How to Look After Indoor Plants

Whether you’ve recently bought a new indoor plant and are not sure how to look after it or maybe you’re just in need of some indoor plant care advice? We have the perfect package of care tips to ensure you’re on the right track. 

1. Stick to watering the plants with just water. Avoid pouring tips of coffee and tea onto the plants as this will become a breeding ground for flies and bugs. Tap-water is normally fine for all indoor plants, however, selected specialised plants such as orchids can be higher maintenance.

2. Your indoor plants need a mix of water, light and warmth to survive. Therefore, if you’re away on holiday or just for the weekend ensure there is someone available to keep up with watering them and repositioning them to a location inside with more sunlight if necessary.

3. Don’t overwater! It’s one of the most common causes of plant death. If you’re unsure about how often to water each plant, try looking up online the type of plant or purchase an indoor plant encyclopedia which will provide plenty of information into care and advice tailored to specific indoor plants.

4. Remember to regularly prune your plants to avoid them becoming ‘twiggy’ and weak. Good pruning will result in healthier plants, increasing their longevity.

5. Indoor plants acclimatise slowly to different environments as their leaf orientation and structure changes. Try not to move them around as it may take longer for them to adapt and grow. 

6. Ensure your plant pot has drainage holes in the bottom. This will allow excess water to seep out. Remember to ensure that the excess water doesn’t pool at the base of the pot, as this will help to protect the sensitive roots from rot and fungus. 

7. Remember to clean your plants. Indoor plants can often generate a build-up of dust. If not cleaned, it can prevent and interfere with the plants growing properly. You can clean your plants with a piece of cotton wool dipped in water. Leaf-cleaning products are available, however, they are only suitable for selected plants. 

8. If it’s your first time looking after an indoor plant, research which type of plant requires which type of lighting. Avoid putting indoor plants that require less light in high levels of light and vice versa. 

9. Indoor plants that are required to be at a warm temperature is the ideal environment for plant bugs such as scale insects, mealybugs and aphids. Regularly inspect all of your indoor plants by checking under the leaves and on top.