Tuesday 7 July 2020

Simple Houseplant Tips For Beginners

Easy Houseplant Tips

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During lockdown I've learnt a lot more about how to care for houseplants, grow herb and even more of them through propagation. Although I'm no expert, I've definitely learnt some tips and tricks over the last few months and I think they'd be perfect for those who are beginners too. 

The Easiest Houseplants? | Since growing my houseplant collection, I've learnt a lot about the needs and wants of each plant and thus, I know the fussy ones a mile off. If you want an easy houseplant I would personally suggest a pothos and philodendron as they are fast growers meaning you have the thrill of seeing new leaves pop up, but they're pretty forgiving when it comes to forgetting to water them and they don't mind shady areas either. That being said, each plant is different, I've killed my fair share of "easy houseplants" before, whilst notoriously hard ones have been thriving in unlikely spots. It's all trial and error and I would always suggest not having your heart set on where your houseplant will sit as this may not be the best place for it. 

"I've had great luck with the Chinese Money Plant and Mother In-Law's Tongue if you want to grow your houseplant collection. " 

You Need A Pot With Drainage Holes | In fact, if you keep killing your plants, you're probably overwatering them. Aside from my Boston fern, most of my plants don't like to be watered until their soil is completely dry. I didn't know this until I looked into it further, but despite a cover pot looking super pretty, leaving your plant in the nursery pot to begin with will mean you don't have to worry about root rot (watering with no drainage), but will get your houseplant used to the lighting and humidity of a certain area of your house. You don't have to give up pretty cover pots at all - Sass and Belle Planters are some of my favourites if you want to check them out! 
Simple Houseplant Tips For Beginners
Simple Houseplant Tips For Beginners
Water Propagate Your Herbs | If you want to feel like you have a grip of gardening, I'd check out water propagation. It makes you feel like you're a magician! When I bought my mint and basil windowsill plants, I decided that I wanted to make sure I had a few healthy plants to use throughout Summer, so I looked into water propagation. All you have to do is snip a few stems off your plants, making sure to leave 7cm of clear stem and put them in an old jar with water (I use a pesto one) and leave for 2-3 weeks until you'll see long roots grow. Once you see growth, take them out and re-pot them in a 12-15cm plant pot with good drainage. I like to use 5-6 stems per pot to begin with as I find this creates a fuller looking plant. 

Planta App |  I've spoken about the Planta app several times before, but even if you only a handful of houseplants I'd still recommend getting this app. It helps to keep on top of your watering schedule, giving you reminders when you need to check on your plant. It helps you choose a new plant and where it needs to go too - great for beginners! On top of this great app, I would recommend checking out Planterina and Harli G on YouTube if you have more complex houseplants or problems that you want helping out with. Not only is plant YouTube super wholesome and I find it relaxing to watch - it's helpful too! 

"I saw a difference in my plant growth as soon as I start using plant fertiliser. " 

Fertiliser Will Help | I convinced myself for the longest time that because I wasn't taking gardening seriously, I didn't need fertiliser for my plants. I'd heard stories of over-feeding and burning, so I thought that I wouldn't bother with the extra effort. How wrong was I! As soon as I took the time to feed my plants, the amount of growth I've seen is unbelievable. I personally use Baby Bio as it's cheap and cheerful, plus I've seen around six new leaves on my Monstera since using it. 

What are your favourite houseplant care tips? 

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