Caring for your house plants

General
Read the plant label thoroughly and retain it for future reference. Make sure you give your plant the conditions recommended on the label and follow any of the maintenance suggestions.

You may find maintenance is easier if you keep your plant in a plain plastic pot and slip it in and out of a decorative pot.

Position
Select your plants with position in mind. The level of light available in the room where they are to go is very important. A rough rule of thumb is that most variegated plants need higher light levels than their plain-leafed cousins.

Avoid positioning your plants near windows that receive direct sun, as they will scorch. Don’t put them near the output of air-conditioners or heaters either.

Watering
The simple fact is that more house plants die from over-watering than any other cause. Why? Over-watered plants will wilt, looking like they need a drink, so they are then watered again. Eventually they rot in their pots. Different plants have very different watering requirements, so always read the label. Here are a couple of tips on how to water when it’s needed. First, simply test the moisture level by poking your finger a little way into the potting mix to feel if it is moist, or lift the pot to feel the weight.

Dunking: put the plant into a bucket, sink or bath full of water. Stand for at least 20 minutes. Remove it from the water and allow to drain completely, overnight if possible, before returning it to its home.

Bottom up: stand the dry plant in a deep saucer and fill the saucer with water. Keep topping up the saucer until the pot stops quickly taking up water.

Feeding
When watering, dilute an appropriate amount of a soluble liquid fertiliser in the water so you give your plants a feed and drink at the same time.

At least once a year apply a suitable slow-release fertiliser such as Osmocote Plus for pots, planters and indoors. Scratch it gently into the potting mix, or push a number of holes into the mix with a pencil and use a teaspoon or a funnel to pour in the recommended dose.

Foliage care
Your plants breathe and create energy through their leaves. To do this efficiently, and to stay looking healthy, they need clean leaves. Regularly gently dust or wipe the leaves clean. Remember that some plants don’t like wet leaves so a
dry technique may be required.

If it’s possible, take glossy-leafed plants outside into a shady sheltered spot every couple of months, and mist the leaves or gently hose them down.

As plants generally like more humidity than an indoor environment provides, fill a clean spray bottle with fresh water and mist leaves regularly.

Re-potting
There will come a time when your plant needs to be moved into a larger pot or simply have its potting mix replenished.

As potting mix becomes quite depleted over time, first gently remove most of the loose old mix. Replace with a premium quality potting mix suitable for indoor plants.

Ensure you don’t replant your plant deeper than it sat in the original pot. Water well and allow to drain before returning to its position.

More on pot plants

How to Repot your pot-bound plants
Caring for your house plants
How to grow a native garden in pots
Pot plant inspiration