Under, plant specialists share what you’ll want on your new plant, plus useful dos and don’ts to make sure your leafy magnificence thrives.
In This Article
Purchasing Guidelines for Bringing Residence a New Plant
1. Pot
Whenever you purchase a plant, it’ll in all probability are available in a grower’s pot, or nursery pot. They aren’t, nevertheless, essentially the most aesthetically pleasing—and if it’s necessary to you that it matches together with your decor, you may place it in a extra stylish-looking pot. Caroline Copeland, an internet design professional at Yardzen, recommends selecting one which’s one to 2 inches bigger in diameter than the dimensions of the nursery pot, which may additionally supply enough space for the plant to develop.
Pots are additionally out there in a wide range of supplies, from terra cotta to ceramic and plastic—and whereas every have their professionals and cons, Paris Lalicata, a plant professional at The Sill, says it’s finally a matter of non-public choice. No matter materials, Copeland recommends a pot with drainage holes to make sure your plant receives the water it wants with out turning into waterlogged.
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As well as, drainage holes additionally assist forestall overwatering, Kaylyn Hewitt, a plant professional and ’s lead floral designer, beforehand instructed Properly+Good.
2. Potting Combine
“Potting combine may help present vitamins to the plant,” says Copeland, and along with providing vegetation the sustenance it wants, it permits for aeration and helps drain extra water. Lalicata says you’ll all the time desire a recent bag of the stuff when bringing residence a brand new plant. “Potting combine degrades and will get previous over time,” she says. “It turns into hydrophobic [and] it turns into degraded in vitamins in order that’s why vegetation can’t dwell in the identical soil indefinitely.”
As you store, you’ll probably come throughout a big selection of choices for potting combine. Lalicata says that the majority commonplace indoor potting mixes can work for a big selection of indoor vegetation. Nonetheless, if, as an example, you’re rising succulents and cacti, they need to be planted in a potting combine that’s specifically designed for them. “Since they originate from an atmosphere that’s drier, they’ve a low nutrient atmosphere the place they naturally come from, so having a succulent particular potting combine helps as a result of it has extra inorganic elements that permit for extra aeration and drainage,” she says. “It additionally would not have as many vitamins due to the shortage of natural materials.”
In case you’re any individual who’s a uncommon plant collector or has a plant that isn’t as straightforward to look after, she provides that it’s all the time greatest to do analysis on what sort of soil can be greatest for them.
Miracle-Gro, Indoor Potting Combine, 6 Qt. — $6.00
3. Watering Can
You possibly can all the time use a ingesting glass or the kitchen faucet to water thirsty vegetation, however a watering can lets you management how a lot water you’re pouring and direct it the place you need it to circulate. Watering is available in a variety of sizes and kinds, with some so fairly they will double as decor. Deciding on an choice with these components in thoughts will rely on what number of vegetation it’s a must to water—or alternatively, the quantity of instances you’re keen to refill the can—in addition to your personal aesthetic preferences.
In any case, Lalicata says to go for one which’s narrow-spouted. A narrow-spouted watering can is not going to solely let you attain the soil beneath the leaves of your plant, which is particularly necessary if it has thick foliage, however may also make much less mess in comparison with, say, a water glass or a measuring cup.
4. Water Moisture Meter
Since totally different vegetation every have distinctive watering necessities, Lalicata recommends a water moisture meter, or, alternatively, a soil sleuth, that will help you gauge the moisture degree of the soil. She says that monitoring the soil moisture degree is one of the best ways to know when to water your plant quite than sticking to a strict watering schedule. “There are such a lot of various things that fluctuate in an atmosphere that impression how briskly a plant drinks up water,” she says—and it will possibly additionally make plant parenting a lot simpler.
You can too use your finger. Think about a plant watering hack that STYLUSH plant professional Reagan Kastner shared on a TikTok video: Simply place your finger an inch into the soil of the pot of your plant; in the event you pull out and there’s grime in your finger, maintain off watering, if there’s solely somewhat grime, you may water.
Dr.meter, Soil Moisture Meter — $9.00
5. Neem Oil
Prefer it or not, houseplant pests include the territory of caring for vegetation—and worse nonetheless, you by no means know when they’ll pay a go to. That’s why Lalicata all the time recommends having a bottle of insecticidal cleaning soap or neem oil inside attain. These pest repellants are sometimes fabricated from pure elements which might be freed from chemical substances so they’re secure to spray indoors.
6. Pruning Shears
Lalicata additionally says to contemplate pruning shears, which can turn out to be useful when your plant drops leaves or stems resulting from pure leaf turnover or stress. Whereas a pair of scissors may help tidy up a plant, she says to keep away from utilizing them instead. “Pruners make a extra exact and cleaner lower in comparison with scissors,” she says. “Normally, in the event you use scissors and it’s not sharp, it will possibly harm the stem tissue.”
7. Fertilizer
If you wish to give your plant somewhat pick-me-up, Lalicata says which you can think about buying a fertilizer to make use of within the spring or summer season months. “Fertilizer isn’t meals—it’s actually only a vitamin—so fertilizing your vegetation within the spring and summer season months may help vegetation develop somewhat bit extra vigorously,” she says.
8. Hygrometer
A hydrometer may help you monitor the humidity and temperature ranges in your house—and Lalicata says it’s helpful for any plant father or mother to have. That is particularly necessary for many who personal vegetation that require a selected humidity vary to thrive.
Dos and Don’ts of Bringing Residence a New Plant
Do Analysis on Your New Plant
Bringing residence a brand new plant sometimes requires somewhat extra thought than selecting one primarily based on appears. It’s necessary to do your analysis on the plant species you’re inquisitive about to make sure your property has the precise environmental circumstances for it to thrive. Lalicata says that the primary and most important factor you need to do is assess the quantity of sunshine that your property receives. This may show you how to decide which kinds of vegetation can do properly in your area as some can tolerate low-light circumstances whereas others profit from environments that obtain direct daylight.
As well as, you additionally need to analysis on whether or not a plant is low upkeep or requires extra care—and from there, determine in the event you may give it the time and a spotlight it wants. For instance, “in the event you’re any individual who’s all the time touring otherwise you’re all the time out, think about getting a extra low-maintenance plant that’s drought-tolerant or can thrive in varied mild circumstances,” says Lalicata. “It’s actually about being sincere with your self in regards to the time and a spotlight which you can give every particular person plant.”
Don’t Repot Your Plant Proper Away
In case you’re considering of repotting your plant the second you arrive residence, suppose once more. In accordance with each Copeland and Lalicata, you’ll need to chorus from repotting your new plant immediately—it’s necessary to allow them to acclimate to its new atmosphere. “Normally, we are saying to acclimate your vegetation for as much as two weeks,” says Lalicata. “Some lower-maintenance or hardier vegetation, like ZZ or snake vegetation, require only a week as a result of they aren’t as fussy.”
Do Quarantine Your Plant for a Week
“If you have already got different vegetation, it may be a good suggestion to quarantine the brand new plant for per week,” says Copeland. The reason is is that it might carry pests that is probably not instantly seen. “Even in the event you examine the plant earlier than bringing it residence, it’s all the time good to pretreat it first and likewise preserve it quarantined for no less than per week away from the remainder of your vegetation,” says Lalicata. To rid a brand new plant of any pests, Lalicata offers it a fast rinse in her sink or tub, and as soon as it dries, pretreats it with an insecticidal cleaning soap or neem oil. “If I discover that after per week, no pests are popping up, then I’ll go forward and combine it into the remainder of my assortment,” she says.
Don’t Water Your Plant Until It Wants It
“Resist the temptation to water your new plant and wait till it truly wants it,” says Copeland—and one of the best ways to test in case your plant wants hydration is to test the moisture of the soil. “In case you purchase a brand new plant and the soil is moist, you do need to chorus from watering it,” says Lalicata, “whereas in the event you test the soil and it’s bone-dry, then go forward and provides the plant some water.”
