Sharing tips about tips on how to not kill your houseplant and maintain indoor crops alive and thriving!
The Pilot says I used to have a gangrene thumb. I used to be the one that’d stroll via the plant store and crops would immediately recoil in worry that I might convey them house. 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 house decor and the general vibe of the home! They will help purify air and may add extra fashion and character to your property. Crops naturally develop within the wild however you’ll be able to recreate a plant’s pure habitat indoors. In the present day, I’m sharing some suggestions that may assist my horticulturally challenged associates on the market kiss their black thumb goodbye and maintain your crops alive thriving inside your properties.
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 simple plant, the Coronary heart leaf Philodendron. This publish has an inventory of standard houseplants. Try 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 can provide them moist toes and soggy roots), whereas aloe wants a bit extra, and the Coronary heart leaf Philodendron likes to dry out slightly after which be fully drenched.
Put crops in the best spot
Daylight is a essential issue, as some crops want a whole lot 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 gentle 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 varied home windows. If you convey your plant house, place it into its spot in the identical pot you introduced house from the nursery. This fashion it could get used to its new surroundings earlier than experiencing the stress of repotting.
Select the best pot
Examine the underside the pot and make it possible for it has a drainage gap. You need to be sure the soil can drain, in any other case you might expertise root rot. In the event you actually love the pot you need to use however it doesn’t have a drainage gap, you’ll be able to place the plant in its plastic pot inside 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.
Hold crops nourished
Search out a great fertilizer on your plant and use this twice a 12 months. I like to do that within the spring and fall. I’ll usually lurk Amazon evaluations or ask somebody on the plant store what they advocate. Many crops don’t find yourself needing fertilizer, however it could make a distinction within the general well being and development of the plant.
Keep away from overwatering and underwatering
Most likely 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 consider in giving their crops a little bit of water daily, however the methodology that’s labored greatest for me is to attend for them to dry out slightly (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 delicate 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 perfect.
Use sharp scissors for chopping 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. After I was first getting used to caring for our fiddle leaf fig, I had some brown spots that the plant was continuously utilizing its vitality to attempt to restore. My nana advised me to chop off the brown spots on the edges of the leaves, and it made an enormous distinction.
Use synthetic lights as wanted
In the event you discover that your plant isn’t getting sufficient daylight or may have an additional increase, you should use a develop gentle at house. Amazon has so many of those!
Rotate crops frequently
This fashion your plant received’t have an apparent back and front, however as a substitute will keep rising upright and can look good on all sides. I wish 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
In the event 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 publish 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.
Examine for pests
Examine your crops from pests (listed below are some frequent ones!) and tackle accordingly by eradicating the pests and cleansing the leaves.
Filter your water
This looks as if it wouldn’t make a distinction, however it has completely helped with the leaves of a few of our crops. Even in the event you don’t filter for normal watering, strive utilizing filtered water to wash the leaves. Our water in Tucson is extraordinarily arduous, 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 wished to provide my crops ALL the eye. I watered them each day, performed Michael Bublé, and seems that’s an effective 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 glad flourishing crops.
What plant suggestions am I lacking? Are you a inexperienced thumb or a plant killer?
Have a beautiful day and I’ll see ya tomorrow with a style publish 🙂
xoxo
Gina
Extra:
Learn how to maintain your fiddle leaf fig
