Plant Care Guide

Easy Plant Care Tips for Beginner Plant Parents

If you’re new to plant parenthood, the most important care needs to get right are:

• Water
• Light

Water and light enable your plant to survive but these other needs enable them to thrive:

• Well-draining pot
  • This is their home!
  • Materials can vary (e.g. ceramic, plastic, etc.)
  • At least 1 proper drainage hole is a must
  • There should be enough room for the roots to grow
• Nutrients
  • I use Superthrive for propagations
  • I use DynaGro for fertilizer
  • DIY homemade fertilizers work wonderfully
    • Unsalted pasta water
    • Unsalted potato water (or other vegetable)
    • Banana peel tea
    • Bong water (yes, it seems to work)
• Stakes / trellis
  • Vines like to climb!
• Dusting & Polishing
  • I use a microfiber cloth to dust leaves for optimal sunlight absorption
  • I use neem oil to polish leaves and prevent pests
• Humidity
  • Keep a humidifier near your plants
• Love
  • Say nice things to them
  • Play soothing classical music

How do you know if your plant needs water?

1. Finger Method – (FREE) Stick your finger into the top soil as far down as you can to gauge how wet the soil is and how far down the pot. Be gentle to avoid disturbing the roots.
2. Stick Method – (FREE) Stick a chopstick, or whatever stick you have around, into the top soil as far down as you can, taking care to not damage any roots, and then take it out. If the stick comes out wet with some soil, the plant likely does not need water. If the stick comes out clean and dry, the plant likely needs water.
3. Weight Method – (FREE) Pick up the plant pot to feel its weight. If it’s still retaining water, it will feel heavier. If it is dry, it will feel very light. This gets easier with practice, and the more you get to know your plant.
4. Moisture Meter Method – ($) Purchase a moisture meter–there are many different kinds. I have a 3-in-1 moisture meter that reads the moisture level, light level and PH level, but you really just need to measure the moisture level for beginners.

How do you know when to water your plant?

Use one of the four methods above to check your plant’s water levels. Some plants need water once the top 25% of the soil is dry, while others prefer the top 50-75% of the soil to dry out before watering. And some of the lowest maintenance plants like to dry out 100% before watering.

Refer to the plant care guide chart below for specific recommendations on water and light for some of the most common house plants.

When in doubt, it’s best to under-water than to over-water. Over-watering is one of the most common ways plants die.

How much do you water your plant?

If you are top watering, water until the water drains out from the drainage holes. If you are bottom watering, meaning the plant is absorbing the water from the drainage holes, simply let your plant soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour until it’s no longer absorbing water, meaning it’s no longer thirsty.

Plant Care Guide

Common Name	Scientific Name	Water	Light
Swiss Cheese Plant	Monstera Deliciosa	50-70% dry	Medium to Bright Indirect
Swiss Cheese Vine	Monstera Adansonii	50-75% dry	Bright Indirect
Wax Plant, Porcelain Flower	Hoya Carnosa	75% dry	Bright Indirect
Money Plant	Pilea Peperomioides	25-50% dry	Bright Indirect
Pothos, Devil’s Ivy	Epipremnum Aureum	50-75% dry	Bright Indirect; can tolerate low light
Dumb Cane	Dieffenbachia	25% dry	Bright Indirect / Partial Shade
Amazonian Elephant’s Ear	Alocasia Polly	25-50% dry	Medium to Bright Indirect
Bird of Paradise	Strelitzia	50-75% dry	Medium to Bright Indirect
Peperomia Frost	Peperomia Caperata	50-75% dry	Bright Indirect
Croton	Codiaeum Variegatum	25% dry	Bright Indirect or Direct
Succulents	Many varieties	100% dry	Bright Direct
Rubber Fig	Ficus Elastica	50-75% dry	Bright Indirect
Fiddle-Leaf Fig	Ficus Lyrata	50-75% dry	Bright Indirect
ZZ Plant	Zamioculcas Zamiifolia	50-75% dry	Medium to Bright Indirect; can tolerate low light
Snake Plant, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue	Dracaena Trifasciata	100% dry	Can tolerate any light

Just like human beings, plants need love and care in different ways. The better you get to know your plant, the more it will thrive.

Looking for care tips for a plant that’s not listed above? Drop a comment below!

Disclaimer: I am not a botanist or a professional farmer. The information provided has been collected and tested through my own gardening adventures and experiments. What works for me may not work for others. What works for some plants and climates may not work for others. Please use your best judgement when it comes to your plants.