How Not to Kill Your Houseplant: Survival Tips for the Horticulturally Challenged

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Provide the right amount of light, All plants need light to survive, but not all plants require the same amount of light. Some plants require direct sunlight, while others prefer indirect light or even shade. Make sure to research your plant's specific light requirements and place it in the appropriate location in your home. If you have a room with limited natural light, consider investing in a grow light to provide your plants with the light they need. Root rot is more prevalent in plants that do not have a source of drainage. This is why it is extremely important that you grow your plants in a pot with drainage holes so excess water can escape and your plant is not sitting in a wet pot with water that it does not need! Choosing The Right Soil Medium With over 50 different types of popular houseplants, this book summarises what type of care your plants do (or don't) need. Find out which types of plant will thrive in your living space. You'll also discover how to keep a cactus alive, where to hang air plants, and how to repot succulents. Understand how much light, water, heat, and humidity your plant needs, whatever your horticulture woes, this book will explain and fix it. I once bought home a species of cane begonia and in no time the bushy potful of leaves became an unsightly specimen. It was embarrassing because cane begonias are pretty resilient. Before it completely died, I took leaf cuttings and propagated the plant. I was unsure about the experiment because the plant had perished so rapidly but when the new plants grew, I found that they were robust, sturdy, and prolific. There’s only one reason for this – the new plants knew only one environment and one type of care, mine, and thus they adapted to the new conditions.

The best way to get plants is to ask friends, family members, or a local community garden. If not, try to find an organic seed nursery close to your home. It's really hard to cause death by underfeeding. Even if you never use fertiliser as long as you repot once every couple of years your plant will survive, so the potential to cause damage by overfeeding is massively more probable. Like the very best kinds of houseplants, all three have thrived on a regime of benign neglect, a minimal intervention approach that asks only that they be watered occasionally (less in winter, more in summer) and be given an occasional nourishing liquid feed during the growing season. In return for so little, they give me a sharp jolt of joy and pleasure each and every time I look at them, transforming my living space in a way that’s quite impossible to quantify.

If you're horticulturally challenged and can't keep a house plant alive to save your life, then this book is for you! This practical guide to raising indoor plants equips you with the know-how you need to care for your plants. The most common cause of plant death is root rot which happens as a result of overwatering your plants. Most plants prefer to dry out in between waterings for this reason. When stems become brown and mushy and yellowing leaves become more prevalent, it is likely that you gave your plant a bit too much love. Understanding The Importance of Drainage Holes However, for a book that dubs itself "Survival tips for the horticulturally challenged," it didn't get into quite enough detail at parts. For example, sometimes it says something like "water moderately during the spring and summer and water more sparingly in the winter." Helloooo - I bought this book because I kill all my plants! I don't know the relative meanings of "moderately" and "sparingly" when it comes to watering plants! Gotta give me a better frame of reference...

Don't be afraid to repot Over time, your plant may outgrow its pot and require repotting. This is a great opportunity to refresh the soil, prune the roots, and give your plant a new lease on life. Make sure to use fresh potting soil and choose a pot that is slightly larger than the previous one. Avocados have become incredibly popular, whether spread on toast, made into guacamole, or chopped into fresh salads. But did you… If it’s a warm, bright, sheltered spot out of direct sunlight, for example, then any of the plants that I’ve mentioned above will thrive. Other houseplants suitable for these kinds of growing conditions include the ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata);the baby rubberplant (Peperomia obtusifolia); the Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) and the Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens). But if it’s an ultra-bright, sunny windowsill in direct sunlight, then go for cacti, agaves, crassulas, echeverias and other succulents such as the Panda plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa) and Aloe vera. The beginning of the book has basic plant care 101 information, such as: common pests & diseases, how to re-pot a plant, etc.Different plants have different needs based on their root systems, so it is important to do the research before potting your plant into just any dirt! Typically, losing leaves or leaves turning yellow is a sign of poor drainage, too little light or not enough water. Similarly, leaves turning a pale colour probably means that your houseplant needs to be moved to a brighter spot. Yellow leaves can also mean you have a problem with a house plant pest. Growing mint is easy and rewarding, and because mint plant care is so minimal and effortless, it can be done… It's absolutely possible not to assassinate your houseplant - all you need is this book! From identifying exactly what's in the pot, to helping it flourish and grow, this is your guide to creating an oasis of happy, flourishing houseplants.

All plants need light and none want endless darkness. Give it the required light levels by reading up on your plant's needs.Tough, and drought tolerant houseplants should be your go to. Air Plants, Cacti, Sansevieria and the ZZ Plants are just a few that will be happy with infrequent watering. Just as you might hoover the carpet once a week, get into the habit of treating watering as a "task" as part of your housekeeping routine. Not much of a housekeeper either you say? Well... you can also buy self watering plant containers these days. Using the best houseplant compost for your type of plant will ensure that it gets the nutrients and proper drainage it requires to thrive. As much as we dislike pests when you own houseplants, they often come hand in hand. Always inspect plants before purchasing -especially from big box stores, which are notorious for housing spider mites, fungus gnats, and thrips. If you do notice pests, you can use an insecticidal soap and there are products to also treat any larvae that may be living in the soil. Inspect and clean your plants regularly and quarantine new plants for at least two weeks to ensure any hitchhikers don’t spread to your other plants. 10. Keep trying