Gardener's World presenter Monty Don explains why you need to keep houseplants in the bathroom only

Monty Don has explained why plant lovers need to be keeping their houseplants in the bathroom in his latest advice column of April 2024. The Gardener's World presenter said that there are a few mistakes people make when looking after their houseplants.

They can be an easy way to brighten up your home with greenery, but unfortunately far too many people overwater them.

However, as Monty goes on to explain, most people tend to overwater the roots, but underwater the air. What this means is, a lot of emphasis is placed on watering the plants, but not enough on spraying them with water.

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Monty writes : "However the single most useful thing is to get hold of a really good mist sprayer holding at least a litre of water and with a trigger action. Use this twice a day to give your plants a really good spray so the foliage is running with moisture."

However, the issue with this is that it creates humidity in the air. If you're living in an older home without much ventilation, this could cause mould or damage furnishings.

As a result, Monty explains, a bathroom or kitchen is more suitable than a living room, as they have better ventilation in the form of extractor fans. Many tend to keep windows open in bathrooms or kitchens too after showing or cooking, meaning there is a lower chance of mould.

Plus, the additional steam from showers or cooking could help your plants get some moisture.

Monty also explained that it's generally best to keep houseplants out of direct sunlight in a cooler spot, rather than under a bright window above a radiator.