Houseplant Care Guide

All plants require different levels of watering so here are the golden rules.

• Firstly, check the plant profile for any specific requirements.
• Avoid over-watering! It is one of the most common mistakes. It will decay the roots. Generally, let the soil dry out a bit between watering.
• A general rule of 'thumb' is either check the weight of the pot, heavy is well watered, light means it needs watering, or place your finger 1-2 inches deep into the soil and see how much it has dried out.  
• Allow excess water to drain away. Do not let the plant sit in water on the saucer.
• Reduce frequency of watering in winter.
• Plants prefer unchlorinated water, so use rain water if you can or put your plants outside when it’s raining (obviously when outside temperatures let you) this is a real treat for them, it’s like liquid gold for your plants.
• Avoid getting water on the leaves and stems of plants with soft, furry foliage or succulents and cacti.

Most house plants come from the tropics where humidity is higher than in our homes so it’s important to get the humidity levels right. Here’s a short guide.

High humidity:

This means that the air is saturated with moisture. Tropical plants like Calatheas, Anthuriums, Monsteras, ferns etc. thrive in this atmosphere. Central heating dries the air out, so if you love these plants, place them in a humid kitchen or bathroom, use a humidity tray or invest in a room humidifier.

Moderate humidity:

This is required by many houseplants, including a large number of foliage plants. Misting them regularly, setting them on a tray of damp pebbles or grouping them together (which creates a microclimate) helps boost humidity to the correct level.

Low humidity:

Most rooms in centrally heated homes have low levels of air moisture. Plants from arid regions (such as cacti, succulents, and those from Mediterranean areas) are adapted to these conditions. 

How to tell a plant needs re-potting?

• Waterlogged compost which mainly happens if the plant lives in a pot which has no drainage. In this case the plant will need to be re-potted into a different container.
• Roots are growing through the drainage holes which is suggesting that the plant is root-bound.
• Roots are tightly encircling the sides of the root ball when you tip it out.
• The leaves are pale or yellow which might be a sign that the roots are congested and unable to take up nutrients efficiently.
• The plant is wilting, which may also be a sign of congested roots.

How to re-pot a plant:

• Water the plant well about half an hour before re-potting it.
• Choose a new pot that is wide and deep enough to fit the root ball, with some space around the edges and at the top, to allow for watering. This usually a pot size bigger than the container in which it is currently in, with drainage holes at the bottom to allow excess water to filter out.
• Add a layer of compost to the bottom of the new pot.
• Remove the plant from its original container and gently tease out the roots that are tightly packed around the edges or at the bottom.
• Make the plant sit on the top of the compost in the centre of your new pot (checking that the top is sitting 1cm below the rim which allows space for water whilst watering).
• Fill in around the roots with more compost, pressing it down gently to remove any air gaps.
• Make sure you don’t burry the stems. The plant should be the same depth as it was in its original pot.
• Water it (even feed it) once you finished re-potting.