Mimic the plant's native environment! Your “houseplant” is just a normal plant somewhere in the world! Most plants that have been cultivated for the houseplant industry are beautiful tropicals, native to areas that are consistently warm and humid. We can keep these plants inside because we keep our houses fairly warm and in Charleston, we stay nice and humid too! If you are having a hard time caring for a certain plant… do a little research. For example, the bird of paradise is native to areas of Africa and thrives in the heat and sun. Indoors, these plants need very bright light to be happy! Think of a sunroom or right in front of a large, south facing window. On the other hand, peace lilies can be found on the forest floor of Central and South American rainforests! They stay moist from the constant rain and shaded by larger canopy trees. Due to these conditions, indoors, peace lilies need lots of water and can tolerate less light! Picture a bedroom or office corner with a window nearby. Knowing where your plant comes from and doing your best to mimic that environment will keep your plant happy and healthy!
2. It’s better to underwater than to overwater your houseplants! Now, don’t take this as an excuse to never water your plants! However if you are keeping your plant’s soil constantly wet, the plant is susceptible to root rot and more prone to pests. These issues are difficult and time consuming to fix whereas an under watered plant will bounce back with increased watering. The ultimate goal is to find the perfect watering schedule to help your plants thrive.
3. Thoroughly water your plant every time you water! Speaking of watering schedules… you don’t need to follow one. Different plants all have different needs and watering requirements will vary based on external conditions like light and wind (vents, fans, etc.) You may hear people say “water your plants once a week” and while that’s a reasonable estimate, it’s not going to be true for every plant in your collection! On average, you should check your plants weekly. But, your peace lily may want water every 5 days and your snake plant only every 15. The frequency of watering varies between species so it’s more important to think about the amount of water you’re giving your plants! Every plant wants to be thoroughly watered until water is running out of the drainage hole every single time. A splash of water in your pothos every 7 days does nothing for the roots deep in the soil doing all the hard work! This is your sign to stress less about your watering schedule and give more attention to properly watering your houseplants!
Owning and caring for plants is rewarding for many reasons. The physical act of caring for your plants creates structure in an otherwise hectic world and there are even proven benefits associated with reduced stress and improved mood. If these houseplant tips helped you, come by this week and grab your first (or twelfth) houseplant! We can’t wait to help you find the perfect plant for your space and schedule!
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