By AMBRE PLUTA
I must admit, the very first thing I bought when I moved to London in 2020 was a plant. Since then, I have somehow gained seven more. I believe that I am a good plant mom, only one of my plants has died – a tragic incident caused by mealybugs, one of the houseplants’ worst enemies. Here are my tips on keeping your plants happy:
1. Get to know your plant. The very first thing to do once you acquire a new plant is to check how much you are supposed to water it (every week, two weeks or once a month) and how much sunlight it needs.
2. Drown your plant. Most of the time, watering a plant means: DROWNING IT. – so that the water properly infiltrates the soil and reaches the roots. However, keep in mind that overwatering is one of the first causes of death for houseplants, so respect the watering schedule. Remember: if the soil is dry and crumbly, water your plant / if the soil is wet, wait a few days before watering.
3. Find a home for your plant. As it grows, or just as time goes by, often check that your pot is big enough for the roots of your plant. Those roots might need a bigger home.
4. Let your plant breathe. Air out your room daily (I know, London pollution doesn’t really seem like the better option, but it is still relatively fresh air. So, open those windows!)
5. Give your plant some sunshine. Or at least check each plant is getting the sunlight it needs.
6. Help your plant stay healthy. if ever faced with mealybugs (tiny bugs that resemble white powder), separate the plant from the rest of the plant babies, and wipe off all the bugs. Don’t miss any. Then clean the leaves with cotton dipped in rubbing alcohol. Repeat for a week and keep the plant away from the others for two weeks.
7. Give your plant space. Try to keep your plants far enough from each other when they are in the same room (1 meter away), so that if a disease affects one it won’t automatically infect them all.
I swear that taking care of plants is not that hard, and they always brighten up a room.
Good luck!
