Beginners to houseplanting often fall into logical traps on what is required while neglecting other essential principles. I’ve had the chance to research along my houseplant journey and mentally compile some best practices. This post is definitely more useful for a beginner than anyone who’s been doing this longer than I have.
I’m reminded and influenced by the priciples of agile written in that cabin many decades ago (or however that myth goes):
- Quality of soil over quantity of soil
- The right soil for a plant is infinitely more important than giving it a large pot. In fact, most houseplants prefer a tight pot fit.
- It goes without saying here: drainage drainage drainage
- Saturation of watering over frequency of watering
- In nature, rain may be infrequent, but it is saturating and drenching when it arrives. Plants given the chance to slowly dry out from a deep watering are better off than those given daily splashes.
- Indoor stability over outdoor rapid growth
- A houseplant left inside in stable conditions is better off than one that is set outside with the chance of it growing faster but given the chance to be forgotten and drowned by rain, scorched by sun, or infested with pests.
These princples operate off the fact that the weakest link in your plant’s care is you. Human error is inevitable, but these principles help to mitigate the impact.