Our Top 5 Plant Care Tips
1. When it comes to water, less is more.
We often hear that people kill their supposedly 'easy care' plants, and the culprit is most often overwatering!
Too much, too often can lead to root rot in many plants. Less is more! Here is a good way to check if the soil is still moist:
-
Stick your finger about two inches into the soil
-
If soil sticks to your finger...it's moist!
-
Wait a few more days for watering.
Unfortunatley there's no set schedule for watering - it depends on many factors. How much light your plant receives, the temperature of your home, time of year and often the type of pot will effect how fast your soil dries out. Once you've had your plant for a while, it will be easier to note the pattern, and you can figure out a watering schedule that best suits your plant and it's new environment - your home!
Click HERE to view our blog post and video on proper watering practices.
2. Shop for plants based on your space.
It's always tempting to just buy any and every plant! However, plants, just like people, have different needs and care requirements.
It's always best to shop plants based on your home environment. Ask yourself these questions:
-
How much light does my home get?
-
What direction are my windows facing?
-
Is my home humid or dry?
Making sure you are purchasing the right plant for your space will make you and your new plant happier.
3. Drainage is key.
When it comes time to pot or repot your plant, we always suggest using pots with drainage. This helps to avoid having water pool at the bottom of your pot, possibly leading to root rot and other issues. Most plant roots don't like to have 'wet feet' (aka constantly wet roots), so drainage holes in your pot help water to drain through.
If you still really really want to pot your plant into that decorative pot with no drainage, it's still an option. We suggest using clay pebbles or lava rocks, to help with drainage. This way the rocks or pebbles absorb a bit of the water and help to keep the roots from sitting in it. You just need to be especially cautious of overwatering with this method!
4. Water Quality.
The quality of your water is just as important as your watering habits.
Many plants are sensitive to the chemicals in tap water and can develop brown tips, or brown scorchmarks from water high in flouride and other chemicals. Distilled water is best, another option is to let your tap water sit out overnight or an entire day. This will help the flouride settle to the bottom,and bring the water to room temperature.
Room temperature or lukewarm water is best, your plants will not receive a cold shock from watering, plus it absorbs into the soil much better than cold.
5. Spend time with your plants.
It's not hard for plants to instantly beautify your space. That look requires some maintenance though!
Here are a few things you can put into your plant care rotation:
-
Wipe the leaves with warm water and a cotton cloth weekly - especially plants with larger leaves. This keeps them free of dust and able to absorb more of that fresh sunlight
-
Shower your plants monthly. A good shower cleans the leaves and rinses out the soil. This helps to keep pests away, and can wash out any eggs that may have been in the soil. Showering is especially good after bringing your plants inside from your patio.
-
Most plants enjoy a light misting every now and then. Making sure the leaves aren't dry and dusty is a great deterent for pests like spider mites.
-
Aerate your soil. After a while, does your soil look like a solid puck? It's definitely time to aerate! Chopsticks are a great tool for aerating - use it to gently poke the soil to loosen it up. This allows the plant to receive more oxygen, the roots can breath, and the water will be more easily absorbed.
​