Need light? Need more plants?

[Ivy_Lover]

I'm a newbie to the forums. I am a long time outdoor gardener but only started growing plants indoors about two years ago. So far, I'm having the best of beginners luck with African violets and English ivy. Almost every plant I have has ended up in the formal living room, as it's the only dog & cat-free zone in the house. The living room faces north and has a wide, but short double window and a 9 foot wide by 5 foot tall picture window. The picture window doesn't provide as much light as you would think because I have to keep the sheers drawn to prevent bird strikes. A five LED light fixture and a full-spectrum bird light, directed at my flight cage, are on in this room most of the day. The green occupants of the LR are a pothos, a snake plant, an out-of-control lucky bamboo, three English ivys, and a large African violet.
This morning I ordered a plant stand to place against the wall section between the windows. Not only do the ivys need more room to spread out but I have three more African violets and two Christmas cacti that will need to move out of east facing windows before the summer sun returns.
Will the Christmas cacti be happy sharing the plant stand with the ivy? Any suggestions for other houseplants that won't mind sharing the space? TIA

 

[Marck]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

Both Christmas/Thanksgiving Cacti (Schlumbergera spp.) and African Violets (Section Saintpaulia of Streptocarpus ) can take morning sun, an east-facing window should be fine. My Schlumbergera take direct sun most of the day outdoors year-round.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Hi, welcome to the forum. I'm not an indoor plant expert of any sort I am afraid, so I don't have anything much to offer in the way of advice, but don't worry, I expect someone will be along shortly. Meanwhile, good to meet you.

Marck came along while I was writing, they are on it here

 

[Ivy_Lover]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

Both Christmas/Thanksgiving Cacti (Schlumbergera spp.) and African Violets (Section Saintpaulia of Streptocarpus ) can take morning sun, an east-facing window should be fine. My Schlumbergera take direct sun most of the day outdoors year-round.

Good to know. Thank you. Of course, now I have no excuse for needing to buy more houseplants to fill the empty spaces I was going create in my husband's office window and the kitchen window by moving the violets and cacti.

 

[cpp gardener]

You could put most Philodendrons in either location and they would do fine. Also most Dracaenas.

 

[Ivy_Lover]

You could put most Philodendrons in either location and they would do fine. Also most Dracaenas.

Thank you.