As plant parents we always spend a lot of time searching for more information and making sure we are doing everything we can to take care of our baby plants.
There are some mistakes that everyone has done at least once! But it’s important to learn from our mistakes, that’s why today I’m going to share some of them.
1 Not checking the plant before you bring it home
It’s something you don’t really think about, but it’s important that once you like one, take a close look and look for any kind of pests.
I made this mistake at the beginning and brought some home with me..!
I didn’t check my Adansonii and it had a thrip infection, the only way to save her was to make cuttings
Tip: Wash your plant completely when you get home and spray it with neem oil.
2 Overwatering or under watering
Ironically, the most frequent cause of houseplant not surviving is overwatering. People mistakenly think all plants need to be watered the same way. That’s not true. Some plants like Alocasias and Calatheas like moist soil and be watered every few days, others like cacti can be watered just once a month!
It’s important to know your plants and know that they are all different. There’s a method that I like to use and it’s put a finger in the soil and if it’s dry I will water it. You can also lift it up and feel the weight, if it’s very light It needs watering. Struggling with your plants? Read about The 8 Best Indoor Plants for Beginners
Overwatering sings: Yellow leaves, falling leaves, fungus gnats and root rot
Under watering: Wrinkled leaves and brown crispy ends
3 Not the right size pot
Guilty! It wasn’t till I started learning and caring more about my plants that I realized some of my plants were in pots that were not right for them.
First, ALWAYS use pots with holes!! Other wise you will have root rot, I did it with my avocado trees two years ago and luckily I could save them.
Second, the biggest pot may not be the best! You need to choose a pot that is only 2-3 cm bigger than the previos one, otherwise It will use all the energy into producing new roots and not new leaves, and more important the soil will be wet all the time, increasing the chances of producing rot!
4 Plastic, ceramic or terracota?
I’m still learning about this point, there’s not much information about it and you will learn from your own experience.
There are some plants that will do better in plastic or ceramic as they don’t like being completely dry like Calatheas, Alocasias, Fittonias, ferns etc.
But other like succulents, cacti and hoyas will prefer terracota and be dry during waterings.
The 8 Best Plants for Beginners here
Some plants won’t mind the kind of pot, in my opinion I think Monsteras, pileas and some Alocasias and sometimes fiddle leaf tree can be in either of them, but the watering may vary!
5 Not enough humidity
Most of our indoor plants come from Asia or Latino America, which means they love high humidity and It may be possible that where we live there’s not enough of it.
In my city in Spain we have high humidity all year and most of the plants will be ok, but there are some that really love high humidity and will really struggle, like variegated plants or anthuriums.
Anthuriums will struggle without proper humidity
What can you do to increase humidity?
Get a humidifier, a good one, I bought a cheap one and after two months it stopped working..
Put a pebble tray under the pot and the leaves will absorbe it
Place your plants together
Use a small greenhouse for the ones that require high humidity
Place these plants in the toilet or kitchen
6 Start you plant family with ‘‘difficult’’ plants
Sometimes we get plants because we like the way they look before knowing a little bit more about them, their needs and requirements. Each plant is a different world, so learn about a plant before you get it!
Read about the Best 8 Plants for Beginners here beginners
7 Not using the proper soil mix
Another mistake I’ve made in the past, I used to just mix potting soil and place the plant in there. Unfortunately it’s not enough as they need air between the roots. My mix is very simple and it varies on the plant and their needs. I usually mix potting soil/peat moss/coir fiber 60% and 40-30% perlite and wood chips, and when I have I also add a little bit of compost. Let me know your favorite mix!
Photo from Savvy Gardening
8 Forgetting to check for pests
I like to check weekly under the leaves as it wouldn’t be the first time I find surprises on my plants..!
I also like to spray them with neem oil to prevent pests.
9 Not feed them
Most of the plants need fertilizer every few weeks to keep growing (Only during spring and summer). There are many you can use, mine is especial for indoor tropical plants, it’s vegan, ecological and organic! Usually use it on my plants every 2 weeks or once a month.
If you don’t feed them you may not see any growth at all, and this may be one of the causes.
Read about 8 Indoors plants for beginners here
10 Too much moving
Another problem is that sometimes we move plants a lot, or we move into a new home and you will see that they’ll suffer the first weeks till they get used to their new home.
For example, the fiddle leaf tree will loose some leafs when you move it into a different place. The best things is to let them be
The Fiddle Leaf Tree hates to be moved!
Hope this list will help you with all your plants! Let me know which one of these mistakes you’ve done or if there are any that it’s not on my list.Remember to check my new boho home – Plant mom instagram account