New Year’s Resolutions for Houseplant Lovers

Thou shall buy a moisture meter. The leading cause of houseplant death is overwatering, followed closely by underwatering. When a houseplant dies it means money is wasted and more must be spent to replace it. Since different plants have different watering needs, simply watering them all on the same schedule doesn’t work. Some plants will thrive while others will rot or dry out. A moisture meter can prevent this. They are available at most nurseries, home centers and big box stores and usually cost less than $5. Simply insert it in the soil and it does the rest as the meter reports if the soil is wet, moist or dry. Some even come with charts that show which level certain plants like.

Thou shall avoid rescue missions. Most plant lovers have seen a sad looking plant on the shelf and get the urge to buy it and nurse it back to health. This is generally a very bad idea. Sad looking plants are in distress. Sometimes it’s simply from lack of light or watering but very often it’s because of disease or insect infestation. Not only is rescuing plants like this more often than not a waste of money, there is also a high risk of transmitting that disease or infestation to the existing houseplant collection. Fight the urge.

Thou shall think carefully before ordering plants by mail. Many rare plants can only be obtained via mail order and getting plants through the mail can be fun and successful but it requires serious thought and preparation. Avoid ordering through the mail in hot or cold weather unless the seller is willing to pack the plants with heat or cold packs and/or ship overnight. Plants will quickly die in a hot or frigid delivery truck. It’s also important to make sure if the seller is overseas that he has the proper documentation and licenses or the plants will be blocked by Customs. When buying on Ebay check out the seller’s feedback very carefully and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Thou shall not impulse buy. Many houseplant lovers snap up a pretty plant only to find the growing conditions they can provide are totally unsuitable. To avoid wasting money, resist the urge to buy a pretty plant if there is no information on its needs. Many plants come with very informative tags but some nurseries still send everything out with a generic ‚”Tropical foliage” tag that is very unhelpful.

Thou shall feed properly. The right fertilizer at the right amount can make a huge difference in the health and longevity of a houseplant. Always use one specifically formulated for houseplants and never use the sticks as they concentrate the fertilizer in a small area and often wind up burning delicate roots. Liquid fertilizers are the easiest and best.

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