Green Thumb 101: Houseplants
By: Cassie Greenweave
Tags: Gardening, Green Thumb, Plants, Houseplant, Beginner Houseplants

So, you’ve got a black thumb? Maybe you’ve killed your Great Grandma’s Peace Lily, murdered your Cactus or ruined that gorgeous Orchid you got as a housewarming gift? Well, I’ve got some news for you:

There’s no such thing as a black thumb.

So you’ve killed a few plants. So have I. No worries! Don’t let it hold you back. You lacked the knowledge before but you’re here now. And today I am going to give you the basics you need that will help you to start becoming a plant guru.

Nobody is born gifted with the innate wisdom of how to garden and grow. Anybody interested in plants can become a master gardener! You just need to start somewhere…

So you want a green thumb? Let’s get to it!

Part 1: Know your plant

Houseplants are weird.

Okay, maybe not all houseplants. But most of the plants we keep are from very different areas of the world: rain forests, deserts, even bogs! They evolved to thrive in these different conditions. The secret to happy, healthy indoor plants is to mimic their natural environment.

Now I don’t mean they need to live in a climate controlled bubble. Plants are much tougher than that. But they do need similar light, water and living conditions. If a plant is from the rain forest, it’s most likely going to thrive in bright but indirect light and high humidity. If its from the temperate forests, it may prefer to be on the dryer side and less sun. Deserts? You guessed it: Lots of sun and very little water. Makes sense, right?

So get to know your plant! If you have more then one (and I’m sure you will eventually….) they may need different things to survive. Make sure you understand each one’s requirements.

This information is usually on the tag when you purchase your plants. But should you have no idea what kind of plant you have there are many apps and people on social media who will be happy to identify it for you!

Also, it’s good to get to know your plant on an individual level. Just by stopping to admire it for a moment a few times a week will help you become acquainted with your own plant’s leaves, colors and form. When something changes (for better or worse) you will know immediately. So stop to say hi to your plants every now and then, they will let you know how they’re feeling!

Part 2: Watering

Most houseplants die from being over-watered. There are a few plants that like to stay moist but on a whole most plants want to dry out a bit before the next drink. The best way to tell? Stick your fingers in the dirt (about 2 inches, a little less for small pots, a little more for larger ones) If the soil feels moist, then it doesn’t need water. And if you’re not sure, its better to wait another day or two. Plants usually tolerate being dry more than staying too wet.

Over-watering causes most of the problems people have keeping houseplants. Root rot is one of the most common and, while it is curable when caught in time, will kill your plant if left unchecked! Constantly moist soil also creates a perfect breeding ground for different bugs as well as diseases and fungus.

No worries though! Keep any eye out for my lesson Green Thumb 101: Plant Doctoring on how to heal your plants. Remember though: the best medicine is prevention. So watch your watering!

Part 3: Lighting

A plant’s need for light differs from plant to plant. All houseplants need some amount of light to survive. Typically there are 3 different types of lighting: low, medium and high.

Low light is usually found in rooms with windows that face to the north or east, or in brighter rooms far from the windows. Low light plants cannot tolerate any direct sun light but will often tolerate or even thrive in medium light.

Medium light is near an eastern facing window, or in brighter rooms away from sunny windows and any direct contact with the sun.

High light is found in rooms with southern or western facing windows and can actually be split into two different types: direct and indirect. This is important because some high light plants will actually burn if they receive direct sun light while others won’t thrive without it! Make sure you know what type of light your plant needs.

In love with a high light beauty but live in a low light environment? Not a problem! Thanks to human ingenuity, we have grow lights and they come in all shapes and sizes! Just supplement your babies with a few hours of artificial sunlight and they will love you for it!

Finally- it’s important to turn your plants! You will notice that as your plant grows it will begin to turn towards the light source. The leaves are going to try to face the direction of the sun to maximize photosynthesis. If you turn your plants (an easy habit to develop is to turn them whenever you water) you can prevent it from growing at an awkward angle or only developing new leaves on one side.

Part 4: The Pot

For many, a new pot is almost as exciting as a new plant! Its a great way to accessorize, decorate and express yourself. They come in thousands of shapes, sizes and colors to fit every taste and decor. But first and foremost- the pot is your plant’s home.

A few things that you need to consider when purchasing a new planter is drainage, size and material.

Its highly recommended, especially for new plant owners, to only purchase pots that have drainage holes. Remember over-watering? Well, without a drainage hole its very easy for water to sit in the bottom of the pot, drowning the roots. There are ways to get around this but for now, choose something with a hole that will allow the excess water to escape. Plants in pots without drainage holes can be tricky to keep.

Next is the size. Believe it or not, many plants don’t want to go from the little 4 inch pot you bought it in to a giant 12 inch mansion! We may think “Yay! My plant has so much space! He will be so happy!” But this is not the case.

Typically when upgrading pots, you want to choose a pot only an inch or two larger than the pot it currently resides in. You shouldn’t need to re-pot more than once a year for most plants, maybe even less! Re-potting can cause stress for the plant. Plants mostly just want to chill.

Lastly is the material of the planter. You can get a planter in any material you want but its good to note the way they will effect your plants.

Clay and terracotta pots are porous. They wick water from the soil and help add oxygen to the roots. Because of this your plant will dry out much faster. If you have a plant that prefers to be dry like cactus this is perfect. If not, you may have to water it quite often.

Plastic, resin and glass are not porous. The soil is kept moist for a lot longer so you will need to water less. Remember to check before you water!

Part 5: Fertilizing

So, we all know that plants make their own food from sunlight. But they also take in vitamins and minerals from the soil to help them grow and produce their food! The soil in a pot is finite and has only so much nutrients in it and when the plant finishes it off it needs some supplement. That’s where fertilizers come in!

Fertilizers come in three different types- liquid, sticks and granular. Its important to read the package thoroughly and never fertilize too much or too often. Fertilizers can burn or kill your plant if over used. Also consider that most potting soils have fertilizer in them. If you have re-potted in the last few months you may want to skip a fertilizer dose!

There are many different fertilizers and you can get nitty gritty about the exact percentage of nutrients you need for your specific plant. But were here to talk basics and most of the time an all purpose houseplant fertilizer is all you need. And how often should you fertilize? Well, it depends on the time of year.

Plants go semi- dormant in the winter and don’t do much growing, so they don’t need any extra nutrients. Fertilizing in the winter may do more harm than good so as a rule of thumb it’s best to just avoid it.

When springtime approaches, wake your plants up with a solution of fertilizer at half strength. Begin this around 8 weeks before last frost and continue until closer to summer (around May or June in most of the U.S.).

Summertime is growing time! Feed your plants according to the package label all summer long. Never use more than recommended though!

Continue until about 8 weeks before the first fall frost, then start to cut back to half a dose of fertilizer again. Continue this half dose for about month, then stop fertilizing and let your babies rest til the spring!

Part 6: Where to put it?

So this is just a quick consideration but can make all the difference between a beautiful, healthy plant and a struggling, wonky looking one. Where is the best place to put your plant?

Well, we’ve kinda already covered this. Put it in a place where it will get the light it needs! But after that there are a few things you also should consider.

The first is- do you have any pets or kids? Children and animals may play with your plants, dig them up or pee in them (yes we’re looking at you, kitty cat!)

They might also eat them. Do not let this happen! Most houseplants are poisonous, so keep out of reach of children and pets! It’s not likely it will kill anyone outright, but it might. Or it might just give you a long night of cleaning vomit from your carpet. Either way, not worth it.

There are plants that are non toxic though, and if your worried check them out in my Top 10 Beginner Houseplants! Otherwise, there are many great ways to display plants that will keep them out of reach. Shelves, hangers and plant stands will all help to keep them out of the way of curious claws and grabbing hands!

The second thing is air conditioners and heaters. Heaters dry out the air and will suck the moisture from the leaves of plants that are too close to them, drying them to a crisp. Air conditioners, as well as drafty windows and doors in the winter time, blast the poor plant with cold air that it’s not equipped to deal with. This will kill leaves and can even freeze your poor plant! Keep these things in mind and put plants in a place where they will be kept at a more stable temperature. Most houseplants want to be kept above 45 or 50 degrees.

Wrapping it up!

So that’s it! These are the basics that, if you follow them, will lead you to success in keeping almost any houseplant. There is certainly more to learn though! The world of flora is extensive and fascinating, and there are so many amazing plants out there! But it’s hard to learn all the intricacies if you don’t have a good base to build upon.

From here the next step is to practice and that means it’s time to buy a plant! There are tons to choose from but I suggest starting with one that’s beginner friendly. Check out my Top Ten Beginner Friendly Houseplants to help you choose the best one for your home!

Keep a look out for more articles as I teach you everything you need to know to grow your Green Thumb!

Peace, Love and Sunshine-

Greenweave