How to Become the Best Plant Parent

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Being a plant mom has been an exciting journey of trial and error. I have 13 plants and I’m learning something new about them everyday day. I’m nowhere near a pro but I can certainly share a few tips on what I’ve learned along the way to make your journey a bit easier. Maybe you already have a few plants or perhaps you don’t know where to start. No worries, I got you!

1. Accept the fact that trial and error will happen

You can read every tip you find on the internet about house plants and watch hundreds of YouTube and TikTok videos about plants for beginners and still run into failures. Failures are part of the journey as a beginner. Every environment where plants are housed is different, so what works in my home may not be the same as yours. The only way to learn is to try. So expect hiccups as part of the journey and learn from them.

2. Understand Lightening Needs

Sunlight is essential for healthy growth. The amount of light your plant receives from the sun depends on where you live and how much sun is directed towards the placement of the plant. Not every plant requires the same amount of lightning, so research your specific plant. If your home doesn’t receive much light, you can place it outdoors for a few hours, but be cautious not to burn the leaves with too much sun exposure. You can also use LED grow lights if your home doesn’t have a lot of natural light.

3. Don’t Re-pot So Quickly

You may be excited to pot your new plant immediately in a cute, decorative pot but please don’t! When you bring a new plant home, it needs time to adjust to the new environment. Repotting right away can cause major stress to the plant. Most plants come in nursery pots straight from the greenhouse and it’s fine to leave it there much longer than you think. A trick I like to use is placing my nursery pot inside a decorative pot. No one will ever know. Just be sure to remove it when watering.

4. Know When Your Plant Needs Water

So let me tell you how I sent a few plants to the grave in my early days of discovering my green thumb. I relied on an app to give me a watering schedule…. don’t be like me, be better! How can an app know when my plant needs water? As I mentioned earlier, every environment is different so water schedules aren’t created equal. The best way to know when your plant needs water is by checking its moisture level. This can be done with a chopstick or your finger. Press down a few inches into the soil. If no soil sticks to your finger and it feels dry, your plants need water. Today, I use the app as a guide to keeping track of when I last watered a plant but I don’t rely on the app. My babies let me know when they need water. -The app is also great for keeping up with the progress of your plant over time

5. Avoiding Pests

Spider mites, white flies, gnats oh my! If I had the magic recipe to rid of all pests forever, I would share it with you in a heartbeat but the reality is that you will experience pests in your plant life. Fear not, there are ways to prevent and control them. Neem oil, mosquito bits, insect control granules, and even cinnamon are your friends to deter pests from your plants. Neem oil doesn’t smell great but it’s effective. Sprinkling cinnamon on the top of the soil is another effective way to rid of pests that won’t cost you anything because you probably already have some in your spice rack. I’ve linked my recommendation in my Amazon Storefront for you.

6. Use Terracotta Pots

Terracotta pots are great for beginners because of their porous material. It absorbs the excess moisture from the soil allowing it to dry out much faster as compared to other pots that retain water longer. Please be gentle with these pots because they can easily crack if dropped. Once you master knowing when to water vs not, I also recommend plastic pots because it allows you to check on the roots without removing the plant from the pot.

7. Quarantine New Plants

Always quarantine new plants for a few weeks before co-mingling with your existing plants. The purpose is to prevent pests and diseases from spreading to your other plants. I know you may be excited to add to your collection as soon as you get home from buying your new baby, but you don’t want to ruin all the hard work you’ve given your existing plants. Always give your new plant a thorough inspection along with a light spray down with soapy water when you bring it home.

8. Invest In a Humidifier

Most house plants are from warm tropical climates and the humidity naturally in our homes is much lower so the use of a humidifier is a great way to mimic a tropical environment. You don’t need anything fancy or expensive. Mine is from Amazon and I run it a few times throughout the week.

Taking care of houseplants isn’t difficult, but they do require some TLC. I hope this guide gives you the confidence to become the plant mom or dad you dream to be! As a beginner, the key is patience, care, and fun! We all have a green thumb inside of us waiting to be unleashed.

I’m sharing my Amazon Storefront to help get you started on your houseplant journey.