The Beginner's Guide to Plants

Plants are everywhere. Not just in your garden, but also cropping up as the new home decorating “it” trend. Chances are your Instagram feed is overflowing with Chinese money plants, leafy monsteras, and hipster plant moms. Garden stores are stocked with a neverending array of succulents. As we said: plants are everywhere. Unlike other home decorating trends, plants are alive and need constant tending to. If you are a known plant killer, then you might hesitate to adopt a whole bunch of new baby plants no matter how pretty your Instagram feed is. The good news is that there are tons of plants that are perfect for even those who don’t have a green thumb.

First, it’s important to review the three major things a plant needs in order to survive: water, soil, and light. If you don’t take care of them in those three departments, then your plant is not going to thrive. One big mistake is overwatering. Every species of plant has its own preferences, but a good rule of thumb is to not water until the first inch of soil is dry. All you have to do to determine that is to stick your finger into the plant up to your first knuckle. When you pull out your finger, it should have some dirt/dust on it. If not, then wait another day before watering.

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An important thing to note: make sure your plant has drainage. It should have a little hole at the bottom of the pot. Pay attention that there is no water sitting in the saucer under your plant after you water it. You don’t want your plant sitting with “wet feet” because it could lead to root rot. Another mistake is under-watering. If you have a hard time remembering to water your plant, set a reminder on your phone to water them weekly. The next thing is light. Some plants can be pretty picky when it comes to the type of light they need. Some plants love living in the shade (think of a jungle or forest floor) and some needs “bright, indirect light.” The best condition for them is a decent amount of sunlight all day long without the sun being directly on the leaves.

Finally, soil. Don’t forget the soil. You might be tempted to just dig up dirt from outside since it’s free and just there. But outdoor soil has pests and insects and other things that your houseplant will not like. When you buy soil for your plants, it’s full of nutrients that will help them grow. As your plant grows, it will suck the nutrients dry. That is why you have to replenish them by giving your plant food, aka fertilizer. In the spring and summertime, do this twice a month. Try adding a calendar reminder every first and fifteenth of the month. In the winter, once a month will do. Just follow the instructions of the fertilizer bag; overfeeding can be bad too.