Keeping your indoor plants happy & healthy does not require much work. Most indoor plants are very robust and can withstand some degree of neglect. Even so, it is still recommended that you perform maintenance once a week. Use the following tips to keep your plants vibrant for years to come!

Research

Not all plants thrive under the same conditions. Before purchasing plants, do your research on the ideal temperature, watering frequency, & amount of sunlight needed for each plant.

Watering

Watering your plants doesn’t have to be an everyday thing. In fact, you can actually harm your plant by watering it every day. A simple test to see if your plant even needs to be watered, is to stick your pointer finger about an inch into the soil. If you feel the soil is dry give it some water, but if it feels moist, save the watering for another day!

Inspection

It is important to inspect the leaves and branches of your plants for any insects or malnutrition. You can do this when you water them to save time. If you notice your leaves are turning brown, forming spots, or have holes in them,  it might be because they are not getting enough light, there is little nutrition in the soil, or there is a pest invading your plants’ space.

Container

If you find that your soil is always wet, it could be because the container they are sitting in does not have proper drainage. Check the bottom of the container to see if you need to poke/drill a few more holes. If creating more holes is not possible, it might be wise to get a different container with better drainage.

If you notice that roots are sticking out of the drainage holes in the container, it means the plant is outgrowing it, and the container will need to be upgraded to a larger one.

Location

Although your plants might look nice where they are placed, the location could actually be damaging them. If your plants are in direct sunlight and look dry, move them somewhere with less light throughout the day. Also, it is advised not to place plants directly in front of, or next to, a source of heat or air conditioning.