There are several factors in improving your home and one of the easiest ways to do this is with plants. I know it may sound daunting especially if you have a bad history with keeping them alive but hopefully after this, you should have a certifiable green thumb.
The Three L’s
The first thing is picking the right plants for your home and this all depends on what I like to call the Three L’s: Lifestyle, Lighting, and Looks. If you’re too busy to get down in the dirt every week, you can still have plants! Pothos, pictured to the right, are a great low maintenance plant that requires very little watering and sunlight.
Speaking of sunlight, that brings us to our next L: Lighting. There’s more to lighting than just indoor or outdoor. You also have to know if a plant requires direct or indirect sunlight, how much time it can be in direct sunlight, and the temperatures it should be kept at. Pothos are a great indoor plant that thrives in indirect sunlight and average home temperatures. Every plant you buy in a store will have a description tag that will show how much light the plant needs and whether it should be inside or outside.
The last L is Looks. This is where it really depends on your tastes. I prefer vine plants, but you may like succulents or shrubby plants more. Succulents, think mini-cacti, are great for decorations inside and require absolutely minimal watering (once every 2-4 days) and only need about 3 hours of direct sunlight depending on the type.
Potting Your Plants
Next thing is about potting your plants correctly. You have to make sure that the size of the pot fits how large you want the plant to grow because plants will only grow as big as the pot, they’re planted in. If it’s too small, they’ll die so be sure about the right size. When transferring your plant into its new home, make sure that water has a place to escape with either a hole at the bottom or putting a layer of rocks before putting soil in. Lastly, make sure you don’t abuse the roots when transferring your plant. Yes, you have to loosen them a bit so they’ll adjust to the new pot, but don’t go crazy on them.
Watering Your Plants
Last thing we’re going to talk about is watering. Don’t overwater your plants, it’s the fastest way to kill them. Instead, know their optimal watering frequency. If they’re outdoor plants, account for the weather when deciding on watering them that day. If it’s rained a lot recently, there’s no need, but if it’s been awhile, go for it!
The most important part of taking care of your plants is to have fun with it and make them part of your home! Following these simple steps will get you your green thumb in no time! Tag us in pictures of your plants and use the hashtag #GreenThumb