If you’re struggling with keeping your houseplants alive, you’ve probably been told you have a “black thumb.”
But respectfully, I have to disagree.
I think the problem isn’t your thumb, but that you just haven’t been educated on the proper techniques for keeping your houseplants healthy! I am so happy you are here because I write these houseplant blog posts to encourage and teach people like you about caring for houseplants.
A mushy, moldy, stinky, dead plant is the worst. I know, I’ve done it before! I had a beautiful aloe plant, and she was so happy and beautiful, but when I decided to move her to a new location (so I could see her more often), I ended up watering her more often than needed.
Yep, I killed her with kindness. And, sadly, I ended up killing her with kindness—such a bummer. I felt so ashamed when I killed her because I know that too much of a good thing isn’t always great.
As I always say, houseplants are like never-ending science projects, and you have to kill some first to keep plenty more alive.
When I learned that all houseplants are like thumbprints and therefore all different and need different attention, a massive shift happened… I stopped killing houseplants!
Has anyone else experienced this? If any of the above made you want to jump up and shout YES, I’ve got something for you! My 3 houseplant watering rules that I swear by!
These 3 simple rules are guaranteed to help you gauge when it is or isn’t time to water your plants.
3 Houseplant Watering Rules That I Swear By:
- Consistency is Key
- Get Personal
- Easy Does It
1) Consistency is Key
It’s not good for houseplants to go from extreme wetness to extreme dryness.
Keep an eye on your plants and check their soil often. Once you get to know your plants better, you will “just know” when to water them.
Houseplants are another living thing, and just like most living things, they require consistent attention. Not constant, but consistent. Some more than others.
For some, it may be helpful to mark your calendar with reminders to water your plants so that your plants do not go from bone dry to soaked every time you water them.
2) Get Personal
2) Get PersonalI know stalking is usually frowned upon, but I fully support it if it takes place in your own home with your plants.
Paying close attention to your houseplants’ coloring, soil dampness and consistency, new growth and the pace of growth, new blossoms, and the leaf appearance (or unusual appearance) will all help you know how to nurture them.
From my experiences, after I’ve gotten to know my plants’ growth patterns, their hydration needs became much easier to regulate. This might sound cheesy, but with time, you will “just know.”
It is nearly impossible to have a strict watering schedule because houseplant’s needs change depending on the type and size of the pot, the soil mix, the season, the weather conditions, and how fast the plant is growing. For example, a plant will use more water when the weather is hot, dry, and sunny and will use less water when conditions are cloudy and damp.
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3) Easy Does It
I know I am a broken record, but honestly, the #1 killer of houseplants is overwatering: aka killing them with kindness. It is essential to understand what plants love water and which ones prefer to be ignored. It is also important to note when your plants are in a growing spout and when they are resting.
The amount of sunlight, humidity, and temperature also all play a role in whether your plants do or do not need to be watered.
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