Healthy houseplants are easier than you might think, and they don’t always require a green thumb!
With just a little TLC in the form of watering regularly or giving plants some sunlight each day, you can have the most amazing houseplants!
Read on and follow these 8 great tips to help you grow your best houseplants.
1. DON’T OVERWATER
Houseplants are great for adding life and color to your home, but it’s important that you take care of them. Overwatering is the number one cause of plant death!
Make sure not only do they have well draining soil (to avoid soggy bottom), but also pots that are sized correctly so as not too overgrow themselves. Any excess moisture will result in root rot.
Don’t forget to check the soil with your fingers before watering again. If the soil feels dry to touch, go ahead and give it a drink.
2. REPOT OVERGROWN PLANTS
Repotting is the key to successful gardening. Without it, your plant may die from overgrowing and not having enough room inside its container for roots; or worse yet- popping up right out of the pot! You can tell it needs to be repotted if it shows the above mentioned signs.
You can either repot that plant into a bigger pot, or if you’d like to keep the same one in its current container and don’t want any more excess roots on display, then just snip them off.
In either case, make sure the soil is changed before dividing multiple stems for future plants.
3. FERTILIZE PERIODICALLY
Houseplants are great because they add life and beauty to any room, but there’s no set rule on how often or in what amounts you should fertilize them.
The best way is just research each plant individually! However, as a basic rule, most plants are fertilized in spring or summer.
Overwatering and fertilizing can be just as disastrous for houseplants. More often than not, a lack of nutrients will cause major problems with your plant so make sure you always under-fertilize rather than overdoing it!
4. PROPAGATE
Why propagating plants by way of division or other methods is beneficial?
The process of dividing a plant can rejuvenate it and encourage more growth. You might think about this as getting an annual trim for your houseplants!
Sometimes plants will form roots where their stems meet soil. For example, climbing houseplants such as pothos and philodendron can send up new shoots at the base of their stem which are called offsets-you just need to cut them off from whatever they’re attached to and plant it in potting mix!
Some other examples include African violets that root themselves if placed inside water for longer periods of time.
5. PINCH AND PRUNE HOUSEPLANTS
It’s important to keep your houseplant healthy by regularly pruning and pinching away excess leaves or stems.
You can do this at any time of the year, but it will be best in fall when plants have had a chance to rest from their busy summer schedule – making them easier for you take care of! If there are overgrown ones around (which is often), go ahead with some trimming to encourage new growth.
6. DUST THE LEAVES
Healthy houseplants really do need their leaves dusted off.
Dusting has many benefits for the health and appearance of your plant, including increased absorption in sunlight as well as preventing disease!
7. TREAT PESTS & INSECTS
Houseplants may seem like a great idea, but they can actually be pests themselves! Make sure you use the right products to get rid of them and keep your home looking clean.
Insecticidal soaps are often quick-acting in combatting common bugs such as aphids or spider mites; if spray isn’t working for you then try using one those pest busters that take care all around (we mean: hosing).
If you’re seeing a host of insects around your house plants, it could be due to mealy bugs. These pests leave behind small white webs when they feed that can cover leaves and cause them to become brown.
Some even emit an unpleasant smell which usually attracts more flies and insects. To get rid of these pesky creatures use alcohol on cotton pads dipped into diluted solutions for thorough coverage – just be sure not apply directly onto plant’s roots because this might kill its tender tissue.
8. GET RID OF DISEASED PLANTS
If you notice any of your plants have white powdery mildew on them, remove the soil and wash thoroughly to get rid of these fungi before they spread.
Root rot in houseplants is another common problem where roots become frizzy or start budding off sporadic branches from the main stalk.
It’s important to keep your houseplant in the best condition possible. If you notice any brown spots on leaves or if the stem starts turning black, then that could be an indication of fungal leaf spot and root rot respectively.
Root rots are most commonly caused by over-watering which causes excessive moisture levels for too long; this eventually leads directly towards mushy roots! Additionally these diseases can spread easily through other plants so don’t hesitate – get rid of it ASAP!