Keeping Your Houseplants Alive: How To

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So you’ve taken on the journey of buying your first houseplant, or maybe this is take two after your first plant endured a heartbreaking demise…

Well, don’t worry because it has happened to the best of us. Plants can be finicky if they don’t receive precise conditions. But we’re going to go over every step I take to keep my plants happy and healthy, so let’s jump right in!

How often should I water my plant? And how much sunlight does it need? The answer is, it depends. For me, it took trial and error to figure out how much water or sunlight they need, what type of soil is best. Of course research helps and hearing other peoples experience is necessary, but sometimes you just start somewhere and go from there!

I was able to avoid any pest problems for about 2 years of having indoor plants.. Until I brought home the worst plant in existence.. okay that may be a bit dramatic but I’m still a bit traumatized. I brought home a large croton one summer because I loves the fun, colorful leaves. Little did I know that this plant would become a nightmare for several reasons.

This thing thrived during the summer in my sunroom, it got tons of sun and liked to be watered often. Then in the winter when it didn’t get as much sun and I failed to provide it with an adequate amount of water the leaves would shrivel up a bit and sometimes fall off. I was so preoccupied trying to keep it happy that I didn’t notice that there was a spider mite infestation until it had gotten reaaal bad.

I was able to get rid of those pesty spider mites by isolating it, and spraying it with a mixture of about 95% water and 5% alcohol. I had to spray it multiple times per day for several days, then wipe down the leaves to get rid of them all. If you have access to a hose, spraying down the leaves should work well also.

• Watering

You’ll eventually get a good gauge on the amount of time to wait between each watering. But the method that hasn’t failed me it to just stick my finger in the soil. If the first 2 inches are dry, then it’s probably time to water your plant!

Some plants prefer soil to dry out a bit longer between waterings, like the Zz, while others, like the Pinstripe Calathea, prefer the soil to stay a bit moist.

If you want to look up the watering schedule for each of your plants and easily keep track, the PictureThis app can provide guidance and send you reminders when it’s time to water.

• Temperature

Just as the watering schedule can differ between each plant, temperature can as well. Many houseplants cannot withstand cold temperatures, and usually prefer warmer environments.

Monsteras, for example, are tropical natives, and typically prefer a temperature between 65F - 85F. So I wouldn’t recommend sticking this beauty outside during a Midwest winter. If you decide to use the PictureThis app, you can find a temperature guide for each plant on there as well, if not, a quick google search will get you your answer as well.

• Repotting

Repotting your plants can be necessary for several reasons, typically being, either your plant has outgrown its pot, or you’ve just brought home a new plant!

You can usually tell that your plant needs a new pot if it is root bound, meaning, if there are holes in the bottom of the pot, the roots are likely stick out of the holes. Or, if you were to remove the plant from the pot, there would be many visible roots that have pretty much taken over the space and have taken shape of the pot.

If you’ve had a plant that has been in the same pot for a couple of years, this has likely outgrown its current home as well.

When it comes to new pots, you don’t want to buy a huge planter just because it was cute and you had to have it. Typically, the best route is to increase the pot size by one to two inches. So if your plant is in a 4-inch pot, opt for a 5 or 6-inch pot.

It’s best for your plant to be in a pot with a hole underneath to allow proper drainage when watering, the last thing your plant wants is to have its roots sitting in a puddle of water.

If you found a beautiful ceramic pot with no drainage holes, you have a couple of options, either pot your plant in a plastic pot with holes, that then fits inside the ceramic pot, or you can place some pebbles, or gravel at the bottom of the ceramic pot before placing the plant inside, to allow for drainage.

• Soil

The right soil mixture is very important for plant survival! If there is one thing you do, don’t let the plant you bought at a big box store stay in that soil! Many stores that sell plants will use any basic gardening soil (probably the cheapest) and it typically is not the most beneficial.

The key is having the right mixture for proper drainage and to allow the roots to still receive oxygen even after being watered.

So, there is not an exact science to this (well.. there probably is) but around here we just eyeball it. I typically go for about 60% potting soil to 40% perlite. You could also trade the perlite for vermiculite. The Perlite/Vermiculite will provide proper drainage and oxygen for the roots.

• Light

Of course this will be different for each plant, but I think it needs to be said that you should never put a plant in a dark corner that sees no sun, even for a snake or zz plant. All plants need at least some sun!

That being said, most indoor plants do not want too much direct sun. More than 5 hours of direct sun will likely be too much for an indoor plants and may burn the leaves.

Windows that receive the morning sunlight can be best, as the sun is not as harsh in the morning.

If you don’t receive much light in your home, or have a darker area that you want to place a plant, grow light stands are a good option to supplement for sun, or for a more subtle option, grow light bulbs that you can replace the regular bulbs with in your existing lamp.

• Pets

Combining houseplants and pets can be tricky. There are many houseplants that are poisonous to both humans and pets. It is best to lean on the safe side and do your research on which plants are poisonous if you have cats or dogs, or young kids for that matter.

I have two cats myself, and as cats notoriously love to chew on grass, I should have known that my Parlor Palm wouldn’t bode well as it has thin and stringy leaves similar to grass. Luckily, this plant is considered non-toxic, but my cat decided that those leaves were not going to stay in his stomach so I had a fun little clean up time and haven’t brought home a palm since.

Aside from stringy, grass-like leaves, my cats tend to leave my plants alone thankfully. But to err on the edge of caution. I like to place pet-toxic plants on those few shelves that the cats can’t reach.

• Pests

Whew, we’ve gotten to the most fun part, pests!! I was lucky to not have any pest issues for the first few years of having plants. I can tell you from experience that this is not a fun problem to have. So lets rule out pests before they become a problem!

To avoid a pest whole fiasco, I would recommend regularly misting your tropical plants, and I like to use Neem Oil, diluted with water as per the instructions, and wipe down the plant leaves. I typically only get around to doing this once per month. This is an insecticide that will keep the pests away, and will make your plants leaves shiny and clean of dust.

You can also use granules as a systemic insect control option that can be placed either on top of the soil or mixed within.

It’s also good practice to check for pests on plants at the nursery to avoid bringing any home.

• Humidity

Tropical plants tend to prefer a more humid environment, and some of them may suffer in a dryer home. Each plant is different, but this comes with a few easy fixes.

One option would be to spray your plants with a mister every day, which doubles as a cute and decorative item! I like using a mister because it’s small and therefore takes up little space, and it looks nice near my plants!

Another is to make a pebble tray. You can use a plant saucer for this or even a metal tray, layer with small rocks, fill with water just enough so that the water isn’t above the rocks and place your plant on top.

Your third option is to buy a humidifier, which would be more consistent if it’s running regularly. This is a good option if you don’t want to spend time misting your plants regularly. Although this is more beneficial if you have multiple plants in one area that would benefit from a humidifier.

All are good options so whatever you choose should keep your plants happy!

• Fertilizer

Last but not least, fertilizer! The best times to fertilize your plants starts at the beginning of spring, when the growing season starts!

You have a few options for fertilizers here as well.

• Liquid - typically use every 2-4 weeks

• Granular - 1-3 months based on the brand

• Slow-Release - up to 6 months

Liquid fertilizer will need to be diluted with water. Just follow the directions on the product label. And make sure whichever you choose is meant for indoor plants.

I personally use organic concentrated liquid plant food. It does have a bit of a funky smell but you only need to use a small amount diluted in water so it lasts a long time. I’ve had it for about a year and a half and still have over half the bottle left.

You can fertilize your plants through the growing season, which typically ends in late summer.