a home with plants
Healthy plants in your home signal to your brain that your environment is safe, nourished, and stable. This is because for most of human history, plants meant survival. Filling your home with plants is the most effective way to create a restorative, biophilic space that naturally supports daily life.
It can be daunting to bring plants in your home if you do not know how to take care of them, but it is not as difficult as it seems. You may kill a few plants while you learn, but that is just part of the process. Most successful plant owners learned their green thumb through trial and error. Once you understand a few simple secrets, it is easy and fun to have some plants around.
STEP 1: ASSESS LIGHTING
Assess the natural light in your home. Is it bright light? Indirect light? The direction your windows face will heavily determine what kind of lighting you have.
Southern and western windows provide the strongest, most direct light. Eastern light is bright and northern windows provide indirect light throughout the day.
STEP 2: GO GET A PLANT
Now that you know what kind of lighting you are dealing with, you are ready to pick out a plant.
Most houseplants thrive in bright, indirect light and will do well near a sunny window. For spaces with lower light, I highly recommend getting a dracaena and/or a money tree. Any ivy-like plant is a great place to start. They are very satisfying to watch grow and wrap around things. With enough of them, your home will start to look like a jungle.
If you are just starting out, I recommend these plants:
Monstera
Dracaena tree
Rubber tree
Money tree (brings good fortune if cared for properly)
Pothos
I buy my plants from local plant stores or Home Depot. I also get plant cuttings from facebook marketplace or friends.
Growing a plant from a cutting takes longer but is not difficult. See “How to Propagate a Plant Cutting” below for instructions on this.
Choosing a Pot: You can keep your plant in the pot it comes in but it likely will not grow very much. I recommend buying a pot that is 1-3” larger than the one it came in. It is best to choose a pot with a drainage hole in the bottom and a tray to catch water.
Choosing Soil: Really any will do. It is all dirt, with different colors and words to charge you more. If you are unsure, get one that says “potting mix.”
STEP 3: POT YOUR PLANT
Fill the bottom of your pot with soil. You don’t need to press it down. Put just enough soil to bring the base of your plant to the top of the pot.
Remove your plant from the current container. There are a few techniques to use depending on how stuck it is:
Use a gardening shovel to separate it from the sides
Squeeze the sides of the pot to loosen the soil
Turn the plant on its side, hit the bottom
Next, break up the roots. This is important so the roots can spread outward and grow into the new soil. Squeeze the sides of the dirt pile to loosen the roots. It is okay if some of them rip off, but try to be gentle. When your roots are mostly dangling free and are not tightly bound, they are ready to place in the new soil.
Place your plant in the pot. Pour more soil around it. Pat the soil down (not too tightly) to keep the plant upright.
Give your plant sunlight and water. Your plant just needs the appropriate amount of water and sunlight to thrive. Pay attention to how your plant is doing and make adjustments as needed.
MAINTAINING YOUR PLANT
WATERING: A good rule of thumb: if the soil is dry, water it. On the other hand, if it has been a week since you watered your plant and the soil is still soaked, do not give it water and water it less in the future. Some plants like to dry out more between waterings and some like to get small amounts of water frequently. Use your judgement, don’t drown it and don’t starve it.
SUNLIGHT: More is usually better. Some plants care more than others. Your plant will tell you if it is upset and you will have time to make adjustments.
SOIL: If your plant is not growing or is just struggling consistently in general, repotting it might be the best thing to do. Get a pot that is 1-3” larger than the one it is in and get some fresh soil if you do not have any. Follow the instructions above for how to pot your plant.
Pay attention to how happy your plants are by assessing the health of the leaves. If the leaves are browning or wilting, adjust how much water you give them or move them to a different type of lighting. Don’t worry, your plant will likely bounce back.
Good luck!
w/ Love,
Saari
