How NOT to Kill Your Houseplants

I love the way that house plants completely transform a space, don’t you? And a major benefit to having houseplants is that they actually help to purify the air in your home. Pretty great, right?

But sometimes, it’s hard to keep your houseplants alive. I hate when one day my houseplants look great and the next day it looks like the Grim Reaper paid them a visit. But, after years of having houseplants, I’ve learned a few tricks of the trade to keep my houseplants happy and healthy. So today, I’m going to share with you some foolproof ways to not kill your house plants.

How NOT to Kill Your Houseplants

#1: Pick a consistent watering Day

Get consistent with the days that you water your plants. Set a reminder on your phone, write it on your calendar, just do whatever it takes to form a consistent watering schedule. Personally, I like to water my plants on Saturday morning when I’m drinking my coffee. It’s pretty therapeutic. It’s also the one day of the week when I know for certain that I will be home. Get on a schedule and watch your plants thrive!

#2: Learn as much about your plants as you can

It’s important that you try to learn as much about your plants as you possibly can. What type of soil do they like? How much sunlight do they need? These questions (and more) will affect the life of your plant. The more you know about your plant the better you can cater to its needs and the happier it will be.

One great reference to keeping your plant alive is The Houseplant Expert. It’s easy to follow and has really awesome pictures.

#3: Look for warning signs

Plants are easy to forget. They don’t whine or bark like dogs, so if they’re thirsty it’s hard to know. One thing you can do, however, is to look for warning signs. If something is wrong with your plant, it will begin to show physical signs of unhappiness. For example…

• Golden, dry leaves may mean it’s getting too much sun. Plant sunburns can dry out your plant and kill them, so if you see this occur, you should move it.
• Dried tips of the leaf could indicate that your plant is getting too much or too little water. You may want to adjust your watering schedule.
• If bugs appear on the leaves it most likely means that something is wrong with your watering schedule. Probably you are watering too much. Try to figure out what types of bugs they are and work backward to solve the problem.
• Leaves that are saggy and limp may indicate that your plant has too much or too little water. Feel the soil for hints of over or under watering to determine which it is.

Try these easy to care for plants

Some plants are easier than others to keep alive. Below we’re sharing some of the mst loq-maintenance house plants.

Spider plant

These plants do well in medium sunlight and very moist soil. Put it on a shelf and water regularly to keep it alive.

Rubber Tree

This plant is good for people who have a tendency to forget to water plants often. That’s because rubber trees actually like their soil to dry out between waterings. These plants can grow to be 8 foot tall!

Peace Lily

Peace lilies are one of the most resilient plants out there! If you’re afraid of killing plants, this is a great one to start with.

We hope that this short guide helps you save a plant or two in your home! Are you a plant expert with some easy tips for the rest of us? If so, please share them below in our comments section. We’re eager to learn more.