Plant Care Essentials
Plants are great to add colour, texture and warmth to any home. For us too, plants give a unique alive and atmospheric feel to any space that they occupy.
Houseplants improve air quality and are easy to grow, but they must be given appropriate care in order to thrive.
Proper watering and lighting are the most important components of indoor plant care, but humidity and temperatures also play a role. The trick is to try to mimic the climate of the place that plant came from.
We’ve put together some basic care instructions to follow and if you would like to know more about, you shouldn't worry we hopefully have covered that too!
UNWRAPPED
Once you open your box you will be greeted by a lovely plant & unique vase in their 100% Eco-wrapping.
Carefully unwrap your new plant pal. Shake off any excess dirt that might have escaped from the plant during its journey to you. Handle its foliage and other living elements carefully! Remove any of our 100% Eco-wrapping elements.
We want to make it easy for you and for your new pal and so we’ve nestled her in a draining plastic pot underneath her basket.
To water, simply pull up the plastic pot to remove it from its decorative vessel.
We find it easiest to water our plants in the sink - take a shallow dish and add 1 cup of water to it then place the plant in the dish for a good hour or so. Let her continue to drain in the sink and then place her back in her basket!
AND NOW LET’S TALK WATER!
Set up a watering schedule that allows your soil to almost dry out completely in between sessions.
Test it in the beginning is very important! Stick your finger about 1” or 2” into the soil. Not too moist soil will lightly stick to your skin - that’s the sign that your plant pal is ready for more H20!
Depending on the temperature and moisture level in your space, this may be once or twice a week
LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION
Even if you are a total expert, you cannot make a shade-loving plant survive in a sunny window.
But how to know what’s right? In general find your blooming beauty a spot three or four feet from your brightest window.
Signs that your plant pal is getting too much sun? Check for browning edges or leaves!
Also each of our living friends come with a unique name and special caring instructions so your recipient will know exactly how to care for it!
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE
Water
Potting soil should be kept lightly moist. Of course, there are always exceptions like succulent and other thick-leafed plants do best when the soil dries out between watering. If the soil is kept too dry or too damp the plant’s roots will begin to die, which can lead to inadequate growth or even death of the plant.
Dehydration
Do NOT let plants get to the point where they are wilting or the soil is pulling away from the edge of the container. These symptoms indicate dehydration and at this point the plant is already seriously stressed and the roots may be damaged.
Pro Tip - Signs of under-watering include: Slow leaf growth, translucent leaves, premature dropping of flowers or leaves, brown, yellow or curled leaf edges
Over-watering
Too much water is just as detrimental as too little. Frequent watering forces air from the soil and opens the door for root-killing bacteria and fungus to move in. Over-watering is the number one killer of houseplants.
Pro Tip - Signs of over-watering include: Fungus or mold on the soil surface, mushy brown (maybe stinky) roots at the bottom of the pot, standing water in the bottom of the container, young and old leaves falling off at the same time, leaves with brown rotten patches.
Flowering Plants
Flowering plants generally do best in moderately bright light and for this reason windows located on the south, east or west side of the house are best for potted flowering plants.
Foliage Plants
Foliage plants can be divided into three categories: those requiring low light, moderate light and high light.
A dimly lit room should suffice for those few plants willing to survive in low light areas. Moderate light-needing plants will prefer a north-facing window, light diffused through a thin curtain or daylight without direct sun. Indoor plants that prefer high light will need to be in a south-facing window or under a grow light.
Fertilizer
Every time a plant is watered, nutrients leach out of the soil. Even if that didn’t happen, plants would quickly deplete the nutrients in their soil. Unlike plants living outside, houseplants don’t have a regular source of nutrient replenishment unless you fertilize them regularly. (Newly purchased plants have been heavily fertilized in the greenhouse and can wait a few weeks before getting started on a fertilizing regime.)
Fertilize once a month when plants are flowering or growing. During the winter, when plants are dormant or generally not growing much, fertilizer can be withheld.
If a plant is dropping its lower leaves, showing weak growth or an overall yellow-green color, it may need more fertilizer. It might also need more light or less water, so take the time to analyze all conditions before pouring on more plant food.
Pro Tip: If a plant is wilted, water well first then apply a fertilizer later — after it has recovered.
Watch out for plant trouble
Whether you are an expert or a beginner, there will be times when your plants will experience some trouble. One or two small insects or pests can be removed easily, but if you get an infestation I’m afraid that it is game over. Overwatering isn’t fatal at first, but if you continue to do it, it will kill the plant. Watch out for the first signs your plant is in trouble and stop watering immediately.
Plants like to be together
You will have seen the trend of arranging all your plants together for a house party. Nearly all plants grow better when they have their friends around them. Honestly this is not a joke!