There are two types of people in the world: those who can effortlessly maintain multiple plants and basically transform any room into a greenhouse and those who can shrivel a plant up just by breathing on it.
As a proud member of the latter community, here are some tips that make it possible for anyone — yes anyone — to keep a plant alive for longer than a week.
Find the perfect plant for you.
This is incredibly important for the success of your plant. There is a such wide a variety of indoor plants that you can find one for every situation. One of the most important things to think about is the amount of sunlight that the plant needs. Luckily for us, it is so easy to go online and do a little research.
For some field research, if you’re planning to get a plant next year, attend the Plant Adoption Day at the Allen Centennial Garden. You can meet your new adoptee in person and learn from the experts they have there to help you find which plant is right for you!
Choose the right home.
Since your plant is going to be around for a while — wink, wink, nudge, nudge — make sure to get a pot that fits well, meaning it has enough room for it to grow over the school year.
One way to know the ideal size is to simply base it off of the size of pot you purchase it in. Plants also need this room to allow their roots to grow and to obtain the water necessary for survival. After all, this plant is now essentially your new child, and early on it’s all about the growth.
It’s all about the drainage.
This helps overall with the health of the soil and keeping it from growing moldy. You’re probably wondering, “But won’t the pot leak every time I water my new child?” The solution: Put the plant on a tray that collects all the water and dirt that leaks out.
No need to invest in a fancy tray, any general piece of plastic with sides will do. My favorite DIY planter: cutting off the sides of an ice cream container. This allows you to choose how high you want the side of your tray to be, and you have a reason to eat ice cream.
H2NO more please!
One of the most common mistakes early plant-lovers make is overwatering. When water seeps out from the plant and into the tray, that is a great way to know when to stop. We may constantly be concerned that are plant is too dehydrated when in reality a plant may have plenty of water, even if the soil is dry. Each plant needs a certain amount of water, and it’s important to know that before you adopt your new buddy.
A classic rule of thumb is if you don’t know, simply weigh it. The lighter the plant, the more water it needs, and most indoor plants prefer to be dry rather than wet.
Once you know the necessary amount of water, designate a cup or water bottle to use to water your plant. Also determine what days you will be watering. Try to choose two or three days a week, and try to keep the time of day consistent as well.
Rotate your plants.
This is my favorite hack, as there is something so satisfying about rotating your plants 90 degrees every morning. Not only do you see the growth of your plant every week, but you get to watch nature at its finest as your new plant will angle differently towards the sun.
Maintaining a steady rotation will allow the plant to have even growth on all sides. While not everyone is Mother Nature, these hacks make it easier to at least be her second-cousin twice removed. Besides, keeping a plant alive for more than a week? Now that takes talent!
