20 tips and tricks for new plant parents

One of the easiest ways to get discouraged as a new plant parent is buying plants that are finicky or require a lot of maintenance. Consider starting with something easy, like a ZZ plant or heart-leaf philodendron, for a stunning addition to your space that won’t require a ton of work. 

Once you’ve been bitten by the houseplant bug, it’s ridiculously easy to end up with more plants than you planned for in just a few short months. It can be challenging and time-consuming to care for lots of plants, so make sure your schedule allows for it if you plan to go all-in on your brand new hobby. 

If you’ve got bright, direct sunlight, the world is your oyster when it comes to growing succulents and cacti. But for folks who have less natural light, low-light tropicals like ZZ plants and calathea can be a better option. Figure out which direction your window faces, then choose plants that are suited to that level of light. 

Plants grow in different climates all over the globe, and that means that they’ll need different potting soil. For succulents and cacti, cactus mix makes it easy to avoid over-watering, while tropical plants will need soil with additives like peat which make it more aerated. 

Plants need enough room to grow, but too much space can be challenging. Try to keep your plants in containers that are roughly the size of their nursery pots (the green plastic pots plants are sold in) or an inch or two bigger. As your plant grows, it can be repotted when it needs more room. 

If you’ve got some great containers that don’t have drainage holes, it’s easy to drill your own with a small hole saw that can be attached to a drill. Otherwise, buy pots that are slightly bigger than the plastic nursery pots that plants are sold in, and sit the plastic pots directly inside. 

Many plants will tell you when it’s time to water them. If you're missing the signs or just can't tell, you should plan to check on your plants at least weekly by sticking your finger about an inch deep into the soil. If it feels dry, then it’s time to give your plants a drink. 

It can be hard to strike the right balance when it comes to watering your houseplants, but it will come in time. Underwatering plants can stress them, which shortens their lifespans and takes away their attractive foliage. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if your plant’s leaves look droopy, it’s time to water. 

Even though some plant experts say that regular misting can increase the humidity around plants that love humidity, like tropicals, that may not actually be the case. It can also cause other issues, like sun spots and fungal infections that thrive in moist environments. A humidifier is a much better option, as it vaporizes the water into the air. 

Think about where cacti and succulents grow: in arid, often dry, environments. Succulents do best in very low humidity, so consider that when you’re thinking about putting one in the bathroom that you take your hot, super-steamy showers in. 

Most plants do just fine when they’re watered properly, but adding a little fertilizer to the mix can produce seriously dramatic results. Your best bet is to find an organic plant food that can be multi-purposed for a wide variety of plants, and add it to the water to ensure that your plants aren’t burned by a too-high dose of vital nutrients. 

Even with the best care possible, sometimes pests can invade your beloved houseplants. Combat mealy bugs and other icky pests with neem oil, a natural product that serves as a deterrent and offers the bonus benefit of making your plant’s leaves look seriously shiny. 

Sure, it’s easy enough to pour water on your plants with a mason jar, but a dedicated watering can actually does make the process easier. A watering can’s long spout can make it easier to get the water directly to the soil, instead of splashing it all over the leaves. It’s also more controllable, and will likely result in less overwatering. 

Remember that your plants are living beings, and there’s no way to control every factor of their existence. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, plants die. Sometimes, a plant you’ve neglected for months is the best looking in the house. Stop obsessing over your plants, and give them space to grow without fretting over every slightly droopy leaf. 

Sometimes, a plant just isn’t happy with where it’s located, and a change of scenery can make all the difference in the world. If your plant is looking a little lackluster, move it closer to a window so it can get more sun. If it seems a little scorched, move it further back. It takes some trial and error to find the sweet spot for each plant. 

Using sharp scissors that are cleaned and sterilized, cut dead leaves away from the stem. They’re unsightly, and can be tossed back into the pot as compost. 

Plants look great when grouped together, but grouping also provides an important additional benefit for houseplants: raising the humidity around them. That’s especially important for tropical plants like agalomenas and calatheas, who thrive in humid environments. 

For plants that can be finicky about water, like calatheas and monsteras, self-watering globes can take the guesswork out of keeping them appropriately watered. Cheap and easy to find at garden stores, these globes can be filled with water and stuck into the soil to provide a sustained, reasonable stream of water that will keep the plant happy. 

Using healthy plants you’ve already got, it’s super-easy to propagate leaves in water or soil and transform them into brand new plants. Typically, you’ll just cut a leaf right below the “node,” or the little joint where it’s attached to the stem, place it into a clear container filled with water, and sit in a well-lit place for a few days. Once it’s rooted, the plant can either stay in the water, or be repotted in soil. 

There’s few people who understand houseplants better than the people who care for them every single day, and enthusiastic nursery employees are more than happy to impart their knowledge and hard-earned tips and tricks on new plant parents. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll give you a heads up when the cool new stuff comes in.