March 16, 2023 Tips
6 Tips for Keeping Indoor Plants Alive and Thriving
If your houseplants have suffered a bit this winter, you are not alone—and if they didn’t, you are gifted! Nothing quite adds life to a space like thriving green houseplants. Whether your houseplants could use a little love or are in need of a full overhaul, here are some of our team’s tips for happy houseplants, year-round!
By Chrissy Lifton
Pruning
Your plant might be doing better than you think—it might just need a quick prune! Remove droopy limbs with clippers or scissors to let the rest of the plant thrive.
Mulching
If your windowsill plants struggle to retain moisture, try adding mulch! The water will evaporate less quickly, so soil will stay moist longer.
Choosing hearty plants
Snake plants (almost) never die! The fact that I still have a living snake plant that entered my life in 2015 says it all. No other plant has matched its longevity or resilience, even surviving a 6 month watering hiatus while I was abroad. If you’ve given up houseplant hope, go get a snake plant, and give it a home—our shop snake plants live in our Oaxacan Baskets.
Switching soil
Not all soil is the same, and some plants need a little something different. Most houseplants will do well with a simple indoor potting soil, but succulents should get their own soil—try out a cactus/succulent soil mix.
Watering guide
As a general rule, less is more! Most plants struggle when they are overwatered. Start with watering once a week, some may even prefer every other week. Check the soil to see if it is moist before watering. You might even want to try watering from the roots by putting water in the saucer and letting your plant soak water for 20 min. Dump any extra water out of the saucer to prevent root rot. Remember: for succulents — water these about once a month.
Propagating
If a plant is going downhill, propagation can give you a fresh start with a new plant! If you have a philodendron or another aroid plant, try putting clippings in a pretty tumbler with water and watch them grow roots while also filling up your space with green! You can keep them alive this way by adding liquid nutrients to the water or transplanting them to soil.
