Feature Image by Kaufmann Mercantile
If your living space is home to cacti, succulents, or fresh flowers, but you weren’t born with a green thumb – then keeping those plants alive can be somewhat of a struggle.
So we gathered the best tips and tricks to help you maintain healthy, flourishing plants.
Pick the correct pot
Yes, the pot you use matters! Look for pots with one or more holes at the bottom of the pot so that water can flow freely – too much water can cause your plant to drown. Avoid clay pots as it’s too absorbent. Instead, opt for non-porous pots made of resin, fiberglass, or glass.
Choose the right potting soil
Never, we repeat, never use the soil from your yard or garden. The weeds, ants, and pesticides you use for outdoor gardening can kill your plant. Instead, go to your local garden store and buy soil that includes a mixture of elements like peat moss, vermiculite, and decomposed organic matter.
Water often (but not too often)
One of the biggest mistakes in caring for houseplants is over-watering. The number of times you water your plants changes depending on the time of year and how much sunlight the plant is getting. For example, in the summer months, increase the amount of watering to counteract the warm weather evaporating the water. Hanging plants and small pots might need to be watered as much as twice a day while larger pot plants might just need to be watered once a day in the summer. In the winter or cooler months, you might be able to get away with watering once a week.
Water the right area
Fun fact about plant care: You need to water the soil, not the leaves or flowers. Watering the foliage can cause fungal diseases or burnt spots on leaves. Water the soil until you notice water coming out of the drainage holes. If the top of the soil is still moist, this is a good indicator that you don’t need to water your plant.
Feed your plant
Plants in pots need different care than those that are growing in the ground. For one, it needs more fertilizer. To keep plants thriving, use a water-soluble fertilizer every few weeks according to the package directions.
Prune regularly
Just like the ends of your hair need a regular trim, so do the leaves and foliage of your plant. Clipping dead foliage can help maintain the health of your plant, encourage it to produce new flowers, and allow it to live longer. For plants that grow large amounts of flowers or foliage, it is best to shear the plant to about one-third of its size.
Do you need to de-clutter your messy house? Check out how to use your FabFitFun Box to Marie Kondo your life.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
