Beginner Houseplant Care Tips

Houseplant care can get very overwhelming. Especially if you’ve collected a lot of plants within a short amount of time. Don’t worry, because I’m here to teach you my tips and tricks to help you stop killing so many plants. Please know that even with the best care, some plants just die. It happens and we just move on and try again. There are so many plants that make perfect non-fussy houseplants. Then you have some that are so high maintenance that their care stresses you out. This list is just the foundation to get you growing.

Tip #1 Learn the Names of your houseplants

You need to know their names and where they originate in the world. Knowing where a plant comes from will give you clues to its individual care needs. If your a brand new plant parent, I suggest keeping the tags that come with the plant. If you don’t like clutter then I suggest creating a spreadsheet and keeping track that way.

Tip #2 DO YOUR RESEARCH!

Outside of knowing what kind of plants you have, you need to know what they need to survive from the kind of soil they like, how often to water, and what kind of light they thrive in. Each plant family has different care needs and even plants within the same family can have varying care needs.

Tip #3 POTS WITH DRAINAGE HOLES

I know the decorated pots with no drain holes are cute but better safe than a waterlogged dead plant. This is basic house plant care. It’s annoying but necessary. If you’re handy with a drill, you can pop a hole in any cache pot your heart desires.

Tip #4 Fertilize

Fertilizers add extra nutrients to your plants and in turn helps them grow to their full potential. You will want to use the right one for your plants. Not all plants like the same type or strength of fertilizer. While they can get complicated, it’s a basic part of plant care. Your plants won’t die if you don’t use fertilizer, but it definitely helps to grow a strong and healthy plant.

Tip #5 Water your plant properly

Now I’m not talking how often to water, that’s a whole other tip. What I’m saying is to learn how to water properly when you water your plant. The rule is to water until you see water coming out of the drainage hole.

Tip #6 Find the light

I cannot express how important light is to a plant. Plants use light to make food for themselves through a process called Photosynthesis. When you have the right light for your plants, they will be able to thrive. You’ll know your plant isn’t in the right light if it’s not growing, or if parts of it wilt or die.

The most important thing you can do is research, trial and error, and learn from your mistakes.

Happy Gardening,

Ciearra