Most of us love to have little green houseplants in our living space. Sometimes keeping our rooted friends alive takes a little more care than we expect, but fear not! We are here with 5 tips to help keep healthy houseplants.
Drainage!
Your houseplants need the ability to ebb and flow with their water intake. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot you are using and a tray to help collect excess water. This might sound like a simple place to start, but you would be surprised how easy it is to miss this important step. If you have some rocks or pebbles, putting them in the bottom of your potted plant will help with irrigation too.
Are you tired of spending money on plastic water trays? I had extra plastic paper plates from a holiday party that I’ve been using as water trays and they work fantastically. Make sure your plants can release and soak up water as needed and they will likely thrive on their own without much help.
Re-Potting Your Houseplants
Our green friends are constantly growing just like us! As such, they sometimes outgrow their current space and need to be re-potted. If you notice your plant had a surge in growth and then starts getting a little droopy, it probably means it’s ready for a home upgrade.
I like to do as many of my plants at once as possible. This way, I can use the re-use some of the pots I’m taking out for my smaller plants that also need upgraded space. Make sure you give them some new potting soil to help them transition successfully.
Watering While Away
If you are like me, you have a lot of houseplants and a lot of travel plans. Besides asking your human friends for help with your plant friends, there are some creative ways to help keep your plants watered while away. One hack includes getting a cookie sheet (that’s what my Mom calls it, okay??) and placing smaller plants on it, filling the tray up with water so the plants can soak up that good old H2O as needed.
A great hack for larger plants is using water bottles or empty liquor bottles as watering bulbs. All you need to do is wash out the bottles (you don’t want to get your plants drunk), fill them up with clean water and stick them upside down into the soil. This allows the water to drain slowly over time so your plants can distribute as needed.
Lastly, you can use some string and a vase of water to run a syphon to your plant. This method is very slow, but it does work. To do this, make sure your vase of water is elevated higher than the plant. Put one end of the string in the water, using something to weigh it down like tying it to a rock. Take the other end and shove it deep into the plants soil. The water will slowly trickle down into the plant. Using yarn or twine works best, but any fiber based rope or string will do!
Neem Oil
One of the most common annoyances for anyone keeping houseplants is the bugs! Getting a bottle of neem oil will only set you back about 10-15$ and will be well worth the money. Neem oil is a natural way to keep pests and fungus out of your plants. All you need to do is spray the base and some of the plant leaves with a light spritz (think perfume for houseplants) about 3-4 times a year and you should be able to keep any pests at bay.
One good tip is to leave any new plants in a separate room, garage, or quarantine area when you get them. Spray them down with some of the neem oil when you bring them into quarantine and introduce them to your home a few weeks later. Try to avoid the urge to bring them into your living room right away and you will keep your other houseplants healthy in the long run.
Fertilizer
Yes, your houseplants also need fertilizer! Maybe even more-so than your outdoor plants. Houseplants are in their own little microcosm, so you need to make sure that everything stays balanced. Typical miracle grow fertilizer works well for this purpose.
My only warning is that you need to make sure you are diluting the fertilizer in the correct way! A little bit goes a long way and if you give it too much, you will easily kill your sweet little plant babies. Don’t let that deter you though – just follow the instructions on the box and you’ll do fine! I fertilize my indoor houseplants every 3-4 months on average.
Bonus Tip – Talk to Your Houseplants
Ok – I know this sounds pretty far-out, but trust me. Talking to your plants when you water them, re-pot them, or when you are fertilizing shows them you care. Studies have shown that plants can pick up on the sounds and vibrations around them and the more positive the vibrations, the more likely they are to thrive. Telling your plants that you are giving them a new spacious home when re-potting them will help them adapt to the new environment.
Beyond the benefits for the plants, talking to your plants, assigning them names, etc. will help you form an attachment with them and in-turn will help you care for them more often! While the link to plants listening to our human voice may not be proven quite yet, there is major scientific evidence that they do respond to certain sounds in nature!
About the Author
Drew is a writer and practicing witch living in Detroit and Brooklyn. He enjoys biking and exploring the city, spending time in nature, and eating as much as he can. Follow him on instagram @witchofdetroit
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