If you’ve been wanting to get a houseplant to liven up your home but have never cared for any kind of vegetation before, you might be worried about keeping the plant alive or creating the right environment for your plant to thrive. Luckily, with a little research, planning, and preparation, almost anyone can bring home a plant and keep it alive.
To help you see how this can be done, here are three things you should know before getting your first houseplant.
Understand The Environment Of Your Home
Before you start picking out the plant that you’re wanting to make your new roommate, you’re first going to want to consider the type of environment that you have to offer a plant coming into your home.
For plants, things like temperature, moisture, and sunlight all play a huge role in their overall health. Also, if you have pets or kids at home, you’ll also want to know which plants are going to be safe for them to be around. And for those who might not be home a lot to offer a lot of care for a plant, you’ll want to get something that can thrive in a low-maintenance environment. So once you know what the environment will be like for a plant in your home, you can then find a plant that will do well in that exact type of environment.
Be Aware Of Drainage
While everyone knows that you have to water your plant in order for it to stay alive, what many people tend to forget is that plants also need the right drainage in order to thrive.
Depending on that type of plant you’re going to be getting, your plan for drainage will vary. But for most plants, it’s best to plant them in a pot that has holes in the bottom for drainage. You may also need to put different materials into the pot for the most ideal drainage for your chosen plant. And to make sure that your plant doesn’t cause a big mess with their drainage, it’s best to have a saucer under your plants to catch any excess water that drips out.
Get Comfortable With Pruning
Even with proper care, plants are going to run into issues that cause some of their leaves to die. So when you notice dead or dying leaves on your plant, it’s time to start getting comfortable with pruning.
While you might be worried about pruning because you don’t want to prune too much or too little, it’s generally agreed upon that if you only prune about 30 percent of what’s affected at a time, your plant should be able to repair itself and continue growing as it should.
If you’re ready to become a plant parent, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare to bring home your first houseplant.