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If you’re new to growing or caring for houseplants this full and in depth guide takes you through light, watering, soil, feeding and the mistakes you’re likely to make.
Orchids are stubborn about telling you what they need. A lot of plants will make a big deal about showing you how they’re feeling. Peace lilies are the classic example of a plant that reacts very dramatically when it’s unhappy. Orchids though will sit in the same pot looking perfectly fine for years. That is …
A few years ago I nearly threw out a perfectly good orchid. The leaves had gone all wrinkled so I assumed it needing more water and so kept watering it. Unfortunately the leaves got worse. When I finally tipped it out of the pot the roots were brown and mushy. The plant hadn’t needed more …
The first time I saw thick roots growing out of the side of my monstera I was sure something had gone wrong with it. There they were, sticking out into the air, reaching for what seemed like nothing in particular, and they looked a bit alien being there next to all the green leaves. So …
A spider plant is, for the most part, supposed to look quite like a fountain. It should have long leaves that drape over the side of the pot looking like it doesn’t care what it does or where it grows. So when the leaves start curling in on themselves instead it can be a shock. …
A drooping spider plant looks scary but usually don’t panic because for the most part it isn’t. Yes, it might be looking fine and full one day and then the next it’s flat and seems pretty sorry for itself. And your first thought is probably that you’ve done something wrong and killed it. Well chances …
There are few things more frustrating when you’re growing and caring for an orchid than watching a spike get loads of buds, become excited about the bloom that’s coming and then watching those buds shrivel up and drop off before any of them open. This is called bud blast and if your orchid buds are …
Fertilizing orchids is trickier than you might think. Orchids in general can be difficult and when it comes to fertilizing it’s mostly justified. If you use the wrong fertilizer you can damage the roots. Feed at the wrong concentration and you burn a plant that was otherwise perfectly healthy. Feed at the wrong time and …
Peace lilies can and do survive in low light and forgive irregular watering. But “surviving” and “thriving” are different states, and a peace lily that’s merely surviving looks a lot different to one that’s growing well. The surviving peace lily sits in the same corner with little light for years growing the occasional new leaf. …
ZZ plant are one of those plants that is seen as being nearly indestructible. It doesn’t mind low light, fluctuating temperatures, irregular watering and some general neglect and will keep on growing. But there is one thing the ZZ plant is stubborn about, and that is growing quickly into a full and bushy specimen. Most …
Peace lilies have a reputation for being easy, and by houseplant standards they are. They tell you when they need watering. They don’t mind low light. They’re not particularly demanding about temperature or humidity when compared to some other plants. But the one area where getting things wrong can be a big deal is the …