No green thumb? No worries. Every new plant you bring home is no longer destined to die within weeks. Keeping your house plants not only alive but flourishing is within your reach. (Hint: It's all about water control.)
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1. Repot New Plants
The plant comes in a perfectly good plastic pot, so why make a mess by taking it out? Just stick it inside a larger pot and move on, right? Wrong: Plants that you buy pre-potted often outgrow their containers. To give them the best chance at life, repot new plants in slightly larger pots with fresh, nutrient-rich soil.
2. Try the Sponge Method
Holding water is what sponges do best. When you first move a plant into a new pot, put that power to good use by sticking a clean sponge in the bottom of the pot. Then add the soil and plant. When you water the plant, excess water will collect in the sponge and keep the soil moist.
3. Cancel Your Watering Schedule
It's hard to remember to water your plants, so sticking to a set schedule is helpful. But if you have a variety of plant types and you water them all every Saturday, there's a good chance that some will be overwatered and others underwatered. Instead, press a finger into the soil every few days and only water plants when their soil feels dry.
4. Use Warm Water
Timing how you water your plants requires thoughtfulness. But once you get to the sink, what does it matter what temperature the water is? While water of any temperature is better than no water at all, extremes in either direction will stress your plant. Use warm water, not cold.
5. Keep Pests Away
Pests aren't just a problem for backyard plants — they can ruin your houseplants, too. Routinely spraying pots with natural repellents like salt spray, soap spray, eucalyptus oil or onion and garlic should keep those destructive little critters away.
6. Don't Spritz Without Cause
Have you ever seen someone mist a plant and wondered… am I supposed to be doing that too? Probably not. Certain tropical plants may benefit from being spritzed with water each day, and you may want to mist leaves if they look dirty or dusty. Otherwise, put the spray bottle down.
7. Feed With Eggshells and Coffee
Eggs and coffee give you new life, so why shouldn't they have the same effect on your house plants? Sprinkle crushed egg shell into soil to boost calcium in the plants. If you're willing to put a bit more effort into nourishing your house plants, compost coffee grounds and other organic scraps and add a little of the compost to the soil.
8. Give Plants a Bath
Going out of town for a week? Don't let your plants dry out before you get home. Before leaving, fill the sink with a few inches of water and place plants directly in the water. As long as their pots have drainage holes, the soil at the bottom of the pot should draw water upward and keep plants hydrated.
9. Slowly Feed Plants By Bottle
This is another simple strategy for keeping plants alive while you're away from home. Take a bottle with a sealable cap, like a screw-top wine bottle or water bottle. Fill the bottle with water and make a few small holes in the bottle top to let a trickle of water through. Submerge the bottle upside down in the soil and the water should slowly seep out over several days.
10. Try Trimming Before Giving Up
You gotta know when to hold them and know when to fold them. When a plant looks dead, it's tempting to trash it and start anew. But there could still be hope if the roots are alive. Trim off all dead-looking stems and leaves and give the plant a few weeks out of direct sunlight with minimal water. If it's still well and truly dead, use the pot to plant something new.
