Starting Houseplants

So you've decided it's finally time to pick up a houseplant? Owning a houseplant is easy, but knowing how to help it flourish is a bit more difficult. Much of plant care is learned through trial and error, but I will try my best to give you all the plant care tips I know as a houseplant owner for over five years.

Where should you start?

At the soil, of course! Whenever you purchase a houseplant, they're often rootbound from staying in the same pot since they were small. An exception to this is succulents. I have rarely seen a rootbound succulent; however, they could still have compacted soil, which also calls for a repotting. Many other houseplants, typically tropical plants, will suffer from root binding. So what should you do?

 Image source: Urbaki Gardening

If you pick up a houseplant and you notice roots pressed up against the drainage holes of its pot, you know that it needs to be repotted. Don't repot your plant immediately after purchasing, as this could send it into shock. First, allow your plant a week to adjust to the new lighting and temperature differences in your home. Then you should be able to repot it. Also, make sure that you are only "tickling the roots" when you repot, rather than completely stripping the old soil from the roots, as this could also send the plant into shock.

Image source: Tree Care Zone

When repotting, you typically want to size up about 1-2 inches, though it is not critical that you only size up a specific amount. However, it is important that whatever pot you use has drainage holes, or at the very least, a drainage layer. It is also important to use the correct potting substrate for your houseplants. Orchids need completely different substrate than philodendrons, and philodendrons need very different potting mix than cacti. 

Image source: Plant Dad Podcast

For tropical plants like philodendrons, I'd recommend picking up an indoor potting soil mix, then adding in an aerating agent like perlite, pumice, or lava rock to make sure the soil properly drains. I usually do about 70% potting soil, 30% aerating agent for my tropical plants. 

For succulents and cacti, a chunkier mix is recommended. You can pick up a potting or cactus soil, then mix in sand and/or volcanic rock (perlite, pumice, lava rock) to increase drainage. Pumice is very popular for cactus mixes. Soggy soil can be a death sentence for cacti and succulents, so it's important that whatever you use is well-draining.

For epiphytes and carnivorous plants, nutrient-poor substrates will be necessary. Sphagnum/peat moss is a popular substrate for these kinds of plants because it holds onto moisture while being nutrient-poor, therefore preventing root-rot. For orchids, many people will use a mix of sphagnum moss and orchid bark, whereas carnivorous plants are typically potted in a mix of peat moss and perlite. If you are brand new to plant care, I'd recommend starting off with something other than a carnivorous plant, as their needs can be very different than typical houseplants you'll see.

Watering

When it comes to new houseplant owners, they will typically fall into one of two categories. Someone who anxiously overwaters their plants, or someone who forgets to water entirely. 

Watering does not have to be complicated. It will eventually become a habit integrated into your routine. Most house plants like to be watered once every 1-2 weeks. In my experience, the best method is to only water when the top inch of soil is dry. You will be able to tell by pressing your finger into the soil. 

When you water, water liberally. Try to soak the soil fully, and any excess water will flow out the bottom through the drainage holes, so you do not have to worry about adding too much water. The only time this method becomes an issue is if you are watering too often. That is why it's best to physically check if the soil is moist before watering. It is easy for a plant to bounce back after wilting a bit, but if your plant gets root-rot from overwatering, it is game over.

Image source: Indoor Gardening Essentials

It also may be helpful to know that smaller pots will dry out faster than larger pots. If you have a plant in a small pot, you may need to water it more often than plants in larger pots. Also, if you change the temperature of your home based on the seasons, you may need to water more in summer and less in winter.

Then there is the difference in types of houseplants. Cacti and succulents like to have completely dry soil between waterings, so usually you can wait a bit longer between the times you water. If you find that you tend to forget about watering, a cactus or succulent may be the best option for you. However, plenty of tropical plants are hardy enough to put up with the occasional missed watering day and excessive watering.

In my experience, tropical plants also like to dry out between watering, but it is not imperative that they are bone-dry between waterings. This makes tropical plants a better option for the anxious overwaterers. Pothos and snake plants are both very hardy and forgiving houseplants, ideal for a beginner still trying to sort out their watering schedule! Plus, you can grow them hydroponically, completely eliminating the need for soil – which eliminates the chance of your plant getting root-rot!

Image source: Epic Gardening

Lighting

Most houseplants prefer indirect, bright light. What does this mean? It means on a shelf by a window. Some plants will get scorched by the sun if they are pressed right against the window, whereas others may prefer it. Cacti are the perfect example of plants that want to be right on the windowsill. They will greatly benefit from the heat of the sun as well, some even flowering when given enough heat and sunlight. On the other hand, most tropical plants will experience leaf burn if they are pressed directly against the window. 

You may find that some windows in your house get more light than others. This can help you determine how closely to place your plant to the window. For example, south-facing windows get the most direct sunlight in a day; therefore, light/heat sensitive plants should not be placed right against these windows.

Some More Tips

Potting, watering, and lighting are really all you need to know when first starting, but maybe you want to know a little more than that. Fertilization, pest-management, and propagation are a few novice-level topics that I'll briefly get into in this section.

First off, fertilization. There are many products you can use for fertilization. You could use compost and top dress your potted plants, or you could use liquid or granular fertilizers. Liquid fertilizers will be quick releasing, and you should be careful to properly dilute the fertilizer based on the package instructions. Granular fertilizers will be slow releasing, and you can simply sprinkle the fertilizer on top of the soil. 

Image source: Sod Solutions

If you've just repotted your plant, you shouldn't need to fertilize for a few months because of the fresh soil. Soil is full of nutrients that plants need to grow, so fresh soil will not be depleted of any nutrients, whereas older potting soil may be lacking in some. Fertilizing once or twice monthly in the spring and summer, and then "winterizing" plants by not fertilizing in the colder months is how I like to approach fertilization. But there isn't really a wrong way to go about it. It is just important that you do not over-fertilize, as this can cause chemical burning in your plant.

It can also be helpful to understand what fertilizer you are adding to your soil. Fertilizers will have an N-P-K ratio listed on them. This is three numbers representing the percentage of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in the fertilizer. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are macronutrients necessary for plant growth, but different plants may need more of one nutrient. For example, super leafy, vegetative plants usually need more nitrogen, and flowering plants usually need more phosphorus. An even fertilizer works just fine, but if you're wanting to boost the growth of a specific plant, looking into N-P-K ratios could be helpful!

Moving onto pest-management, pests are one of the downsides to having houseplants. When you buy a brand-new houseplant, there is always the chance that it picked up a pest from wherever it was before. Common pests to look out for are fungus gnats, mealy bugs, scale, and spider mites. If you have more than one houseplant, it is best to isolate new plants for a week or so to ensure they do not have any pests or diseases that could spread to your established plants. Dealing with pests is no fun, but there are many methods and products online to get your houseplants pest-free. A common product many people will recommend is neem oil. This stops pest reproduction and prevents them in the future. 

Image source: Smart Garden Guide

The only pest I have personally dealt with is fungus gnats. Fungus gnats reproduce in the moist soil of houseplants. To deal with an infestation, it may be best to simply repot your plant and remove as much old soil as possible in the process. To prevent fungus gnats, make sure the soil is allowed to fully dry out between waterings. 

Next is propagation! This is a fun topic. Propagation is the process of making new plants from plant cuttings. To propagate a plant, simply cut at the node with a sterilized tool, allow the cutting to scab for a few hours, then pop into water! Once the cutting has grown roots (many sources will say two inches of roots, but I'd recommend five), then the cutting can be potted like a normal plant. When transferring a cutting from water to soil, make sure that the soil is kept very moist for the first couple weeks to allow the plant to adjust. There are many propagation methods, so I'd encourage you to research propagating your specific plant to find the best method for your plant.

Image source: bloomscape

I hope this post has given you some helpful insight into starting your new houseplants! Keeping plants doesn't have to be difficult, most of it is just developing a good routine. If you have any questions or need any products, visit us off Highway 287 at DFW Organic Growing. We're here to help!

Written by Kaitlyn Watt
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