Most plant care and plantita-focused content on the internet will readily tell you about the things you should do to make your plant babies grow and thrive. 

And while it’s always nice to hear about all the good things you should be doing to your plants, sometimes it’s more effective to hear about their exact opposite, just so you could identify any bad points in your plant care habits.

That said, here are five bad habits that all plantitas and plantitos need to break right now:

Overwatering - If there’s one surefire way to cause your plants’ premature death, it’s overwatering them. This is because waterlogged soil can prevent plant roots from absorbing oxygen, leading them to die out and rot. 

 

 

One way to prevent this from happening is to only water your plants when their soil has dried out. You can check their soil’s moisture level by poking your finger or a chopstick into their pot: if it comes out clean, it’s time for some watering; if it comes out damp, or if it has clumps of dirt on it, the soil is still moist and can likely go for another week without watering.

Buying plants without researching their needs - Buying a plant without doing any research on its needs is another sure way to kill it. This is because different plants have different needs, and what works for one may not necessarily work for another.

If you see a plant you’re interested in, try to read up on its needs before placing an order. This will allot you enough time to prepare your space, and make it conducive to optimal plant growth.

Not giving them any sunlight - When it comes to indoor plants, many people make the mistake of conflating “low light” with near-total darkness. This has led to many plants getting stunted after being stuck in pitch-black rooms, or in dark shelves that don’t get any light.

 

 

To prevent your plants from getting stunted, place them in locations that get at least a few hours of bright, indirect light – they’ll thank you for it.

Using the wrong container - It can get very tempting to place plants in purely decorative containers, never mind if these weren’t made for holding plants in the first place. Doing this can result in several issues for your plants, such as drainage problems and poor growth.

 

 

If you really want to use non-conventional containers for your plants, make it a point to lay down a bed of chunky pumice or lava rock at the very bottom. This will help drain excess water from the soil, and help keep your plants happy and healthy.

Being over-attentive - Just like kids, plants suffer when subjected to helicopter parenting. This includes things like feeding them outside of the growing season, and generally being very fussy over them.

This behavior can be dangerous to your plants, as overdosing on fertilizers can cause plants to rot, burn, and die.

Other plant keeping and plant care mistakes you should avoid doing include the following:

  • Not pruning your plants
  • Not repotting your plants
  • Not wiping off dust from leaves
  • Giving up

Here at Pots For Plants, we believe in making indoor gardening accessible and easy to follow. Read our blogs for more information on how to take care of plants, as well as how to integrate them into your home and overall lifestyle.