Guide to Houseplants
Filling your home with live plants has so many benefits: they lower stress, improve air quality, help you focus better, and so much more. But in order to have a house full of plants, you have to be able to keep them alive! We’re here to help with our guide to houseplants. We’ll tell you what plants to get, how often to water, and what to do if your plant starts to die.
Which Plants to Choose
There are quite a few different plants that are favorites around our office. Here’s a short list:
• Succulents
• Devil’s ivy
• Pothos ivy
• Philodendron varieties (monstera is a favorite)
• Cacti
• Air plants
• Snake plants
Most of these only need to be watered once a week, and in some cases, even less often. Go to your local nursery and ask them to show you around at the different varieties in each of these categories. Succulents are known to be some of the easiest plants to care for, so you could create your own succulent garden, or if you want something bigger, look for aloe vera or a large cactus.
Caring For Your Plants
Most of the plants listed above are more low-maintenance, meaning they don’t need to (and shouldn’t) be watered every day. They also need good drainage, so make sure you pot in containers with drainage holes in the bottom so your plants aren’t sitting in water.
Once a week or so, walk around your house and stick your finger in the top half inch of soil. If it comes out dry, it’s time to water the plant. Give it enough to soak the soil, but don’t go overboard. Let it drain for as long as it needs.
Other than that, make sure your plants are getting enough light and that the air temperature in your home stays mostly constant – if it gets too cold, your plants are going to struggle.
Troubleshooting
Root rot: Sometimes, when leaves turn yellow, it’s normal and nothing to be concerned about. But if you notice a lot of them starting to shrivel and change color, it could be suffering from root rot, which usually happens due to overwatering and/or not enough drainage. Take your plant out of the soil, wash off the roots, and clip off any that are mushy and diseased. Disinfect the container with water and bleach, and then replant in new potting soil. Depending on how many of the roots you had to remove, you might need to clip off some of the leaves too to give it a better chance at survival.
Wilted plants: If your plant starts to look wilted, it’s probably not getting enough light. Move it to a different spot in your home and see how it responds.
Dried up: When leaves are turning brown and drying up, you’re most likely not giving it enough water (but in some cases, it could be from too much water). Trim off the dead parts and adjust your watering schedule and/or amount.
House plants are such a fun way to bring green into the home and make it feel like summer all year round! What are your favorite types of plants for your home?