Keep Those Plants Alive! — Plant Care 101
So you’ve vowed to never kill another house plant—Hearing how easy and low-maintenance succulents are to care for, you pick up that cute $4 one on a whim…But even that ends up shriveling up and you’re convinced you’re cursed. Did you under-water it? Over-water? Put it too far away from the window? Too close? If you’re determined to have a house full of lush greens, get started by learning the basics in plant care. You got this!
First things first, if your plant came in a tiny flimsy plastic liner with roots shooting out of the soil and through the drainage holes you might want to start off by re-potting. If you’re sizing up, don’t go any bigger than 2-3” or your plant might not have a big enough root system to soak up all the water you give it. If the soil keeps damp for too long, you could end up with root rot. When you’re repotting, add a coffee filter to the bottom before adding your new soil to prevent soil from washing out when you water. Be sure to get the right soil for the plant, I use Miracle Grow Potting Mix for most of my plants and Miracle Grow Cactus, Palm, and Citrus Potting Mix for my cacti and succulents.
Make sure when you pick a planter you get one with a drainage hole so standing water doesn’t get trapped at the bottom of your pot. If you’re really set on a pot but it doesn’t have a drainage hole, don’t worry, you have a few options! Drill a hole yourself if you can manage to do it without cracking the pot, or you can put some rocks at the bottom before adding your soil. I like to pot my plants in plastic liners and just set those into the pretty decorative planter so I can easily pull them out and take them to the sink or tub when I’m watering. This also gets rid of the need for a drip tray.
Watering may be the trickiest part about trying to keep your plant alive and thriving. Some people like to get on a schedule with weekly waterings, but this doesn’t always work with all the different plants you may have. Every plant is different and how often you water yours will depend on the type of plant, the amount of light it gets, the temperature and humidity of the room, and how big or small the pot is.
Generally, I go around once a week and check the soil 1-2” deep to see if it’s dried out. If it’s a cactus or a more hardy succulent, I’ll let the soil completely dry out in between waterings, usually watering them every few weeks. If your plants are turning brown and crispy or the soil is pulling away from the sides of the pot, you might need to give it some water. But overwatering can be a problem too (and the cause of root rot), if it’s turning yellow and getting soft and soggy, give it some time between waterings.
I like to take all my plants to my bath tub (or sink if I’m just doing a few smaller plants) and thoroughly water them, letting the water soak in and the excess drain into the tub before returning them to their spots around my home. If you have drip trays under your planters, you can water them right where they are, leaving a small amount of drained water in the tray for a bit so the plant can absorb as much as it needs, and then dumping the excess water out so the plant doesn’t sit in standing water long-term. Try not to wet the leaves when you’re watering and use warm water, it absorbs better.
If you have tropical plants or ones that need a little extra humidity, misting is a great way to quench them. Plus how cute is this mister?? You can also group plants together to try to create a little more humidity.
Know how much light your plant needs. Does it like direct or indirect light, high or low? This might be something you have to play around with a little. If you feel like you’re doing everything right but your plant is still dying, try moving it closer to a window that gets plenty of sunlight. If it looks like a plant is getting scorched, move it into a spot that gets less direct light. Once you find a good home for it, try to let it acclimate, it can be a slow process so don’t move it around too much once you’ve found a spot that it’s thriving in.
Larger plants can get pretty dusty, preventing sunlight from being absorbed, so keep your plant happy and looking good by wiping their leaves from time to time with a damp sponge or a dry cloth. If you notice your plants leaning toward a window, you might need to turn them a couple times a week (depending on how fast they’re growing) to encourage them to grow straight.
Like any other living thing, plants require love and care. Some need more attention than others so find ones that are good matches for you. If you’re still not sure you’re ready to tackle this whole plant thing, start out with these 9 Plants that You Can Absolutely Handle. 😊
Good luck friends!
