Plant Parenting 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Houseplants
How many times have you looked at a Pinterest bedroom filled with plants and thought “I wish I could do that”? For some, the thought of keeping a plant alive is impossible. Owning a houseplant (or 30) can seem overwhelming, but with the right guidance and a little bit of patience, anyone can be an amazing parent to their little green companions.
When it comes to where to buy your houseplants, you might think of large stores such as Lowe’s, Walmart, and Home Depot, which all have garden centers. While these stores have plenty of options, there are other stores that will have higher-quality plants and are locally owned. Some great examples of local plant nurseries in Springfield are The Plant Room, Hickory Lane Plants, and Wickman’s Garden Village. These businesses all have storefronts but some can be found at local farmers’ markets as well. There are also plenty of individual sellers that decide to part ways with their plants and sell them online which is a cheap way to fill your home with beautiful greenery. Another way to connect with fellow plant-lovers and pick up a few new additions for your plant collection is to join Facebook groups. These platforms exist for people to buy and sell their plants, get advice, and to share ideas and photos. Sometimes they will even organize plant exchanges where you can go to trade plants with people in your area.
It may seem hard at first to choose what plants to buy for your home. Some things to consider when you are first starting out: the lighting in your space, your pets (some houseplants can be toxic to animals), and if you would prefer something high or low maintenance. It’s generally a good idea for first-time owners to get a plant that doesn’t require much light that is also low maintenance. Some examples are any Philodendron type (Brazilian is especially gorgeous), Pothos, Spider plant, Snake plant, and Lucky Bamboo. If you happen to have a lot of natural light in your space, there are plenty of plants that will thrive there. Examples of houseplants for high-light areas are Aloe Vera, String of Pearls, Jade plant, and most other succulents.
Each of the plants mentioned have their own rules as far as what soil to use, when to water them, how often to fertilize, etc. It is important to research a few specific houseplants that interest you before buying them, just like you would do for a pet. Get to know their needs and make a plan for what supplies you need to buy and how often you’ll water them. Generally, with simple and low maintenance plants such as Pothos or Philodendron, a regular bag of potting soil will be fine (don’t get Miracle Grow, it’s cheap for a reason). Other types of plants may need to be potted in a soil with a higher concentration of one ingredient (ex: succulents require a sandy potting soil). You always want to pot your houseplants in planters with drainage in them, which is usually a hole in the bottom of the pot. This is to allow excess water to drain from the soil, keeping the plant from drowning.
Other materials you may need are: houseplant fertilizer, a spray bottle for misting your leaves, a plant light in case your space is dark, scissors for cutting off dying leaves, support stakes in case your plant needs extra help standing up, and a watering can. You can also use your scissors to make “cuttings”, which are pieces cut from a plant that you use when propagating. Propagation is when you use pieces of a parent plant to grow new versions of it. You can do this through placing your cutting in water or soil and waiting for roots to grow. If you propagate, you’ll never run out of plants in your home!
One of the biggest things to remember when becoming a plant parent is to have patience. Your new plant isn’t going to be lush and full overnight. Give it time, don’t over-water, and listen to your plant’s needs. Sometimes houseplants die and that’s okay, you can always try again. Try not to be discouraged when the plant you thought was going to live forever decides it doesn’t want to! Raising houseplants is a simple and SUPER fun hobby to have, and you get to show off your new living decor.