”

Q: What plants purify the air?

A: “Someone told me their husband was snoring and the doctor told them to buy a snake plant and put it in their room! It adds oxygen to the air and helps them to sleep better. Another great plant to purify the air is a spider plant.”

Q: What’s the story behind the flying saucer plant?

A: “The Chinese Penny Plant has become so popular — it’s also called a flyer saucer plant because it looks like a saucer flying in the sky. Penny plants do not like the cold. The first year we had that one, we were afraid to put it in the sun and leaves turned yellow because they got too much water. We moved them to a warmer, sunnier spot and they jumped and started growing. They need a bright, warm and sunny spot. Let them get dry before you water them."

Q: How should you pot ferns?

A: “Plant ferns in a pot without a drain hole in the bottom. While most plants need a hole to drain, ferns need to stay really moist. You can even plant perennial maidenhair ferns outside in Charlotte! They do well outside.”

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Q: Do you have any go-to house plants specific to the spring and summer?

A: “A hanging pitcher plant helps with the fruit flies in the summer! Place one in your kitchen or near a trashcan and within a couple of days, the plant takes care of the pesky problems!”

Thanks to Kelly for her plant advice and all the life her plant babies have added to our designs — and for teaching on last weekend’s Potting Party at our Studio!

For daily plant design inspo, follow along with Malone’s Greenhouse!

And don’t forget to check out the FREE Plant Care Guide we created with Malone’s, just download and print!