Houseplants are not living indoors by choice. Ever since Victorian plant collectors brought home exotic tropical specimens, we’ve been coaxing warm-climate natives to thrive inside our homes.

The secret to keeping a houseplant alive is to replicate its natural growing zone by giving it the amount of humidity, light, and water it prefers. Most houseplants fall into two categories, tropical (including ferns, palms, vines) or succulent (such as varieties of aloe, aeonium, and echeveria). The most popular houseplant of this decade, the fiddle-leaf fig, would rather be living in a West African rain forest than in your living room, so prepare to coddle it.

Where to start when it comes to houseplant care? Our field guides and expert posts offer tips and advice useful to both the novice and the veteran. Two rules of thumb for houseplant care: tropical plants like humidity (think: steamy bathroom) and succulents like dry warmth.

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1. LIGHT
All plants need light, but the amount varies, in part, by where the plant originally came from. For example, houseplants that are natives of the jungle floor have evolved to thrive on the filtered light that sifts through the dense jungle canopy. Desert plants, on the other hand, are sun-worshippers because there is little shade in their world. Plants such as succulents and cacti grew to be bathed in direct sunlight all day long, so they are engineered to tolerate shady conditions. 

To be successful, match the light conditions in your home to the plants that will thrive there. Unobstructed, south-facing windows are ideal for desert dwellers, but light-sensitive ferns, philodendrons, and orchids may develop scorched leaves in bright light. East- and west-facing windows generally receive partial sun and work well for plants such as dieffenbachia, dracaena, and ficus. Darker locations that face north are best for low-light plants such as snake plant, English ivy, cast iron plant, and ferns.

Of course, you can modify the light a plant receives by adding shear curtains to reduce sunlight or adding fluorescent lights to boost the light levels, especially during winter when there are fewer hours of daylight and more overcast days. 

The plant tag will tell you how much light a plant needs. Here’s how to tell if a plant is getting too much or too little light.

Too Little Light 
-- The plant dramatically starts to lean towards the light.
-- Lower and/or interior leaves on the plants simply fall off.
-- Leaves curl upwards.
-- New growth is much smaller than original leaves and may have less color.
-- Plants grow spindly with elongated stems.
-- Flowering plants stop producing blooms.

Too Much Light
-- The plant develops brown or sunburned spots on its leaves.
-- Leaves begin to yellow and fall.
-- Plants with colorful foliage will begin to fade.
-- The entire plant looks scorched.

 

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2. WATER
All plants require water, but different plants require different amounts. Desert natives can get by with minimal moisture while some tropical plants wilt dramatically if they go without water for just a couple of days. The plant label will help you determine how much water—and you should consider this before you purchase a houseplant. If you travel frequently (or are forgetful), avoid plants that need a lot of  moisture. Instead, look for species that prefer dry conditions such as snake plant,ponytail palm, cactus, succulents, and ZZ plant. Consider also that the pots themselves affect soil moisture. Terra-cotta pots, for example, are porous and allow soil moisture to evaporate while the soil in plastic pots dries out more slowly.

Watering indoor plants isn’t rocket science, but there are a few tips we suggest you keep in mind. First, water whenever the soil feels dry to the touch. Apply lukewarm water until it runs out of the drain holes of the pot (be sure to use a drip tray to protect furniture). Then, allow the soil to dry before you water again. Overwatering is probably the number one cause of early houseplant death. Here’s how to tell if your plant is suffering from too much or too little moisture.

Signs of too much water
-- Stems rot where they touch the soil.
-- Fungus grows on the soil surface.
-- Water stands in the drip tray.
-- Young and old leaves fall off at the same time.

Signs of too little water
-- Leaves and stems wilt and shrivel.
-- Lower leaves curl and yellow.
-- Some leaves become translucent.
-- Flowers or leaves drop prematurely.

3. FOOD
Lucky for you, most houseplants are potted in soil that contains slow-release fertilizer. This means that you won’t have to add more nutrients to the soil right away. Over time, however, you might want to feed your houseplants in one of two ways. You can sprinkle a dry, slow-release houseplant fertilizer over the surface of the soil, or you can add a dilute solution of liquid houseplant fertilizer every time you water. Liquid plant food can be absorbed faster than dry food and is especially useful for flowering houseplants such as African violets, anthurium, and peace lily. Dry food, on the other hand, feeds the plant over several months. Plus, you won’t have to worry about mixing and measuring fertilizer.

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2. WATER
All plants require water, but different plants require different amounts. Desert natives can get by with minimal moisture while some tropical plants wilt dramatically if they go without water for just a couple of days. The plant label will help you determine how much water—and you should consider this before you purchase a houseplant. If you travel frequently (or are forgetful), avoid plants that need a lot of  moisture. Instead, look for species that prefer dry conditions such as snake plant,ponytail palm, cactus, succulents, and ZZ plant. Consider also that the pots themselves affect soil moisture. Terra-cotta pots, for example, are porous and allow soil moisture to evaporate while the soil in plastic pots dries out more slowly.

Watering indoor plants isn’t rocket science, but there are a few tips we suggest you keep in mind. First, water whenever the soil feels dry to the touch. Apply lukewarm water until it runs out of the drain holes of the pot (be sure to use a drip tray to protect furniture). Then, allow the soil to dry before you water again. Overwatering is probably the number one cause of early houseplant death. Here’s how to tell if your plant is suffering from too much or too little moisture.

Signs of too much water
-- Stems rot where they touch the soil.
-- Fungus grows on the soil surface.
-- Water stands in the drip tray.
-- Young and old leaves fall off at the same time.

Signs of too little water
-- Leaves and stems wilt and shrivel.
-- Lower leaves curl and yellow.
-- Some leaves become translucent.
-- Flowers or leaves drop prematurely.

3. FOOD
Lucky for you, most houseplants are potted in soil that contains slow-release fertilizer. This means that you won’t have to add more nutrients to the soil right away. Over time, however, you might want to feed your houseplants in one of two ways. You can sprinkle a dry, slow-release houseplant fertilizer over the surface of the soil, or you can add a dilute solution of liquid houseplant fertilizer every time you water. Liquid plant food can be absorbed faster than dry food and is especially useful for flowering houseplants such as African violets, anthurium, and peace lily. Dry food, on the other hand, feeds the plant over several months. Plus, you won’t have to worry about mixing and measuring fertilizer.

 

Where to grow

Most houseplants will thrive in a well-lit, draught-free spot with an even temperature and reasonably high humidity. However some plants have specific needs. For instance, flowering plants and those with variegated foliage need more light than plants with plain green foliage, while ferns like a darker position. Cacti, succulents and carnivorous plants like a bright windowsill, but avoid putting on a south-facing sill in summer, where they could scorch. Orchids prefer bright, indirect light and if possible, lots of fresh air and high humidity. Generally, if growth is poor and spindly, flowering plants are shy to flower or variegated plants revert to plain green, improve the light conditions.

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What to do

Watering

• Most houseplants are killed by overwatering. Aim to keep the compost moist but wait until it has almost dried out before rewatering. You can check by pushing your finger into the compost.

• Water from above and put saucers under plants to allow excess water to drain away.

• Generally plants will need watering more during the spring and summer growing seasons, than when dormant in winter.

• Tap water is fine for most houseplants, but some specialist plants, such as orchids and carnivorous plants are fussier.

• Water less in winter than in summer when actively growing.

Humidity

Ferns, orchids, bromeliads, calathea and other tropical plants enjoy a daily mist with a hand-held spray. Grouping plants on a tray of damp gravel will also help.

Holiday watering

• Most houseplants can survive being left for a couple of weeks with some preparation. Water all pots thoroughly before you leave.

• Plants in large pots will be fine left in a shady room.

• Those in smaller pots, the very potbound and plants that enjoy humidity will do better in the bath, lined with an old towel soaked in water. If direct sunlight falls on your bath, shading the window will also help.

Feeding

• Many plants will grow without feeding, but flowering plants are very hungry and will do best when given a weekly dose of liquid feed.

• When moving plants into bigger pots, add a few granules of slow-release fertiliser to the compost, but follow the manufacturer's guidelines to avoid overfeeding.

Pruning

• Most plants are easy to look after. Pinch off dying flowers with your thumb and forefinger and remove any damaged or yellowing leaves.

• Remove wayward branches with secateurs if necessary.

Cleaning

• Dust can quickly build up on leaves This isn't only unsightly but also prevents plants from growing properly. Clean with a piece of cotton wool dipped in water.

Houseplant pests

• If the plant is lacking in vigour, check for tufts of white fluff. This is either mealy bug or woolly aphid, pests that suck the sap of houseplants. Remove with an organic soft soap spray.

• Tiny limpet-like bugs on stems or leaves of plants are a sign of sap-sucking scale insect. Rub off by hand with a piece of cotton wool.

• Fine webbing at the tips of plants and yellow speckling on leaves is a symptom of tiny red spider mites. They thrive in a warm, dry atmosphere - cut off the affected parts and mist around the plant to prevent another outbreak.

Use the Pest and disease identifier if in any doubt.

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