When it comes to plant care, consistency is key. Put your plants on a schedule and try to keep to it (weekly/bi-weekly)
Watering Needs
- Every plant has different watering needs…some like to stay on the drier side and some like to stay moist.
- Most interior plants only require bi-weekly (every two weeks) watering unless they’re by a very warm window with a lot of light.
- Look into the type of plant you are caring for (nursery, internet, books etc)
- Location! Is it by a window, indirect light, low light
- What type of soil is it in? Compact, loose, lava rock, bark etc… Is it direct planted in a pot? If so, does it have a hole on the bottom to release water?
- Airflow is important
Fertilizing
- Most interior plants do not require very much fertilizer
- Typically you want to fertilize from Spring to the end of Summer every other time you water. You do not need to fertilize during the winter as the plants go dormant.
- If you have a plant near a hot window, you may need to fertilize that plant more often and through the year. In the winter months, about once a month.
- Make sure to use light fertilizers such as Dyna-Gro or MiracleGro “Houseplant” fertilizer. As long as the label reads for interior houseplants, it should be OK.
Cleaning
- It is very important to keep your plant clean and dust free. Not only does it help the plant look better but it also helps its pores breath better and helps prevent bugs and diseases.
- Try to clean your plants atleast once a month. You can use mitts or cloth in both hands to clean both sides of the leaf. You can also use a feather duster in between to keep the dust off. It is very important that you thoroughly clean whatever you use to clean your plants. You do not want to spread anything from plant to plant.
- There are a lot of cleaning products on the market that are natural and safe to clean your plants with. There are soap products like Jungle Rain and Tropical Mist that you can purchase or make your own at home with some warm water and a little bit of soap.
- Make sure to take off dead leaves and clean the decorative containers.
Pruning and Trimming
- It is best to inquire with a nursery professional when you purchase the plant on how to trim and prune that particular plant.
- Each plant may be a little different in regards to pruning.