How to Keep Your Houseplants Alive

When it comes to houseplants, there’s an abundance of information out there with every possible detail you need to know about keeping your plants thriving. This blog post is simply to share a few tips + tricks Halley at Gardenhood taught us about caring for our indoor plants, and what to do if we notice them starting to become unhealthy.

Soil/Fertilizer

— If you notice the soil in your pot starts to get crusty, it’s too dry + needs aerating. Use chopsticks to break up the soil and water it until soil is saturated.

— When looking for fertilizer, stick with anything with a 10-10-10 label. This is universal fertilizer that works well with most houseplants.

— Choosing the best fertilizer is based on the specific plant you have. Do a little research on your plant to see how much nutrients it needs in order to select the best one.

Watering

— The #1 reason plants die is because they’ve either been overwatered or under-watered!

— For an average houseplant, watering every 7-10 days is safe (when in doubt, just wait a few more days to water).

— Using a spray bottle to spray leaves + moisten the soil is a good alternative to using a heavy watering pot to ensure you don’t do too much.

— Adding a layer of rocks at the bottom of your pot is a good way to keep the pot draining properly.

— Keep a large plastic tray under your pot until you’re confident with the amount of water your plant needs. This keep sit from spilling over, and also helps you measure the correct amount of water each time.

— If you overwater, leave our plant in a bright sunny place for a week and let it dry out.

Potted plants (indoor or outdoor) eventually need to be repotted. The best way to tell is remove the plant from the pot, and if the roots are thick and coming out of the soil, it’s time for a bigger pot. Make sure the new pot is no more than twice the size of the older one (so as not to overwhelm the plant with too much soil in a big pot).

Another great tip is to leave houseplants on a covered porch during the warm months to give it fresh air + keep it healthy!