How to Make Sure Your Houseplants are Thriving

When you go through the effort to pick out plants, the right soil, and then plant them, you want them to do more than survive.

You want them to thrive, grow bigger, and look healthy, bloom.  Here are some ways you can do that.

Making Your Plants Thrive

After putting in all that hard work to get your plant started, it can be discouraging to see it starting to die, get insects, have droopy leaves, not growing or blooming, etc.  All plants do need water, soil, and sun so it is important to know how much, when, and what type.  There are also other things you need to know in order to get your plant to thrive and not just survive.

1. Do not water as much in winter

In the winter, they are in their dormant stage so they do not need as much water.  If they get the same amount of water as they did in the spring and summer, they could develop root rot.  With some succulents, like cactus, you may not have to water all winter.  Feel the soil before you water.  If it is dry, give them a little water.

2. Rotate your plants

This is necessary to help keep your plants growing straight.  Some plants will start to grow as if they are reaching for the sun.  When you rotate them they do not lean in just one direction.   It is suggested that you rotate them every three days.  If this is not possible, then it should be done every couple of weeks.  It depends on the plant how often you do this.

3. It is beneficial to prune

Before you prune your plant, look online to see how to do it because it is different for every plant.  Generally, pruning means that you get rid of the diseased stems to help prevent pests.  You should also remove all dead or dying leaves. When pruning, take it slow so you do not cut off a healthy part of the plant or cut off too much.

4. Dust your plants

Yes, plants do collect dust so they need to be dusted regularly.  When the leaves are dusty it makes it harder for the plant to breathe and do photosynthesis for food.  With most plants, you can use a moist cloth to wipe the leaves clean but for the fuzzy plants, you would need to use a soft paintbrush to dust them off.  The smaller plants with a lot of leaves could be rinsed in the shower.

 

5. The right planter

When choosing a planter, choose one with the drain holes in the bottom.  The ones without the holes may look prettier but they do not let the water drain out.  This could damage your houseplant.  Drainage holes help to prevent your plant from being over-watered and with the airflow.  Make sure that you get a planter that will be large enough for your plant to grow.

6. The right water temperature

The water should be room temperature.  If you use cold water it could send the plant into shock.  Most houseplants are from areas where it is warm and humid so they are used to warm water. 

More like this: 11 Benefits of Having Houseplants in Your Home

7. Keep them from children and pets

Young children could get too rough with the plant and break parts of it off, which can prevent growth.  Also, some are toxic to children and pets so you need to make sure that they cannot ingest these.  Pets, especially cats, can jump up to where your plant is sitting and knock it off.

8. Check for pests

Pests like spider mites and aphids can harm your plant.  They like to suck the sap out of the leaves and if not taken care of, they could kill your plant.  Check your plant each week to see if the leaves look normal or sickly.  Also, check the underside of your leaves.  You can read online about the different pests that can infect a plant and how to get rid of them.

9. Pasta water

When you make pasta, let the water cool and water your plants with it.  This water has a lot of starch in it so it is full of minerals and vitamins that your indoor plant can use.

10. Change up the soil

Your plants get their nutrients from the soil so you should change it every once in a while.  When the nutrients in the soil are used up by the plant, they will get no more.  When the nutrients are gone so it is time to repot your plant.  

Also read: How to Clean Your Houseplants

11. Increase humidity

All indoor houseplants need humidity but some need more than others.  One way to do this is to group your houseplants together, especially during the colder months when there is not much humidity.  You could also put them on pebbles that you have put on a cookie sheet and have half covered with water.  As the water evaporates, the humidity in the room increases

Learn more: How to Get Rid of Whiteflies on Indoor Plants

12. Do not put in a drafty area

Never put your houseplant under or over an air conditioning vent.  Most need temperatures 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher so if you put them around the vent, it will be much colder than that and the plant may not survive.  Just keep them out of any drafty areas.

13. Talk to your plants

Yes, it may sound crazy but when you are talking to your plants you are letting out the beneficial carbon dioxide that they need to help them grow faster.  It can also help release your stress. 😉

Similar post: How to pot or Repot Your Houseplants

Conclusion

These are just some of the many ways in which you can help your indoor houseplant thrive in your home or apartment and not just survive.  They will look healthy, add beauty to any room, and help to purify the air.  When you take care of your plants and help them thrive it will also make you feel good about yourself, make you feel you have accomplished something.  Follow these simple rules or suggestions and you will see just how much it affects your indoor houseplants in a good way.

Keep reading:

• 15 Pet-Friendly Houseplants
• How to Make Sure Your Houseplants are Thriving
• How to Propagate Houseplants