Sharing tips about easy methods to not kill your houseplant and hold indoor crops alive and thriving!
The Pilot says I used to have a gangrene thumb. I used to be the one who’d stroll via the plant store and crops would immediately recoil in concern that I’d carry them dwelling. The unfortunate chosen ones had been introduced into our home, uncared for, and lived a tragic, but fast, demise.
With an enormous studying curve, over previous handful of years, I’ve actually turned issues round! We now have a full backyard with a number of herbs and veggies, a number of thriving indoor houseplants, and the legendary Frida, our 10 ft-ish fiddle leaf fig.
Houseplants could make such a distinction in dwelling decor and the general vibe of the home! They may help purify air and also can add extra model and character to your property. Vegetation naturally develop within the wild however you’ll be able to recreate a plant’s pure habitat indoors. At this time, I’m sharing some ideas that may assist my horticulturally challenged pals on the market kiss their black thumb goodbye and hold your crops alive thriving inside your houses.
How To not Kill Your Houseplant
Selecting crops properly
Don’t be afraid to begin with an “simpler” plant, like a succulent, lavender, aloe, cacti, spider plant, or my fave straightforward plant, the Coronary heart leaf Philodendron. This submit has a listing of widespread houseplants. Take a look at the tag to see how a lot daylight and water they want and plan accordingly for the kind of care that’s required. Succulents and cacti want little or no water (an excessive amount of may give them moist ft and soggy roots), whereas aloe wants a bit extra, and the Coronary heart leaf Philodendron likes to dry out just a little after which be fully drenched.
Put crops in the fitting spot
Daylight is a crucial issue, as some crops want a number of solar and others don’t want a lot in any respect. Earlier than making your buy, try the tag of the plant or do a fast google search to see how a lot mild they like. Our fiddle leaf fig loves being in a big south-facing window, which receives hours of oblique solar. Different crops in the home do effectively with oblique solar from numerous home windows. Whenever you carry your plant dwelling, place it into its spot in the identical pot you introduced dwelling from the nursery. This fashion it might probably get used to its new atmosphere earlier than experiencing the stress of repotting.
Select the fitting pot
Verify the underside the pot and guarantee that it has a drainage gap. You need to be certain the soil can drain, in any other case you could expertise root rot. When you actually love the pot you need to use but it surely doesn’t have a drainage gap, you’ll be able to place the plant in its plastic pot within the bigger pot. This fashion, you’ll be able to take away the plant to water and drain, then put it again into its ornamental pot.
Preserve crops nourished
Hunt down fertilizer in your plant and use this twice a yr. I like to do that within the spring and fall. I’ll usually lurk Amazon critiques or ask somebody on the plant store what they suggest. Many crops don’t find yourself needing fertilizer, however it might probably make a distinction within the general well being and progress of the plant.
Keep away from overwatering and underwatering
In all probability my #1 tip for crops is to make use of a water meter. That is one of the simplest ways to inform in case your crops want water! Many individuals imagine in giving their crops a little bit of water day-after-day, however the technique that’s labored greatest for me is to attend for them to dry out just a little (a 2-3 on the water meter) after which a drench the heck out of them. Right here is the water meter that I exploit! Additionally, crops love showers if you wish to water them within the bathe!
Cleansing dusty leaves
When the leaves are dusty, it makes it tougher to soak up daylight and for photosynthesis to happen. Use a mister and a paper towel or comfortable fabric to softly clear the leaves. I’ve heard of individuals utilizing neem oil (and even mayonnaise!) to wash their plant’s leaves, however I discover that good ol’ filtered water works the very best.
Use sharp scissors for reducing lifeless leaves / branches
Don’t be afraid to chop off lifeless leaves or branches. Additionally in case your plant has any brown spots on the leaves, you’ll be able to gently trim this utilizing a pair of scissors. Once I was first getting used to caring for our fiddle leaf fig, I had some brown spots that the plant was always utilizing its power to attempt to restore. My nana instructed me to chop off the brown spots on the edges of the leaves, and it made an enormous distinction.
Use synthetic lights as wanted
When you discover that your plant isn’t getting sufficient daylight or may have an additional enhance, you need to use a develop mild at dwelling. Amazon has so many of those!
Rotate crops recurrently
This fashion your plant gained’t have an apparent back and front, however as a substitute will keep rising upright and can look good on all sides. I prefer to rotate my bigger crops each three months.
Groom your crops
Check out your crops and ensure to trim off any lifeless leaves, take away any mushrooms (an indication of wholesome soil), and trim them as wanted in the event that they begin to get out of hand. 
Handle root rot as wanted
When you discover that your plant is trying soggy, dropping leaves, yellowing or brown leaves regardless of common watering, it could have root rot. It is a useful submit with indicators that your plant might have root rot and what you are able to do about it. In might instances, you’ll be able to completely rescue your plant from root rot.
Verify for pests
Verify your crops from pests (listed here are some widespread ones!) and handle accordingly by eradicating the pests and cleansing the leaves.
Filter your water
This looks like it wouldn’t make a distinction, but it surely has completely helped with the leaves of a few of our crops. Even if you happen to don’t filter for normal watering, strive utilizing filtered water to wash the leaves. Our water in Tucson is extraordinarily onerous, so once I switched to Berkey filtered water for the leaves, the crops began to look a lot more healthy.
Give them consideration… however not an excessive amount of consideration.
It is a large one. At first I needed to provide my crops ALL the eye. I watered them each day, performed Michael Bublé, and seems that’s a good way to assassinate your houseplant. So, I water after they dry out, clear the leaves, after which in any other case, play it cool. 😉 I like having an oasis of of pleased flourishing crops.
What plant ideas am I lacking? Are you a inexperienced thumb or a plant killer?
Have an exquisite day and I’ll see ya tomorrow with a trend submit 🙂
xoxo
Gina
Extra:
Learn how to maintain your fiddle leaf fig
