Do you love your plants to death? Or just can’t seem to keep them happy? Maybe you have just one special plant or have dreams of turning your home into a jungalow. Sometimes those low-maintenance house-guests we call plants can be a little harder to figure out than we imagined!
Whatever the case, I’ve rounded up some common indoor plant problems and solutions below. If this is why your plants keep dying, then here are the solutions:
–When you first bring home your plant:
Keep an eye on your plant in the first 1-2 weeks of owning it – that means check it everyday! Yes, plants are low maintenance, but if your plant is not going to survive in its new environment (your home), you should get signs in the first week or two of moving in. One way to do this is to take a photo of your plant the day it moves in. Over the coming days, refer back to the photo to see if anything has changed. Keep a lookout for drooping leaves, changing colour or leaves falling off. These might be key signs your new plant isn’t loving the conditions, and you can fix it before it gets worse.
-Maybe nothing has changed (but the season has…)
Is your plant starting to suffer, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason why? Plants have different needs during summer to winter. Even if you’re onto a good thing with it’s routine, the change of season and all that comes with it may upset your plant. Take into account the angle of the sun for example. In winter, the sun may be lower and stream through the window more, causing your plant to burn.
Another issue may be your plant’s water needs, which change with the seasons- summer generally means more water, and during winter you can ease off. One last thing we may not think of is our own indoor heating/cooling systems. Make sure your plant isn’t in direct flow of any air cons or heating. Similarly, the air may be drier if you are using it inside constantly. This can all affect your plant.
-You need a routine
Set a specific day of the week (maybe its when you do chores etc) that you water your plants. if you need to, set an alarm or reminder! My regular watering day is Sundays. Doing this means you can keep track of when they were last checked or watered. You can also keep track of how often you water, fertilise or prune it this way.
-Too much love
Sometimes we can give our beloved plants more attention than they need. Indoor plants generally dry out slower as they are in more sheltered environments. This means that most plants won’t need to be watered as often as outdoor plants. A good rule of thumb to know is that most plants only need to be watered when the top inch of soil has dried out. This rule has worked really well for my Fiddle Leaf Fig.
It starts to die, but you don’t change anything
Lastly, sometimes we notice a plant isn’t doing too well. This is a sign it needs help from you! We can’t always save a plant, but if you notice your indoor plant is dying, try to identify what it could be and change something. Sometimes we just hope it gets better and watch it slowly suffer – check its water, sunlight and air conditions first, then have a go at making a change.
I hope these simple tips were helpful for you! Sign up to my newsletter below to receive more free tips and info on house plants.
