Three reasons why your house plants are not doing well
It brings me so much joy to watch my house plants grow and flourish.
Waking up every morning to see if my little Love Palm has a new leaf or if my Anthurium is budding. These are little things we, plant parents, look forward to.
It’s disheartening when you see your beloved plants slowly start to turn brown, shrivel and eventually die.
How did the strong and healthy plant I fell in love with and bought at the nursery, fade and die when I brought it home? What did I do wrong?
Incorrect lighting
Different plants need different types of light exposure. When you find a plant you like, take the time research the type of light it requires. There are four types of light indoor plants require: full sun, high light, medium light and low light.
Sometimes the plant you have in mind for a specific space in your home will not flourish there because the lighting isn’t suitable.
Either find a different plant for that space or move your plant to a better suited spot in your home.
You could be over-watering your plant
When getting a new plant, your first instinct is to water it. And to keep watering it.
What many newbie plant owners don’t know is that you can over-water your plants.
Too much water can cause the roots to rot and die.
Use this simple trick to gauge if your plant needs watering. Feel the soil by pushing your finger about 3cm below the surface. If the soil is moist, do not water the plant.
You’re using the wrong soil
Never use garden soil for container gardening, this soil is not able to sustain house plants. Always use potting soil.
Even though there is a huge variety of potting soils, they all typically contain peat moss, compost, sand and vermiculite, along with fertiliser that fits the type of plant you are growing.
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