They enjoy being pot-bound and this will encourage the production of tiny baby plants. But if the roots are spilling out of the pot, you can either repot the whole plant or divide it by cutting it down the middle with a sharp knife into halves, thirds or even quarters. Just pot up the smaller pieces and they will start to grow immediately. Cacti and succulents have the ability to store water in their leaves or stems and prefer bright, sunny spots. Make sure the compost is free-draining to prevent water-logging. You can add grit to the compost for cacti and succulents if you feel the plant would benefit; it’s worth doing, especially if you’re repotting. You can also buy a specially formulated cacti compost in most garden centres. For succulents, adding sand to the mix will help with drainage. Why do so many people find it difficult to rear houseplants? What are some of the common mistakes they can avoid when they are getting started? If you know your thumb is not the greenest, you might want to begin Project Oasis by taking small transplanted seedlings from your friends. This way, you will only have to invest in a bit of soil and a clay pot while you try to beat the learning curve. Your friends will also most likely be very happy to give you some of their own advice along with their young plants. Do you think this fear of killing plants deters people from actually taking to gardening in even a small way? What's the best way to get rid of these fears?

It’s easy to get jaded after numerous houseplant failures, but a little botanical education can help you spot problems before they become full-blown disasters. Skip the trial and error with the signs of common plant parent mistakes and how to fix ‘em.

Observe your houseplants very closely. This way, you can recognize a pest infestation in time to treat and cure your plant. Tip #10: Leaf-Care Another tip for when you go on vacation: remove the saucers from under the potted plants and place them on a wet towel in the sink or in the bathtub. This way, the plants can pull up the moisture they need when they need it. Tip #7: The Proper Soil Many houseplants have strong air-filtering effects. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay – FreePhotos) Bathrooms are most often very humid, warm, and often dark.- for some plants these are the ideal circumstances, but for some others, this spells certain death. Here are some houseplants that thrive in high-humidity environments:

Learn get rid of spider mites if you notice webs on your plant. You can spray the plant with neem oil or make a DIY insect killing soap that’ll nix insects without harming your greenery. Provide the right amount of light, All plants need light to survive, but not all plants require the same amount of light. Some plants require direct sunlight, while others prefer indirect light or even shade. Make sure to research your plant's specific light requirements and place it in the appropriate location in your home. If you have a room with limited natural light, consider investing in a grow light to provide your plants with the light they need. Pothos: Pothos is a trailing vine that’s super easy to care for. It thrives in indirect light and goes for long stretches without being watered. A good rule of thumb is to let the soil dry out completely before watering — you’ll know it needs a zip when the leaves start to droop.You aren't off the hook completely though, because diseases and pests don't destroy overnight (unless you have a slug or snail problem) so a negligence claim against you might still be quite justified! The Easy Fix

Zzs and Snake Plants are often touted as plants that can grow in windowless bathrooms. However, surviving is not the same as thriving. Low light-tolerant plants will flourish when given more light. So before you place those cute succulents or Zzs in your bathroom, consider getting a grow light! 8. Re-potwhen grown out Boston fern: Boston ferns like indirect light and damp soil. They make great hanging plants, but take care to keep them away from drafty windows and heating vents, because they don’t like drastic temperature changes. I wrote this book because, frankly, there isn’t a handy, updated book on care for ornamentals for the Indian gardener-reader. My mother is a brilliant gardener and she, at one point, collected tons of gardening books, all of which I’d read. The books were beautiful coffee table formats with lush photography and although I loved them and they inspired me, they always left me wanting because they were meant for a specific international audience. Gardening books only have meaning when they are set in your context because of unique cultural parameters like climate, soil profiles, growing seasons (for example: most of India doesn’t have a brutal winter and total rest season for plants). You need to learn the art of patience and give time between watering. Not only that, but you might not need to give as much when you do come to water.Of course, as a good attentive host, the last thing you want is for your houseplants to become thirsty! But the problem is you keep on watering until you drown the roots. The soil is sodden and if you tilt the pot over a glass you can pour yourself a smelly brown colored drink. Not good for you, and lethal to the plant. The Easy Fix The best way to get plants is to ask friends, family members, or a local community garden. If not, try to find an organic seed nursery close to your home. Tip #6: Arrange a Plant-Sitter Don’t let your plants fend for themselves while you are away. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay – KaboomPics) Still, plants can do a lot to improve the ambience in e.g. a bedroom. The following houseplants will thrive in your room and make it look more inviting:

Leaves are the biggest telltale sign of how healthy your houseplant is, and there are several things you should be doing regularly to keep them in top condition. All plants need light and none want endless darkness. Give it the required light levels by reading up on your plant's needs. If you're cold then so is your houseplant. Always keep them in places that are at least the minimum temperature that they'll accept. Further Reading Observe and notice your houseplants (if you're admiring their beauty anyway, this won't be hard), then when something starts to look wrong you'll be able to tell and treat the problem early on. Further Reading

Tough, and drought tolerant houseplants should be your go to. Air Plants, Cacti, Sansevieria and the ZZ Plants are just a few that will be happy with infrequent watering. That pot - that small but poignant totem of a life before Covid- now hangs in a corner of a quiet room, its edges draped in greenery. Situated close to a large south-facing window but out of direct sunlight, the warm, bright, draught-free spot it occupies is the perfect place for my Senecio rowleanus plant. A heat-loving, light-loving, drought-tolerant succulent, its long, cascading stems are studded with a multitude of tiny, fleshy, pea-green beads so pretty and so irresistibly tactile that it’s almost impossible to resist gently stroking them as you go past. Whenever I do so, it feels oddly illicit, yet another reminder of what a strange new world we live in. Mother in law’s tongue: Scary name, strong plant. Mother in law’s tongue doesn’t need a ton of light or water to thrive — just plop ‘er in a shady corner and give her a drink every couple of weeks. The best fix of course though is to get passionate about houseplants. This will help you learn and understand their needs better. I hope we’ve become more attached to our plants; however, whether we’ll still turn to plants after ‘all this’ is over, depends on our motives for having plants. Do we bring plants home because we are interested in growing things? Do we like them for aesthetic reasons, or do we simply want to showcase them on our social media to stay relevant? But then again, these reasons can change when curiosity is sparked, turning a hobby into a lifelong passion or at the other end of the spectrum, we may become frustrated by their upkeep and give it up altogether.