Houseplant Supplies & Care Tips, Pt. 3 – Care Tips

Acclimating Your New Plant

First things first, when you bring home a new plant, give it some space. Keep it away from your other plants until you’re sure it’s pest-free. This little quarantine period helps protect your plant collection from any unwanted critters. Clean your new plant thoroughly – a gentle shower or a wipe-down can work wonders. Let your plant get accustomed to your home environment before you think about repotting. It’s like helping your plant adjust to the new timezone; everyone needs a moment to settle in.

Checking Your Soil

Before you decide to water or fertilize, do a little test. Grab a chopstick and stick it into the soil much like you would check if a cake is done baking. If the chopstick comes out dirty, the soil’s still moist – hold off on watering. If it’s clean, your plant’s ready for a drink. This simple test can save your plant from the perils of over-watering. Some plants prefer to dry all the way out, and some plants prefer to only dry out on the upper layers of soil, so be sure to confirm your plant’s needs. For example, most succulents and snake plants prefer to be dry all the way through between waterings, but a lot of tropical plants prefer to dry out only halfway or less between waterings.

Watering

When you do water, make it count. Water thoroughly until you see it coming out of the drainage holes. Overwatering is not an issue of too much water at once, but of getting water too often. Forget the calendar unless you are checking soil on a schedule, and be sure to always check the soil first. It’s important to note that some plants are really finicky when it comes to water quality. If your tap water isn’t cutting it, you can collect rainwater, use bottled water, or treat your tap water with aquarium conditioner. It might sound overboard – but you can end up with some sad and ugly plants if they don’t like the water. I collect rainwater because it’s free. I keep it near my plants in a 5 gallon jug with a dispenser on top so don’t have to lift it constantly.

Fertilizing

Fertilizer is like a multivitamin for your plants. You can fertilize on a monthly schedule, or you can go with a diluted mix every time you water. I’ve tried both methods, and really, it’s all about what fits into your lifestyle. This is why I prefer a liquid fertilizer because I have the option to do either one. If you do choose a schedule, just replace your regular watering with a fertilized watering.

Repotting

When it’s time to give your plant a new home, don’t go too big. I like having multiple sizes of clear pots on hand. Size up only one or two inches larger than the current one to avoid root shock. Gently unpot your plant, check the roots, and shake off as much old soil as possible. Add a layer of fresh soil in the new pot, place your plant, then fill around it with more soil until it’s secure. I prefer to repot before a my plant needs watering so I can hydrate immediately after. If you bring home a new plant that looks like it’s seen better days, you might want to repot it ASAP rather than wait for it to acclimate (but still quarantine it from the rest of your collection).

Cleaning

Lastly, keep your plants looking fresh with a homemade spray. Mix 1 quart of water with 1 tsp of Neem oil and 1/2 tsp of Castile soap. Spray your plants, let the solution sit for 15 minutes, then gently wipe down each leaf. For extra protection against pests, add 1 tablespoon of Isopropyl Alcohol to your mix. This not only cleans but also helps in pest control.