Top 10 Indoor Plant Care Tips

Our top 10 indoor plant care tips

1. Buy quality professionally-grown plants. That "market special" may be a bargain, or it may carry pests and diseases you didn't notice when you bought it.
2. Get the right pot or planter. The container is crucial for potted plants, especially thirsty species that can die in a few days without enough moisture. Self-watering containers are a great option for many plants but don't suit cactus and other plants that hate "wet feet". Terracotta pots can work for plants such as lavender or rosemary but are porous and dry out quickly if not sealed.
3. Read the label! Following the simple advice on that little tag attached your new indoor plant may just save its life.
4. Find the right spot. Some indoor plants will tolerate less-than-ideal conditions but why put them where they won’t thrive? Flowering plants struggle to bloom in poor light.
5. Use quality potting mix. Garden soil or cheap potting mix are a bad choice when repotting a plant. Many potting mixes include fertiliser, but that lasts for months, not years, and eventually must be replaced.
6. Water appropriately. Too much water can be just as bad for some plants as too little. The plant’s label is a good guide, but you must also consider where your plant is positioned. It's best to water evenly into the pot until water flows from the drainage holes. This helps flush out waste fertiliser salts (that white stuff you often see around the bottom of pots).
7. Don't waste money on high-maintenance plants if you're not interested in looking after them.  Cactus, succulents and cast iron plant are among the easy-care plants available.
8. You don’t need special knowledge to look after indoor plants but it helps to have some idea of where plants originate. As an example, most ferns come from cool, moist, shady environments so it pays to bear this in mind when positioning and watering yours.
9. Some plants are toxic and can make humans and/or pets sick if eaten. Keep plants out of the grasp of children and away from pets. Cats can climb just about anywhere, so be sure all your houseplants are “cat-safe”.
10. Plants are usually sold according to the size of the pot, not the plant growing in it. A 20cm indoor plant is one growing in a 20cm diameter pot. Cover or cache pots usually need to be at least 1cm bigger than the pot the plant is growing in, plus you need to consider how much each pot tapers.