Plant Mama

This is a post about my personal experiences being a house plant mama. I will admit, in the beginning, I had a black thumb. Any plant that came into my home didn’t last long. I thought that I was diligent and mindful of all my plants’ care… but the reality was I had no idea what I was doing.

Here are some of the things you need to consider before going out and buying plants for your home:

• What kind of light does my home have? Do I need to consider low light or bright light plants?
• What direction are my windows facing where plants will be close to? (East and West get the most light because of sunrise and sunset)
• What kind of pots will they be living in? Self-watering, good drainage etc.
• Why am I bringing plants into my home? (To make me happy? Purify the air?)

I am not an expert by any means, but I have some plants that are in my home that are almost 5 years old. Now, to keep them alive, I have learned their plant language. Sometimes they need more water, sometimes less. Sometimes they want to be moved to a sunnier spot in my home, sometimes they need a little more shade.

Low Light & High Light Plants

So I’ll keep this simple. Most people need low light plants. Unless you have a super bright window that gets sunshine ALL DAY LONG, you’ll need low light. Most, if not all low light plants, are green. In order to have colorful blooms, you need a lot of sunshine… which then brings us to high light plants. But before we talk about those, here are some great ideas for low light plants that require very little maintenance:

• Peace Lily
• Ivy (helps purify air)
• Snake Plant (helps purify air)
• Spider Plant (helps purify air)
• Pothos
• Philodendron
• Monstera

Shop My Favroite Low Light Plants on Amazon

Here are some bright light plants that do well in sunny windows:

• Succulents
• Herbs
• Flowering plants (so many to choose from)
• Citrus and Fruit Trees

Shop My Favorite Bright Light Plants on Amazon

Of course there are so many more than what is listed above, this is just a starting point. If you go to any garden center, you’ll usually find the low light plants inside or in a covered greenhouse and the bright light plants in the sunshine or showcased under artificial lighting to keep them perky.

Things I have found that really work (and keep plants alive and thriving):

• Don’t be afraid to move plants around. If they are starting to look sad (losing leaves, or turning brown/yellowish), move them to a new location.
• Choose one a day a week to water your houseplants. Water Wednesday or Thirsty Thursday! I think this is what most people are guilty of, and I was too, overwatering!
• Fertilizing; every month try to mix in a little fertilizer/plant food to give your plants an extra boost of nutrition. I buy small pellets that I just sprinkle on top of the soil and it gradually absorbs as I water.
• Drainage; This is huge! You need to make sure your pot has holes to allow the water to exit. This is really the best option so water can pool in the outside dish, that way the plant can drink up what it needs from the roots without drowning. If you have a pot that doesn’t have holes to allow for water drainage, go and buy small pebbles to line the first couple inches of the pot before you fill it with soil.
• Repotting with fresh soil; You don’t want to do this often. I do it about once a year. But it’s important to change out the soil and it really helps your plants thrive. I usually buy whatever potting soil is on sale, make sure to buy potting soil and not regular ground soil.
• Trimming your plants; Don’t be afraid to give your plants a haircut! If you notice that some leaves are getting brown edges, simply just trim the brown (dead part) off. If you notice a leaf starting to turn yellow, just remove it. It’s okay to trim, you do the same thing when you have split ends to keep your hair healthy, plants need a trim every once in a while!

Listen to Your Plants

This might sound silly but you really need to pay attention to your plants. Plants are smart, and know what they need, they just can’t get it for themselves. Usually plants grow only where they can survive and adapt, but since you are bringing a plant into your home that wouldn’t naturally be found, you have to be willing to help it thrive. If you notice changes in color (parts of the plant turning yellow or the edges turning brown), think about what could be causing the plant’s unhappiness. Is the soil too damp (overwatering)? Is it turning yellow because it’s getting a little too much sunshine in the window it calls home? I sometimes find myself experimenting if I see that a plant isn’t thriving… my plants move around ALL the time. But guess what, they are ALL still alive and doing well.

Becoming a plant mama (or plant dad) is a big investment. Plants aren’t cheap, the supplies you’ll need to get everything set up will set you back a bit too. Really try to visualize what you want in your home, and then go ‘window shopping’ so to speak to figure out what plants would work well in the space you have. It’s a balancing act, you want what you want, but you also want the plant to survive.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment! Also, if you have a favorite indoor low light plant that you don’t seee listed that you love, PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT! I’m always looking to expand my plant kiddos, they make me happy!

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