Being a plant parent comes with its share of tiny worries.
Is the soil too dry?
Did you water it too much?
Is it getting enough sunlight?
Why do those perfectly healthy leaves suddenly look unhappy?
Knowing how to take care of a houseplant doesn’t have to feel complicated. A few simple habits around watering, sunlight, humidity, feeding and pruning can go a long way in keeping your indoor greens happy and healthy.If you’re looking for practical houseplant care guides, these simple tips are a good place to start. From knowing when to water and fertilise your plants to keeping their leaves clean and choosing the right spot, here’s everything you need to know about everyday houseplant care. And if you’re new to plant parenting, don’t worry, there’s always an easy care houseplant that can make a great starting point.
Fertiliser
Fertilisers are essential for the growth and health of the plant. But we make the biggest mistake of adding fertiliser any time of the year. The fertiliser must be added in the spring and cut back in the winters as the growth is slow. There are several things that you can add in your plant soil instead of fertilisers. You can add coffee as it helps your plant thrive. Add eggshells and a banana peel soaked in water for a few days for boasting potassium and calcium levels. Lastly, put the hair strands in the soil as they provide structural support for the root, helps break up thick, clumpy soil and provides additional nutrients.
Clean Leaves
Every plant parent needs to wipe the dust accumulated on the leaves. Because of dust, leaves cannot get enough sunlight which ultimately affects their survival. Hence, make sure that twice a year you are wiping the leaves with a wet cloth.
Placement of your plant
The decision to keep a plant in the house must be taken with a lot of thought and care. Plants are already dry in winter so keep them away from a furnace, vent, heater and radiator. Also, keep your plants away from drafty windows in winters so that the leaves are not touching the cold glass. In spring place them in the cool shade outside where they partially get direct sunlight. A plant owner needs to keep rotating the plant and let the entire plant soak sunlight.
Temp & Humidity
Make sure that you maintain the humidity in the house during winters. Sprinkle water every once in a while, or the constant heat from heaters and radiators would slowly kill them.
Water
Overwatering the houseplants is one of the most common mistakes. Every plant has different water need hence make sure you are watering it only when needed. Check the soil before watering them. You can also give recycled water to your plants and be eco-friendly. Another pro-tip for watering your plant is keeping a coffee filter at the bottom of the pot as it will help the soil stay while the water still gets drained. You can also stick a sponge at the bottom of the houseplant pot as it will store the water that the plant will use when you forget to water it.
Prune
A plant needs timely pruning for its growth. Getting rid of the old-growth of the plant will help them grow new ones. It's like when we cut the split ends, and it makes our hair healthy and grows longer. Look for dead and rotting parts after the winters and cut them off to make them spring ready.
FAQs
1. How often should I water my houseplants?
Check the soil before watering, as different plants have different needs. Water only when the soil feels dry or your plant requires it.
2. How can I keep my houseplants healthy indoors?
Provide suitable sunlight, maintain humidity, clean dusty leaves, water appropriately, fertilise seasonally, and prune dead or damaged growth regularly.
3. How do I know if my plant is getting too much sunlight?
Yellowing, scorched, brown, or crispy leaves can indicate excessive sunlight. Move the plant to a spot with suitable indirect or filtered light.
4. When should I fertilise my houseplants?
Spring is generally the best time to fertilise houseplants because they actively grow. Reduce or stop fertilising during slower winter growth.
5. How can I increase humidity for indoor plants?
Increase humidity by lightly misting plants, grouping them together, or placing them near a humidifier while keeping their specific care requirements in mind.
Gurnika Talwar is FNP’s marketing and creative content writer and has been with the firm since 2020. She is based in Delhi, India and has been in this field for 2+ years.
She started her journey as a freshman but since then has created content on several mediums. With blogging on gift ideas, food, gardening tips and whatnot as her primary goal, she has also curated content for social media and brand films. As a storyteller, she creates original, genuine, and relatable content to connect with the mass. Besides work, you’ll find her chit-chatting about movies or making sarcastic jokes.
Fertilisers are essential for the growth and health of the plant. But we make the biggest mistake of adding fertiliser any time of the year. The fertiliser must be added in the spring and cut back in the winters as the growth is slow. There are several things that you can add in your plant soil instead of fertilisers. You can add coffee as it helps your plant thrive. Add eggshells and a banana peel soaked in water for a few days for boasting potassium and calcium levels. Lastly, put the hair strands in the soil as they provide structural support for the root, helps break up thick, clumpy soil and provides additional nutrients.
Every plant parent needs to wipe the dust accumulated on the leaves. Because of dust, leaves cannot get enough sunlight which ultimately affects their survival. Hence, make sure that twice a year you are wiping the leaves with a wet cloth.
The decision to keep a plant in the house must be taken with a lot of thought and care. Plants are already dry in winter so keep them away from a furnace, vent, heater and radiator. Also, keep your plants away from drafty windows in winters so that the leaves are not touching the cold glass. In spring place them in the cool shade outside where they partially get direct sunlight. A plant owner needs to keep rotating the plant and let the entire plant soak sunlight.
Make sure that you maintain the humidity in the house during winters. Sprinkle water every once in a while, or the constant heat from heaters and radiators would slowly kill them.
Overwatering the houseplants is one of the most common mistakes. Every plant has different water need hence make sure you are watering it only when needed. Check the soil before watering them. You can also give recycled water to your plants and be eco-friendly. Another pro-tip for watering your plant is keeping a coffee filter at the bottom of the pot as it will help the soil stay while the water still gets drained. You can also stick a sponge at the bottom of the houseplant pot as it will store the water that the plant will use when you forget to water it.
A plant needs timely pruning for its growth. Getting rid of the old-growth of the plant will help them grow new ones. It's like when we cut the split ends, and it makes our hair healthy and grows longer. Look for dead and rotting parts after the winters and cut them off to make them spring ready.
