Most houseplants will thrive in a draught-free, well-lit spot, out of direct sunlight.
Wait until compost has almost dried out before watering. Apply from the top of plants and allow excess liquid to drain away.
When in flower, feed plants weekly with a liquid fertiliser high in potash.
Spray ferns and bromeliads with water daily.
Keep plants looking good by deadheading flowers and cutting off damaged, dying or yellowing leaves.
Plants will grow better with clean leaves. Remove dust with damp cotton wool.
If growth is pale and spindly, put plants in a lighter spot.
Control pests, such as mealy bug, woolly aphid and scale insects by rubbing off with damp cotton wool. Cut off growth damaged by red spider mite and deter them by regularly misting plants with water to raise humidity.

Plants don't come cheap and it pays do some homework before you go shopping. You'll save money by making sure you get the best plants that are right for your garden.
Have a clear idea of what you want to buy or you'll end up spending more than you originally intended.
Research what will do well in your garden - buy the right plant for the right place and it will thrive.
Don't buy on impulse unless you have a space for it.
Save money by buying smaller plants. Many perennials or shrubs will grow quickly.
Check plants carefully - knock the plant gently out of its pot and look at the roots. A good plant will fill the pot but the roots won't be tightly pot bound.
If the plant is in flower make sure it matches the picture on the label.
Leaves should be healthy and not have holes, discolouration or ragged edges.
Search through a batch of plants until you find an attractively shaped specimen and avoid those with broken stems or branches.

Asparagus, ‘the queen of vegetables’, is highly prized for its delicate taste: mellow, earthy, verdant, seductive, luxurious, full of hope for the days of brightness and sunshine ahead – in fact, almost like springtime itself.
The vegetable has been in and out of favour over the centuries, but has become immensely fashionable in the last ten years, particularly in the last two. Its increased popularity may be because it is no longer perceived as an ‘upper-class’ vegetable. Asparagus features regularly in cookery sections of women’s magazines, possibly spurred on by a growing interest in healthy eating - asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid and vitamins, and is low in fat, calories and carbohydrates. Whatever the reason, the vegetable has become more accessible.

When soil is waterlogged, plants literally drown. Water fills all the air spaces between the soil particles and this prevents oxygen from reaching the roots. In turn, this causes the soil to stagnate and prevents root growth. Symptoms:
plants may look like they need water because symptoms include yellowing leaves that wither and drop off. Wilting of the plant may also occur
the surface of the soil is soaking wet with puddles on it
when lifted, the plant roots are black, soft and soggy, and the soil smells of rotten eggs
plant growth is stunted or plants fail to sprout and shoots die back