Caring for indoor plants can be a hobby, a passion, or somewhere in between. If you are excited to dip your toe into the wonderful world of indoor plants but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve broken it down into its simplest form to help you get started. Let’s dig in.
While some plant varieties are high-maintenance (I’m looking at you, Calatheas), most plants will require the same basic plant care to keep them happy and thriving. You may need to do a little research to make sure you provide what your plant needs most. (Friendly tip: Plant Proper is on Pinterest and has quick reference details for many indoor plants, not to mention the website has a Help Center and Contact Support option!) But bottom line, it all comes down to soil, proper potting, water, humidity, lighting, and routine. For now, let’s focus on adopting a healthy routine.
Outside of creating the necessary environment, adapting a proper care routine will save you a lot of time, and it will likely save your plants from being lovingly over-nurtured or innocently forgotten. This is my routine that worked for me when I had a mere four plant babies, when I had over one hundred, (I might have gotten a little excited last summer) and what works great for my fifty-four plant collection now.
- Select a day or time that works best for your schedule and block that off as “Plant Day.” My plant day is Saturday morning. Every Saturday morning, I brew a pot of coffee, turn on my “Music for Plants” playlist. My family is fully aware when they hear that divine sound that I am off-limits for the next two hours. (Hmm… maybe I should use that to my advantage during other times of the week!)
- Here are the items I use during plant day:
- Wire rack to go over the kitchen sink. (Confession- mine is a repurposed wire shelf from a discarded attempt at organizing a closet.) Whatever you use needs to be sturdy and allows water to pass through.
- Room temperature water. (I buy four gallons of water from my local grocer then refill them week after week with water from my faucet.) I’ve also been spotted hauling plastic totes onto the deck during summer thunderstorms to catch fresh rainwater.
- A long-nose watering can. (for those hard to reach plant bases)
- Misting bottle
- Leaf wipes or Microfiber cloth (for dust- only if needed.)
- Pruning scissors for trimming troubled growth or propagation.
- Fertilizer (only once a month during the growing season in my home.)
- Pest preventive and treatment (only if needed) to include rubbing alcohol and Q-Tips – just in case.
- Once I’ve readied my workstation, I gather all of the plants from around the house and bring them to the kitchen. Such a lovely sight to see them all together. (I take a family picture.)
- One by one, place them on the wire rack over the sink, check their soil and leaves for any pests or mold and look for areas that may need to be pruned.
- For larger plants (Ficus elastica, for example), use a microfiber cloth to clean off any dust.
- After I play eye-spy, it’s time to water. This will vary based on the types of plants you have and the types of pots they are in. You can use the 1st/2nd knuckle test or a moisture meter to determine if your plant needs water. (Knuckle test: stick your finger 1 or 2 knuckles deep depending on the size of the pot. If you feel moisture/dampness, your plant is adequately hydrated. If the soil is dry, your plant is ready to belly up to the water bar.)
- For plants in plastic, well-draining pots or terracotta pots with a drainage hole, water slowly from the top until water flows freely from the bottom. Let the plants sit on the wire rack until they drain fully and no water runs or drips.
- There are some plants that prefer bottom watering (Peperomias), but that’s another topic for another time.
- For plants sitting in pots with no drainage holes, (not overly recommended, but we’ve all done it at least once.) water from the top then tilt the pot while holding the plant (and soil) to allow any excess water to run out. Also, take this time to consider putting your plant in a plastic, well-draining pot and use that cute pot with no hole as a decorative pot. Because, well… root rot is a thing.
- For plants such as Pothos, Philodendron, Ficus Elastica, Spider Plants, and any plants that like/tolerate humidity, I spritz with the misting bottle to give it a little bath. Peperomias*, succulents, and any plants with fuzzy leaves aren’t typically fans of misting. (RIP Escargot Rex Begonia – sorry, sweetie, Mama didn’t know.)
*A lot of people say to mist Peperomias. Mine didn’t respond well to it, so I used other methods of humidity for them. My Rosso hated to be wet. I include it here, but this is not a
hard/fast rule for them.
- For plants in plastic, well-draining pots or terracotta pots with a drainage hole, water slowly from the top until water flows freely from the bottom. Let the plants sit on the wire rack until they drain fully and no water runs or drips.
- Lastly, before putting the plants back in their homes, I dust the shelves and wipe down other surfaces to keep things optimal for a healthy environment. This is also when I refill humidifiers and pebble trays.
- Replace the plants, stand back, and admire how fabulous these precious darlings are.
During summer months, you may need to check on some of your plants mid-week to make sure they’re not drying out too fast. (Rule of thumb for me, any plant sitting in bright, indirect sunlight will get the knuckle test on Wednesdays.) During the late fall/winter months, you can cut back on watering to once every two weeks, because most plants will slow-grow during those times and not need as much water.
Above all else, have so much fun with this hobby that you giggle and grin the whole time. If your plant baby pops a new leaf, let us see it! Questions or concerns? We are here for that, too! Tag us on social media or shoot us a message through the website. We are excited to grow with you!
