Basics to Caring for your Houseplant
Beginners Houseplant Guide
4 step guide I have curated from customer queries, hopefully it clears some things up!
This is a beautiful Arrowhead plant, she will be the model for the tips I am showing you now!
Firstly, it is important to remember, there is actually no such thing as a houseplant!!
"Houseplants" are plants that come from tropical places around the world that would not survive our outdoor climate. So, plants sold as houseplants cannot go outside in Ireland.
This means they have different care to garden plants, they need:
- good light, or sometimes some shade
- specific pot needs
- specific watering
Time to explore this in a few little bullet points!!
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1. Light
-All houseplants need too be in a room with a window
-I will tell you which window the houseplant suits (north/south/east/west) or if it can be further away with some shade
-To check what window you have, open the compass on your phone and see where the window is facing
-Some plants are fine on a window sill and some can go further back **note, the further away they are from a window, the slower they will grow and less watering they will need
2. Pot
-Houseplants need drainage holes like in this picture. You can see their little roots wiggling out
-Drainage holes allow excess water to escape from your pot, otherwise you will get root rot= NUMBER 1 KILLER OF HOUSEPLANTS
-Do not pot your houseplant straight into the decorative pot with no holes
-When to repot? rule of thumb is when there is a lot of roots coming out of the drainage holes. Repot only in Spring and Summer
-How to repot? wiggle the houseplant out, gently knock away old soil and pot with new multipurpose soil and perlite (for drainage).** I will also be selling these already mixed just ask!
-What size pot? only pot into a new pot which is slightly bigger, going to big will stress out the plant
3. Watering
-This is most Irish people`s issue with houseplants, we drench them!
-No need to water everyday
-Only water when the top of the soil is dry
-Check with your finger once per week
-Spring and Summer= growing season= more water needed
-Winter= dormant= less water needed
-Cactus and succulents need very little water as they come from hot arid places
-This easy-to-use watering can is more precise for houseplant watering without making a mess
4. What plant?
-Tell me details of the place you would like to put your plant!
-One for dark, damp space?
-Safe for pets?
-Very hot window?
-Near a fireplace?
-Childrens room?
-Cold in winter?
**finding the right plant is crucial to you enjoying your houseplants! Putting them in the right spot is so so important
and lastly YOU CAN DO THIS!! I really don`t believe in having a "green thumb". Owning plants is all about getting good quality plants which are cared for properly in a shop that has expertise!
Louise
xx