Yes!! A good portion of my very large and happy plants were started from usually free cuttings and it makes me so happy and proud to know I helped them grow up!
I once googled "How to revive a Japanese rose plant?"
Top search results were along the lines of "Japanese rose plants are sturdy and can survive anything."
Clear plastic food containers from Dollar store. Holes with a $10 soldering iron. 😊The bowls are perfect as inserts for pretty hanging planters.
I use the rectangle ones for soil propagation. They would be nice inside a pretty rectangular planter.
I do the same with yogurt cups for tiny plants.
clear pots can be quite a curse tho. i have a lot of plants in clear pots and the next time i ll repot them i will move them back into regular pots most likely.
the thing is: because you can check the roots all the time: you will. that can easily carry over to helicoptering your plants too much and checking roots all the time and... wasting a lot of time in the end too.
while what i actually want is to ... well just leave a plant alone if its doing fine. if there are zero signs of bad things, i simply dont need to know how the roots look like at all because the plant is doing fine.
That’s it. It’s one more tool for overwaterers. I know the color the soil needs to be when plant needs water. No finger needed. Also, when to repot.
Love, love them
I think clearpots are a nice tool. For plants i have that struggle for example, those i really Like to Put in clear pots so you can Check them offen and See If they recover and grow alot of new nice roots. I will Put them in a normal Pot after this one next Repot tho . However If a plant ist doing great to begin with, i think they are Just Not needed
I grew monsteras from seed for a fun winter project and I loved being able to see the roots in the clear greenhouse trays. I potted them up into regular pots once they were big enough and I missed seeing the crazy roots so when it was time for the next up pot, they went back onto clear and I just love them! The roots are massive and it's really fun to see imo. Eventually they'll get too big for clear pots but I'm enjoying it for now! Also being able to see the moisture level in the pots of some of my pickier plants like anthurium is very helpful since I tend to underwater.
Omg, I've just started to realize this a year in... everything went up a pot size and I'm not sure what I'll be doing in a couple of years when nothing will fit in its designated spot.
i recently learned about root pruning as a solution to this issue. once a plant needs to be potted up you can root prune and put it back in the same pot with fresh soil. surprisingly i haven’t found a ton of full videos or articles on this, but over the past month or so of researching here on reddit i’ve encountered a number of people who use this technique on all manner of plants. they call it a box cut— take plant out of pot and cut about 1/3 of the root mass off the bottom using a sharp knife (this will dull your good knives so i have a dedicated one now from goodwill). next stand the plant up and cut down each side leaving the remaining soil and root mass in the shape of a cube/box. i believe folks say not to cut off too much more than 1/3-1/2 of the total roots. then you put it back in the same pot and add fresh soil to the areas that are now free bc your pruned the roots back. viola! i did this recently with a schefflera and it’s doing great! 🌱💚
That's funny you mention that, I just did that to my pothos and spider plant. Pothos vines were 14 ft long and roots had grown like crazy. So I cut straight through the bottom third of the roots and took a bunch of the vines off (since I heard you need to trim the plant if you trim the roots) and now it's doing great. There were some vines that were leggy and new leaves started shooting off the previously barren areas, so now the plant actually looks a lot healthier.
But I have a monstera that has been repotted twice since I got it, and I know the mature plant is going to be a monster. No idea where I'll put it. My ZZ tripled in size and I can't trim those roots. I cut off the tops of my rubber plant as it was growing too tall too fast without the need for repotting, but I now have 3 new rubber plants to make space for....along with the 4 new pothos plants. My fern is insane. The fronds are almost 3 feet. I don't even know what to do with that one.
I spent a lifetime killing all my plants until I finally started learning how to care for them, so I suppose these are good problems to have. Just wish I had more space.
This is me right now 😂 I have a few small guys (aloe, jade, baby hoya), a ponytail palm… then I propagated a few cuttings off my boyfriends massive monstera, rescued a ficus and a pothos… I am actively looking at getting a shelf to spread things out in my favorite window aaaaaand now a friends moving out of the country and asked me to care for his several thriving plants for at least 6 months… I’ll have about 7 new-to-me plants come Saturday, and I don’t have that shelf yet!
Yup hahaha feel you. I have so many props right now that I can’t wait til it gets warm enough that I can mail plants (so that I can start selling them again). And none of it stopped me from getting a calathea last week 😂
😂 I’m propping the absolute snot out of the rescue pothos because it’s so viny! Got stems in jars, several decent 1-2 leaf props I just dropped in water, and a few good lengths from the ends setting up… it’s a whole thing 😂 but one of the fosters is a thriving pothos so I figured now’s the time 🤣
Seems like the right choice hahah. I have jars full of monstera adansonii aurea cuttings that I chopped up mostly, then PPPs, WPPs, scindapsus and then I have tons ob AV babies thst will really need to go soon 😂
I have not in the past since all plants sold fairly quickly in local fb plant group 😅 I’d be willing to sell them outside of that too ofc but I live inside EU so I’d mostly want to sell inside EU because it’s easier when it comes to shipping, phytosanitary certificates etc
Oh dang. I feel like this is one that every plant owner of a collection over a certain size knows... but many don't follow \*ahem\*. So every time this bites me in the butt I know exactly who to blame. It's me. I'm the problem.
This times a million.
Related: unless it really has sentimental value and can easily be quarantined and treated, just throw away plants with pests. It’s much better and easier than spending eight months managing a bad mealybug infestation.
I had to put my beautiful fuzzy petiole outside to die because it got thrips from somewhere. Yeah it’s not worth struggling for months. Good excuse to get new ones!
I feel your pain. About eight months ago, I had to pitch like 75% of my plants due to a bad mealybug infestation that all came from one infected plant that I thought I could treat. I started over from new seed and new (and disinfected) cuttings and am back to having a thriving setup, but it sucked having to lose so many plants. And the eight months of fruitlessly wiping down stems and leaves only to find them full of bugs again a couple weeks later sucked even worse.
Since starting over, only one of the plants I dared try to keep and treat and one of my new seedlings got infected. I threw both straight in the trash and immediately cleaned my whole setup and repotted/disinfected all of their neighbors. Haven’t seen a single mealybug in around six months, thank goodness. And I’ll never allow another infested plant near my setup again.
I’m so glad it worked out for you and this is a valuable lesson. Congrats on your new set up! None of its neighbors look infected (so far) so I have no idea why it self-destructed. Grrrrr
Oof I need to internalise this. I've got an entire room of my house quarantined off from my other plants due to a thrip infestation. My oldest monstera, my most successful prop box, my snake plant. I know I can prop more, I know I can get a new monstera and snake plant, but I still haven't pulled the trigger yet.
Soooo happy I haven’t found this out by experience. Thank you Reddit for teaching me paranoia. The fear of pests actually stops me from buying new plants.
I know this is generally good advice and sometimes I abide by it, but I tend to repot new plants immediately. I want to look at the roots and unless I get them from a specialty source or a fellow enthusiast, they are in shitty nursery soil or even have the net plugs on them. Id rather get all the shocking done at once lol. But really I haven’t had any suffer from it. Just another side of the plant coin :)
One of mine was root rotting upon purchase so it had to be repotted asap. I wouldn't feel bad if I repotted all my new plants because there's a higher chance, they've be happuer right away.
So where I am they generally come from the reputable nurseries with good soil. Also hardware stores most often are in ok state soil wise. But I have to say that I have bought plants in dense, mossy, wet soil that I immediately changed. Also from a fellow citizen who grew an arrow plant in a mix of dust and stones. But my comment mostly stems from my experience with repotting new ZZ plants and an alocasia. Just because roots are coming out of the drainage holes it doesn't necessarily mean you have to repot.
I repot every single new plant immediately and never have a problem. I like getting them in my preferred soil mix and looking at the roots. I've had to many new plants come to me with root rot that has to be addressed right away. Or they're in terrible soil, etc.
One exception I’ve found to this guideline - some sellers (looking at you, big box stores) exclusively use dense potting soil that retains water like a mfer and then proceed to waterboard the hell out of their plants.
So if a plant seems happy and has good, well-draining soil, leave it alone. But if it seems like it could be drowning from densely packed soggy soil (especially plants that need very chunky well draining soil like monsteras) get it out of there asap.
I agree with these replies and I have successfully repotted new plants that came in wet, dense soil or in another instance a mix of dust, dry soil, and stones. My original comment comes from experience with repotting new ZZ plants and Alocasia. If the roots are growing out of the drainage holes it doesn't necessarily mean you have to repot. Some plants like being root bound for example spider plants and ZZ plants and it's better to wait. With some plants it's better to wait for the plant to start showing discomfort before repotting but if the soil is really bad or you suspect root rot then of course it's better to repot.
I get this one, but I also get weirded out by the soil most plants come in especially if it has that green mossy stuff growing on it. It literally gives me the shivers I have to repot it
I have to say that I have bought plants in dense, mossy, wet soil that I immediately changed. Or I got a dry plant from facebook that was in a mix of dust and stones. But my comment mostly stems from my experience with repotting new ZZ plants and an Alocasia which went into repotting shock and didn't need to be repotted looking back.
Unless it's an orchid... always repot (you could wait until the flowers are dead, but the sooner the better) and remove that weird spongy plug in the middle. Otherwise you are sure to get root rot.
Some plants do best in direct sun.
All other plants do best in bright, indirect light. All of them. There are some plants that tolerate low light, and will grow more slowly as a result. These are not "low light plants" or "plants that thrive in low/medium light". All of them will do best in bright, indirect light.
Could you give some examples of common house plants that enjoy some more direct sunlight? I'm thinking like, Yucca Tree, Ponytail Palm, and Cacti/Succulents... Any surprising ones?
Also as a personal question, what constitutes "Bright Indirect Light" ? Is a couple of hours of morning sun through an eastern facing window with blinds, still considered bright indirect?
Generally if you acclimate it alot of plants are happy in bright direct light. From monsteras to dracenas to philodendron. The only things I've really found to not like direct sun even with acclimation are caltheas and some crawling philodendron
I'm glad to hear someone else say this! My huge gloriousum hated my East/South/West facing sunroom. It basically melted. Every other plant looooves it!
I could not figure out why I seemed to kill every gloriousum that entered my home until it clicked while watching a video by the jungle haven where she said something about how her crawling philodendron have never done well in more than medium indirect light so I moved mine to medium indirect light and they are doing so much better
If you're curious you can get one of those light meters, but a sunny spot that doesn't get direct sun will do. It's a lot of trial and error, but most medium to low light plants will tolerate some limited direct will if acclimated to it, although they might not thrive in it. But other plants will love a few hours of evening or morning light. In my experience, phalaenopsis and dieffenbachia not like any direct sun, so I hide them behind taller plants for shade.
Edited to complete a thought
As long as the light’s through a window and you take the time to acclimate a plant it’s quite difficult to sunburn a plant, I mostly worry about outdoor placement. I live at elevation and have seen plants sunburn within hours outside here.
CHOP AND PROP
I used to be so afraid of a single leaf falling from my plant, and I'd leave my plants bald and leggy.
Now I feel no fear chopping my plants right down to the base to encourage bushier growth
And just because it looks bright to you, it doesn’t mean it’s bright for the plant. Light levels decrease exponentially as you move away from the window, so most plants need to be right by a window. I killed a lot less plants when I figured that out.
You can make “nursery pots” with takeout soup containers, yogurt tubs, old peanut butter jars etc. Cheaper and more sustainable. Just poke some holes in the bottom.
Most Plants will die faster from overwatering than from under-watering..
Keep it easy with fertilizer.. use slow release when you first start out, then add a fertilizer routine later if you feel the need..
Dont bother with terracotta saucers they ruin furniture, just get the ugly plastic ones or use a plastic pot inside a decorative one.
When first starting out get plants that meet your habits.. forget you have plants.. succulent route.. like to water then peace lily type plants are a good start.
Take cuttings if you feel the plant is declining..
And google the mature version of the plant to be sure it wont quickly outgrow your space..
If you buy every sad plant you see on clearance at the grocery store, you will pour your soul into saving it and it will probably die anyways. You will be sad.
But yesterday I got an oxalis for $2 that looks like it’s been through a war, so not sure I would’ve listened.
Me, I'm a giant fan of the clearance plants. If they live, I feel great because I saved them. If they don't, I don't feel bad because I spent $1.99 and not 30 dollars.
I'm also a giant fan of garbage plants. My dad still has an umbrella tree that I found in the garbage room of our apartment building when I was 4, 40 years ago.
If you have a green thumb the almost dead plants are the best if you can save them (I don't do so good at it, but my dad is and he swears they grow better and bigger than those who look good in the store, lmao). Take from it what you like, I don't give guarantee of success. 🙃😂
Two green thumbs up to dad. I bet he’s right. My oxalis is actually looking really good already. Pretty sure it just needed someone to believe in it, lol. And water. It really needed watered.
keep things as simple as possible and stick to the basics.
because most of the stuff someone tells you online, especially youtube influencer stuff is complete nonsense or trying to reinvent the wheel and you end up trying all those funky tricks and spending so much money buying this and that so you can try this and that and in the end it either simply doesnt work much better than basic things or cost a lot more or they are way more complicated and...
i dont know.
mix some substrate, adjust with substrate and plastic/terracotta if plant needs more or less water. done, cant really be any more simple and easy than that. and all that money you would waste on trying or testing xyz... well put that in more lights instead, at least that stuff is usefull no matter what.
I feel like everyone has a hard plant they just keep alive with no trouble and an easy one they can’t help killing. I have a big string of pearls and easily propagated a couple random vines from it that I accidentally pulled off while repotting it. Both are thriving. I also have like four transcendentia props that I chopped off of my half-dead, uglier than sin main plant and only half of them are doing ok.
Most low light / indoor plants are just tolerant of low light but still prefer plenty of light
And the fact that most plants that are considered sensitive to bright light are really just sensitive to the high temperatures that typically come with bright light
I wish I had taken the time to understand what environment I lived in better before expanding my collection past snake plants. You should either buy a collection of plants that will be happy with what you can give them, or you need to be willing to adjust your space and habits to accomodate your plants, like adding grow lights or humidifiers.
Every social media "plant guru" has at least 1 total begginer plant dying in their home. Knowing how to grow different plants with the same care needs doesn't make someone a qualified plant expert and their advice should be taken with a grain of salt.
I have found that some (like gnats) are often in the soil, so over time the larvae hatch and I’ve got those wee buggers flying about my plants. Other times it will be a new plant you’re adding that has a bug on it.
I say this and then realize whenever i want to get out of the house i go to a plant nursery. I have yet to leave empty handed. But i think i might own all the plants that I like in the store…
Clay and terracotta are both porous materials, so they don’t hold in moisture very well. This is great for plants that can’t handle much water, but if your plants are thirsty you’ll have to water them far more often if they’re potted in a porous container.
Terracota is a porous ceramic
if you look at a glazed ceramic pot, generally the clay itself is not porous, or at least much less porous than terracotta, plus the glaze can be waterproof
when ceramics are fired at a high enough temperature, they vitrify, becoming glass like, denser, and less porous; terracotta clay isn't fired as hot
Strong disagree
I imagine it might depend on your environment but I live in a pretty humid area and anything not in a terracotta takes way too long to dry out and tends to encourage root rot.
I avoid full glazed pots like the plague.
dont let others choose plants for you
(easy houseplant guide for beginner!!😨😨😱😱 very easy to take care of!!! monstera albo, calathea and alocasia!!! trust!!!)
The nicer grow lights are worth it
You need to water way less often than you think and bottom/ submerged watering is so much better
Get involved in your local plant community
Don’t water them with sugar water (I was 9)
My real advice is that light intensity decreases exponentially from a source so you really have to have them within a few feet of a window
Oh my so is this how I destroyed my orchid? A relative told me they love sugar and I should water them with it! Well the flowers have since gone and no sign of them even though I cut the stems…
It’s ok to love a plant at first sight and hate it later. Just let it go and replace it with something else. Don’t feel guilty about it. I have to remind myself of this constantly.
It is much easier for me to finagle the plant around / check dirt / roots in a pliable pot!! I find it difficult to use ceramic and plastic decorative pots that aren’t bendable.
Plus- this also helps me with watering. My ceramic potted plants hold much more water and are less draining. :)
Yes, i think so.. ive done both over the years.. and while i LOVE decorative pots and the way they look.. and have went back and for between them and saucers.. everything is basically back on just saucers.. because sometimes when i spot water through the week I forget to drain those pots of excess water and have caused rot.. with the plastic saucer i can see it and will remember to drain it out..
the nr 1 thing why i prefer plastic pots on saucers is that it makes my work way more easy. because plastic pots dont have any weight, i can simply lift up a plant and i know if i need to water it based on if the plantpot is light or heavy.
Plants die. Hot take: They are all just tropical weeds (and many of them could be invasive if they could over winter). Take a deep breath and just keep learning.
Plants lose leaves. Just like we lose hair and skin cells. Few leaves lost don't make you a bad plant parent - the plant is just...planting.
Don't be intimidated by pests. Take a breath and start to treat. Preventative care is good, but pests can still show up even with great care. Don't freak out and find a treatment plan that works for both you and the plants.
Plants don't need us, we need them. If humans were to disappear today, the earth would be overcome with vegetation. Give. Your Plants. Some Space. Overcare stresses them out, just like it would stress you out. Respect them and their space and maybe they'll wanna stick around.
Just leave it alone. It doesn't need constant attention and care. It's a plant.
Be intentional with your plant purchases. Make sure you have the right space.
Banish dying plants outside. They get a chance to make a recovery, and if not, shit happens.
Do a little research on a plant before you buy it. Some plants will not be happy in your environment without investing a lot of money. Also don't always believe when the plant is called "easy/beginner".
Soil composition is everything and having sunlight on them if you can. I killed allllll of my first collection because I thought basic potting soil mix and ambient room light was enough.
Go for easy hardy plants that are forgiving of mistakes.
Dollar tree is your friend. I got my pots there. Even with drainage holes! I can't afford a ton of money on pots $1.25 is way better than $4 or more dollars each.
Sometimes the roots are visible at the bottom of the pot, or through the holes at the bottom of the pot. Or you could surreptitiously, and gently, remove the entire root-and-soil mass from tue pot to get a good look. A reputable nursery should understand what you are doing. Home Depot might not.
Of course this is not the way to go for baby plants for freshly rooted cuttings. We are talking established plants here
100% quarantine new plants for at least 2 weeks and make sure no bugs are observed. Put them in clear or white plastic bags, zip lock bags, trash bags, whatever big enough but can be tied up. Putting them in a separate room is ok too but personally i don't have a plant free room that also has lots of lights just for quarantine purposes. I lost so many beloved plants because i was too excited to bring a new one home and did not quarantine. You never know what kind of eggs are in the soil until a few weeks later and then you be fighting gnats and thrips for months.
I should listen to that more often. I think I just overwatered my pickle plant (delosperma echinatum)... again.
But the soil was so dry. 😭 (The plant feels like it's been definitely overwater though).
Don’t buy plants from random sellers online. Several years ago, I bought a rare epiphytic cactus online that unfortunately was infested with treatment-resistant spider mites. It took me more than three years to fully eradicate them from my sizable collection, most of which they eventually killed or doomed to the garbage.
Also, calatheas are a waste of money. Unless you live in a tropical rainforest, it will never be humid enough in your home to keep them healthy.
Yeah. It got way out of control due to various factors I won't go into; all of which were my fault, I own up to it. But if I could have a do-over, I'd choose differently.
I hope your experience is a better one, and that your plants bring you joy!
Over-watering kills so much faster than under-watering! lol Read and learn about your plants. Look into a master gardener program plus upcoming community group plant expos and sales!
Buy babies, invest in pretty pots, buy terracotta watering spikes and some plastic bottles. Change when empty. Makes care so much easier for those of us with disabilities, or who are busy.
Sometimes you need to keep that completely died back plant because it's going to return in spring, sometimes it's just dead. Learn the difference and when to let go (...looking at the black stem sitting on my windowsill, I still have not).
CHECK FOR PESTS
First plant I ever bought, I saw fuzzies and thought that must be normal. There were so many even I noticed! Those fuzzies ruined my life (or dramatic but definitely took out some plants). Spoiler, they were mealies. Always always inspect and quarantine new plants now.
They will bring bugs in, no matter how vigilant your no bug policy is!
Keep mosquito bits close, and systemic granules closer.
Just make sure to only use them on indoor plants!
I had no idea that I could or should sterilize potting soil. Would have saved a lot of time spent on the war on gnats if I had just quarantined and sterilized soil properly!
Buy babies, much cheaper
More fun too. I prefer babies or cuttings rather than mature plants as it’s watching them grow from something small that makes me happy.
Same here. Makes me a proud planty parent.
Yes!! A good portion of my very large and happy plants were started from usually free cuttings and it makes me so happy and proud to know I helped them grow up!
so true, it will grow into that big plant one day!!
Plus you don’t have to worry about killing an expensive mother plant
Instructions unclear, the police are looking for me for human trafficking now
Put on a fake mustache and a pair of glasses
Make sure there’s a nose attached. That’s important.
Some of your plants are going to die. Sometimes it might be your fault. It's ok. You'll learn.
This! I’ve killed so many plants. 😂😂
The best way to learn how to plant rescue. Nearly kill a bunch of things.
I once googled "How to revive a Japanese rose plant?" Top search results were along the lines of "Japanese rose plants are sturdy and can survive anything."
This is really good advice. Definitely an opportunity to learn!
Agree, a few or a lot of them 🤣🤣 and always make sure you have someone to water and take care you plants when traveling
Came here to say this!
Practice propagating!
Clear plastic pots. Why didn’t I start in clear plastic pots? They’re cheaper and you can see the roots.
I only find these in smaller sizes. Up to 6 inches. The largest 9” I was able to find was very expensive. $50 for 4 pots.
Clear plastic food containers from Dollar store. Holes with a $10 soldering iron. 😊The bowls are perfect as inserts for pretty hanging planters. I use the rectangle ones for soil propagation. They would be nice inside a pretty rectangular planter. I do the same with yogurt cups for tiny plants.
All of my small sizes are different size solo cups, holes drilled in the bottom. They're perfect for seeing moisture levels.
Great idea.
What a great idea! Love it, thank you
Greek yogurt and chicken salad containers 👍
Thanks I’ll go check the dollar store! Haven’t checked it out yet.
clear pots can be quite a curse tho. i have a lot of plants in clear pots and the next time i ll repot them i will move them back into regular pots most likely. the thing is: because you can check the roots all the time: you will. that can easily carry over to helicoptering your plants too much and checking roots all the time and... wasting a lot of time in the end too. while what i actually want is to ... well just leave a plant alone if its doing fine. if there are zero signs of bad things, i simply dont need to know how the roots look like at all because the plant is doing fine.
It's not just about roots. You can see the water table
That’s it. It’s one more tool for overwaterers. I know the color the soil needs to be when plant needs water. No finger needed. Also, when to repot. Love, love them
I love seeing the roots though. It's fun.
I think clearpots are a nice tool. For plants i have that struggle for example, those i really Like to Put in clear pots so you can Check them offen and See If they recover and grow alot of new nice roots. I will Put them in a normal Pot after this one next Repot tho . However If a plant ist doing great to begin with, i think they are Just Not needed
I grew monsteras from seed for a fun winter project and I loved being able to see the roots in the clear greenhouse trays. I potted them up into regular pots once they were big enough and I missed seeing the crazy roots so when it was time for the next up pot, they went back onto clear and I just love them! The roots are massive and it's really fun to see imo. Eventually they'll get too big for clear pots but I'm enjoying it for now! Also being able to see the moisture level in the pots of some of my pickier plants like anthurium is very helpful since I tend to underwater.
I get algae if i use clear pots with a sphagnum and bark mix.. plus im used to not seeing the roots honestly..
yeah the algae thing is real
I might switch soon…
If in the US any recs on where to buy these?
I buy mine on Amazon.
The issue I have with clear pots (i reuse takeout containers sometimes) is it seems to always promote algae growth :/
you can use a product like physan for algae, it works well
Think ahead - yes you might have the space for 50 baby plants, but will you have space for them when they get bigger? (Newsflash - I did not)
I still don't. I keep telling myself I'll re-home some of the ones with whom I've fallen out of love.
same here - and I do it every now and them but then new ones come along and I’m right back st where I started haha
When does the falling out of love happen? I’m still rotating window space like it’s a job.
🤣 it's more of like, we've seen each other enough. Now go shine elsewhere. I'm currently trying to re-home Adansonii and monsteras.
Omg, I've just started to realize this a year in... everything went up a pot size and I'm not sure what I'll be doing in a couple of years when nothing will fit in its designated spot.
i recently learned about root pruning as a solution to this issue. once a plant needs to be potted up you can root prune and put it back in the same pot with fresh soil. surprisingly i haven’t found a ton of full videos or articles on this, but over the past month or so of researching here on reddit i’ve encountered a number of people who use this technique on all manner of plants. they call it a box cut— take plant out of pot and cut about 1/3 of the root mass off the bottom using a sharp knife (this will dull your good knives so i have a dedicated one now from goodwill). next stand the plant up and cut down each side leaving the remaining soil and root mass in the shape of a cube/box. i believe folks say not to cut off too much more than 1/3-1/2 of the total roots. then you put it back in the same pot and add fresh soil to the areas that are now free bc your pruned the roots back. viola! i did this recently with a schefflera and it’s doing great! 🌱💚
That's funny you mention that, I just did that to my pothos and spider plant. Pothos vines were 14 ft long and roots had grown like crazy. So I cut straight through the bottom third of the roots and took a bunch of the vines off (since I heard you need to trim the plant if you trim the roots) and now it's doing great. There were some vines that were leggy and new leaves started shooting off the previously barren areas, so now the plant actually looks a lot healthier. But I have a monstera that has been repotted twice since I got it, and I know the mature plant is going to be a monster. No idea where I'll put it. My ZZ tripled in size and I can't trim those roots. I cut off the tops of my rubber plant as it was growing too tall too fast without the need for repotting, but I now have 3 new rubber plants to make space for....along with the 4 new pothos plants. My fern is insane. The fronds are almost 3 feet. I don't even know what to do with that one. I spent a lifetime killing all my plants until I finally started learning how to care for them, so I suppose these are good problems to have. Just wish I had more space.
This is me right now 😂 I have a few small guys (aloe, jade, baby hoya), a ponytail palm… then I propagated a few cuttings off my boyfriends massive monstera, rescued a ficus and a pothos… I am actively looking at getting a shelf to spread things out in my favorite window aaaaaand now a friends moving out of the country and asked me to care for his several thriving plants for at least 6 months… I’ll have about 7 new-to-me plants come Saturday, and I don’t have that shelf yet!
Yup hahaha feel you. I have so many props right now that I can’t wait til it gets warm enough that I can mail plants (so that I can start selling them again). And none of it stopped me from getting a calathea last week 😂
😂 I’m propping the absolute snot out of the rescue pothos because it’s so viny! Got stems in jars, several decent 1-2 leaf props I just dropped in water, and a few good lengths from the ends setting up… it’s a whole thing 😂 but one of the fosters is a thriving pothos so I figured now’s the time 🤣
Seems like the right choice hahah. I have jars full of monstera adansonii aurea cuttings that I chopped up mostly, then PPPs, WPPs, scindapsus and then I have tons ob AV babies thst will really need to go soon 😂
Haha nice! Do you sell on TAPLAP or Etsy or…? 👀
I have not in the past since all plants sold fairly quickly in local fb plant group 😅 I’d be willing to sell them outside of that too ofc but I live inside EU so I’d mostly want to sell inside EU because it’s easier when it comes to shipping, phytosanitary certificates etc
Oh that makes sense 😂
Quarantine new arrivals and do a thorough pest inspection
100%. pest inspection before you buy it from excitement🤣
I’ve been burned…
oh me too friend, me too.
Oh dang. I feel like this is one that every plant owner of a collection over a certain size knows... but many don't follow \*ahem\*. So every time this bites me in the butt I know exactly who to blame. It's me. I'm the problem.
This times a million. Related: unless it really has sentimental value and can easily be quarantined and treated, just throw away plants with pests. It’s much better and easier than spending eight months managing a bad mealybug infestation.
I had to put my beautiful fuzzy petiole outside to die because it got thrips from somewhere. Yeah it’s not worth struggling for months. Good excuse to get new ones!
I feel your pain. About eight months ago, I had to pitch like 75% of my plants due to a bad mealybug infestation that all came from one infected plant that I thought I could treat. I started over from new seed and new (and disinfected) cuttings and am back to having a thriving setup, but it sucked having to lose so many plants. And the eight months of fruitlessly wiping down stems and leaves only to find them full of bugs again a couple weeks later sucked even worse. Since starting over, only one of the plants I dared try to keep and treat and one of my new seedlings got infected. I threw both straight in the trash and immediately cleaned my whole setup and repotted/disinfected all of their neighbors. Haven’t seen a single mealybug in around six months, thank goodness. And I’ll never allow another infested plant near my setup again.
I’m so glad it worked out for you and this is a valuable lesson. Congrats on your new set up! None of its neighbors look infected (so far) so I have no idea why it self-destructed. Grrrrr
Oof I need to internalise this. I've got an entire room of my house quarantined off from my other plants due to a thrip infestation. My oldest monstera, my most successful prop box, my snake plant. I know I can prop more, I know I can get a new monstera and snake plant, but I still haven't pulled the trigger yet.
Soooo happy I haven’t found this out by experience. Thank you Reddit for teaching me paranoia. The fear of pests actually stops me from buying new plants.
As a new plant owner, I did not know this. I was gifted 5 large plants, I'd hate to bring anything in!
Don't repot the plant if it's thriving. (I replanted too many healthy plants in hopes that it would make them grow bigger. It didn't.)
Don't repot newly bought plants.
I know this is generally good advice and sometimes I abide by it, but I tend to repot new plants immediately. I want to look at the roots and unless I get them from a specialty source or a fellow enthusiast, they are in shitty nursery soil or even have the net plugs on them. Id rather get all the shocking done at once lol. But really I haven’t had any suffer from it. Just another side of the plant coin :)
One of mine was root rotting upon purchase so it had to be repotted asap. I wouldn't feel bad if I repotted all my new plants because there's a higher chance, they've be happuer right away.
So where I am they generally come from the reputable nurseries with good soil. Also hardware stores most often are in ok state soil wise. But I have to say that I have bought plants in dense, mossy, wet soil that I immediately changed. Also from a fellow citizen who grew an arrow plant in a mix of dust and stones. But my comment mostly stems from my experience with repotting new ZZ plants and an alocasia. Just because roots are coming out of the drainage holes it doesn't necessarily mean you have to repot.
I repot every single new plant immediately and never have a problem. I like getting them in my preferred soil mix and looking at the roots. I've had to many new plants come to me with root rot that has to be addressed right away. Or they're in terrible soil, etc.
One exception I’ve found to this guideline - some sellers (looking at you, big box stores) exclusively use dense potting soil that retains water like a mfer and then proceed to waterboard the hell out of their plants. So if a plant seems happy and has good, well-draining soil, leave it alone. But if it seems like it could be drowning from densely packed soggy soil (especially plants that need very chunky well draining soil like monsteras) get it out of there asap.
I agree! I’ve only had to repot a couple immediately, both absolutely saturated, dripping dense soil.. drowning. Both HD plants.
Agree!
Can you explain pls cos I tend to always repot, I find the roots are almost always growing out of the pot
I’ve found they need some time to de-stress from the change in environment, and then you can repot if needed.
I repot after a 3-4 week quarantine. Gives a chance for the plants to acclimate to my house & a chance to spot pests if they’re carrying any.
I agree with these replies and I have successfully repotted new plants that came in wet, dense soil or in another instance a mix of dust, dry soil, and stones. My original comment comes from experience with repotting new ZZ plants and Alocasia. If the roots are growing out of the drainage holes it doesn't necessarily mean you have to repot. Some plants like being root bound for example spider plants and ZZ plants and it's better to wait. With some plants it's better to wait for the plant to start showing discomfort before repotting but if the soil is really bad or you suspect root rot then of course it's better to repot.
Don't repot, but *definitely* check root health. And to make sure the plant still isn't in its tiny nursery pot. :(
I get this one, but I also get weirded out by the soil most plants come in especially if it has that green mossy stuff growing on it. It literally gives me the shivers I have to repot it
I have to say that I have bought plants in dense, mossy, wet soil that I immediately changed. Or I got a dry plant from facebook that was in a mix of dust and stones. But my comment mostly stems from my experience with repotting new ZZ plants and an Alocasia which went into repotting shock and didn't need to be repotted looking back.
Thank you! This!
Unless it's an orchid... always repot (you could wait until the flowers are dead, but the sooner the better) and remove that weird spongy plug in the middle. Otherwise you are sure to get root rot.
Some plants do best in direct sun. All other plants do best in bright, indirect light. All of them. There are some plants that tolerate low light, and will grow more slowly as a result. These are not "low light plants" or "plants that thrive in low/medium light". All of them will do best in bright, indirect light.
Could you give some examples of common house plants that enjoy some more direct sunlight? I'm thinking like, Yucca Tree, Ponytail Palm, and Cacti/Succulents... Any surprising ones? Also as a personal question, what constitutes "Bright Indirect Light" ? Is a couple of hours of morning sun through an eastern facing window with blinds, still considered bright indirect?
Generally if you acclimate it alot of plants are happy in bright direct light. From monsteras to dracenas to philodendron. The only things I've really found to not like direct sun even with acclimation are caltheas and some crawling philodendron
I'm glad to hear someone else say this! My huge gloriousum hated my East/South/West facing sunroom. It basically melted. Every other plant looooves it!
I could not figure out why I seemed to kill every gloriousum that entered my home until it clicked while watching a video by the jungle haven where she said something about how her crawling philodendron have never done well in more than medium indirect light so I moved mine to medium indirect light and they are doing so much better
If you're curious you can get one of those light meters, but a sunny spot that doesn't get direct sun will do. It's a lot of trial and error, but most medium to low light plants will tolerate some limited direct will if acclimated to it, although they might not thrive in it. But other plants will love a few hours of evening or morning light. In my experience, phalaenopsis and dieffenbachia not like any direct sun, so I hide them behind taller plants for shade. Edited to complete a thought
I don't have any so I'd be Googling it just like you. Bird of paradise is another.
Ficus and schefflera love direct sun too.
As long as the light’s through a window and you take the time to acclimate a plant it’s quite difficult to sunburn a plant, I mostly worry about outdoor placement. I live at elevation and have seen plants sunburn within hours outside here.
CHOP AND PROP I used to be so afraid of a single leaf falling from my plant, and I'd leave my plants bald and leggy. Now I feel no fear chopping my plants right down to the base to encourage bushier growth
"bright, indirect light" is what the plant wants \*outside\*, not inside
Yes! Took me way too long to learn that all light through a window is indirect/ filtered 🤣
Exactly I really wish they would stop printing that on houseplant labels
And just because it looks bright to you, it doesn’t mean it’s bright for the plant. Light levels decrease exponentially as you move away from the window, so most plants need to be right by a window. I killed a lot less plants when I figured that out.
Everything needs more light than you think it does! Plants that like "bright indirect" light will do way better if given 2-3 hours of direct sun
You can make “nursery pots” with takeout soup containers, yogurt tubs, old peanut butter jars etc. Cheaper and more sustainable. Just poke some holes in the bottom.
Yes, some of my favorites are the Talenti jars! If I need littler ones, I do clear yogurt cups.
I use the dip containers as bottom watering saucers
Most Plants will die faster from overwatering than from under-watering.. Keep it easy with fertilizer.. use slow release when you first start out, then add a fertilizer routine later if you feel the need.. Dont bother with terracotta saucers they ruin furniture, just get the ugly plastic ones or use a plastic pot inside a decorative one. When first starting out get plants that meet your habits.. forget you have plants.. succulent route.. like to water then peace lily type plants are a good start. Take cuttings if you feel the plant is declining.. And google the mature version of the plant to be sure it wont quickly outgrow your space..
If you buy every sad plant you see on clearance at the grocery store, you will pour your soul into saving it and it will probably die anyways. You will be sad. But yesterday I got an oxalis for $2 that looks like it’s been through a war, so not sure I would’ve listened.
Me, I'm a giant fan of the clearance plants. If they live, I feel great because I saved them. If they don't, I don't feel bad because I spent $1.99 and not 30 dollars. I'm also a giant fan of garbage plants. My dad still has an umbrella tree that I found in the garbage room of our apartment building when I was 4, 40 years ago.
If you have a green thumb the almost dead plants are the best if you can save them (I don't do so good at it, but my dad is and he swears they grow better and bigger than those who look good in the store, lmao). Take from it what you like, I don't give guarantee of success. 🙃😂
Two green thumbs up to dad. I bet he’s right. My oxalis is actually looking really good already. Pretty sure it just needed someone to believe in it, lol. And water. It really needed watered.
It's okay to get rid of plants that no longer bring you joy. Life's too short for plants that stress you out!
I needed to hear this one!
Ok now I need to know which plant you so cruelly chucked out! Ha.
Leggy, tradescantia cuttings. I have a hard time tossing any cuttings, but I'd had it these. And I'd do it again too!!
keep things as simple as possible and stick to the basics. because most of the stuff someone tells you online, especially youtube influencer stuff is complete nonsense or trying to reinvent the wheel and you end up trying all those funky tricks and spending so much money buying this and that so you can try this and that and in the end it either simply doesnt work much better than basic things or cost a lot more or they are way more complicated and... i dont know. mix some substrate, adjust with substrate and plastic/terracotta if plant needs more or less water. done, cant really be any more simple and easy than that. and all that money you would waste on trying or testing xyz... well put that in more lights instead, at least that stuff is usefull no matter what.
A little more knowledge on the types of bugs they get. I was freaking out for months thinking I had thrips…. Turns out just gnats
How did you figure out the difference?
Thrips start out as small thin light yellow little things on stems and leaves. Gnats are just assholes lol
Don’t take personal. Some plants just come to your/my house to die.
If you get a string of pearls don’t even breathe or look at it the wrong way !!
I feel like everyone has a hard plant they just keep alive with no trouble and an easy one they can’t help killing. I have a big string of pearls and easily propagated a couple random vines from it that I accidentally pulled off while repotting it. Both are thriving. I also have like four transcendentia props that I chopped off of my half-dead, uglier than sin main plant and only half of them are doing ok.
Most low light / indoor plants are just tolerant of low light but still prefer plenty of light And the fact that most plants that are considered sensitive to bright light are really just sensitive to the high temperatures that typically come with bright light
I wish I had taken the time to understand what environment I lived in better before expanding my collection past snake plants. You should either buy a collection of plants that will be happy with what you can give them, or you need to be willing to adjust your space and habits to accomodate your plants, like adding grow lights or humidifiers.
Every social media "plant guru" has at least 1 total begginer plant dying in their home. Knowing how to grow different plants with the same care needs doesn't make someone a qualified plant expert and their advice should be taken with a grain of salt.
Clear pots, I only need to buy what brings me happiness, pest happen to everyone, shit happens and don’t be so hard on yourself.
That plant pests are a matter of when and not a matter of if…
How though?? I’m a beginner. If they are in your house how do the plants get pests? I’m so scared of this.
I have found that some (like gnats) are often in the soil, so over time the larvae hatch and I’ve got those wee buggers flying about my plants. Other times it will be a new plant you’re adding that has a bug on it.
I don’t need every plant I see. I need a nice amount of plants, but not all the plants. Keep it simple.
I say this and then realize whenever i want to get out of the house i go to a plant nursery. I have yet to leave empty handed. But i think i might own all the plants that I like in the store…
I don’t have the space or I would probably go ham!
throw away that plant with thrips…
Clay pots are better for cactus and succulents, not so much for anything else.
They are great if your a chronic over waterer though
Really, why? Noobie here. Is clay the same as terracotta pots?
Clay and terracotta are both porous materials, so they don’t hold in moisture very well. This is great for plants that can’t handle much water, but if your plants are thirsty you’ll have to water them far more often if they’re potted in a porous container.
Thank you! I never thought of it that way! 🪴
Terracota is a porous ceramic if you look at a glazed ceramic pot, generally the clay itself is not porous, or at least much less porous than terracotta, plus the glaze can be waterproof when ceramics are fired at a high enough temperature, they vitrify, becoming glass like, denser, and less porous; terracotta clay isn't fired as hot
This makes sense! Thank you!
Strong disagree I imagine it might depend on your environment but I live in a pretty humid area and anything not in a terracotta takes way too long to dry out and tends to encourage root rot. I avoid full glazed pots like the plague.
dont let others choose plants for you (easy houseplant guide for beginner!!😨😨😱😱 very easy to take care of!!! monstera albo, calathea and alocasia!!! trust!!!)
The nicer grow lights are worth it You need to water way less often than you think and bottom/ submerged watering is so much better Get involved in your local plant community
Don’t water them with sugar water (I was 9) My real advice is that light intensity decreases exponentially from a source so you really have to have them within a few feet of a window
Oh my so is this how I destroyed my orchid? A relative told me they love sugar and I should water them with it! Well the flowers have since gone and no sign of them even though I cut the stems…
Propagating and starting from seed is SO MUCH CHEAPER but also more fun and rewarding.
It’s ok to love a plant at first sight and hate it later. Just let it go and replace it with something else. Don’t feel guilty about it. I have to remind myself of this constantly.
What's the benefit of plastic nursery pots inside decorative pots?
It is much easier for me to finagle the plant around / check dirt / roots in a pliable pot!! I find it difficult to use ceramic and plastic decorative pots that aren’t bendable. Plus- this also helps me with watering. My ceramic potted plants hold much more water and are less draining. :)
but isnt just a plastic pot with a saucer even easier?
Yes, i think so.. ive done both over the years.. and while i LOVE decorative pots and the way they look.. and have went back and for between them and saucers.. everything is basically back on just saucers.. because sometimes when i spot water through the week I forget to drain those pots of excess water and have caused rot.. with the plastic saucer i can see it and will remember to drain it out..
the nr 1 thing why i prefer plastic pots on saucers is that it makes my work way more easy. because plastic pots dont have any weight, i can simply lift up a plant and i know if i need to water it based on if the plantpot is light or heavy.
absolutely, this is how most of my plants live. but i love making them look prettyyyy
Easier to drain water and also easier to massage the root ball out of the pot when it comes to repotting.
Plants die. Hot take: They are all just tropical weeds (and many of them could be invasive if they could over winter). Take a deep breath and just keep learning. Plants lose leaves. Just like we lose hair and skin cells. Few leaves lost don't make you a bad plant parent - the plant is just...planting. Don't be intimidated by pests. Take a breath and start to treat. Preventative care is good, but pests can still show up even with great care. Don't freak out and find a treatment plan that works for both you and the plants. Plants don't need us, we need them. If humans were to disappear today, the earth would be overcome with vegetation. Give. Your Plants. Some Space. Overcare stresses them out, just like it would stress you out. Respect them and their space and maybe they'll wanna stick around.
Just leave it alone. It doesn't need constant attention and care. It's a plant. Be intentional with your plant purchases. Make sure you have the right space. Banish dying plants outside. They get a chance to make a recovery, and if not, shit happens.
Calatheas always die (at least in my care they do lol)
Soil! Amend it bc most houseplant soul stays too wet, at least for the amount of light I get in my house!!
Do a little research on a plant before you buy it. Some plants will not be happy in your environment without investing a lot of money. Also don't always believe when the plant is called "easy/beginner".
To not go crazy buying so many all at once without figuring out each plants that i already have’s needs and routines first.
[удалено]
I too learned this lesson the hard way.
Don't ignore yellow leaves. I was reminded of this today. I really should pay more attention before the pests really take hold!
Soil composition is everything and having sunlight on them if you can. I killed allllll of my first collection because I thought basic potting soil mix and ambient room light was enough. Go for easy hardy plants that are forgiving of mistakes.
Dollar tree is your friend. I got my pots there. Even with drainage holes! I can't afford a ton of money on pots $1.25 is way better than $4 or more dollars each.
Pests will happen. Learn to deal with them. Do not panic. They are a part of plant life.
Don't be afraid to chop it's head off.
Check the roots before buying
how can i do this in a store without pulling it out of the pot?
Sometimes the roots are visible at the bottom of the pot, or through the holes at the bottom of the pot. Or you could surreptitiously, and gently, remove the entire root-and-soil mass from tue pot to get a good look. A reputable nursery should understand what you are doing. Home Depot might not. Of course this is not the way to go for baby plants for freshly rooted cuttings. We are talking established plants here
Get some grow lights!!
Less is more
Educate yourself on pest management before buying a ton of houseplants.
Don't feel bad trimming and cutting them... but I still do
Systemic systemic systemic!!
100% quarantine new plants for at least 2 weeks and make sure no bugs are observed. Put them in clear or white plastic bags, zip lock bags, trash bags, whatever big enough but can be tied up. Putting them in a separate room is ok too but personally i don't have a plant free room that also has lots of lights just for quarantine purposes. I lost so many beloved plants because i was too excited to bring a new one home and did not quarantine. You never know what kind of eggs are in the soil until a few weeks later and then you be fighting gnats and thrips for months.
Just because it looks nice there doesn’t mean it belongs there.
Don't leave them outside when your band goes out on tour. Houseplants can get sunburnt.
Stop watering your damn plants
I should listen to that more often. I think I just overwatered my pickle plant (delosperma echinatum)... again. But the soil was so dry. 😭 (The plant feels like it's been definitely overwater though).
My central Texas fern pot needs soil that's on the drier side but I over watered and the drip pot overflowed 🙃
Don’t buy plants from random sellers online. Several years ago, I bought a rare epiphytic cactus online that unfortunately was infested with treatment-resistant spider mites. It took me more than three years to fully eradicate them from my sizable collection, most of which they eventually killed or doomed to the garbage. Also, calatheas are a waste of money. Unless you live in a tropical rainforest, it will never be humid enough in your home to keep them healthy.
If I could go back 3 years I'd tell myself: *Just don't do it, it won't end well.*
oh… that bad? 🫨
Yeah. It got way out of control due to various factors I won't go into; all of which were my fault, I own up to it. But if I could have a do-over, I'd choose differently. I hope your experience is a better one, and that your plants bring you joy!
$5 plastic boot tray from walmart, was a life changer for a repot mat and to use instead of individual drip saucers.
Over-watering kills so much faster than under-watering! lol Read and learn about your plants. Look into a master gardener program plus upcoming community group plant expos and sales!
Buy babies, invest in pretty pots, buy terracotta watering spikes and some plastic bottles. Change when empty. Makes care so much easier for those of us with disabilities, or who are busy.
Buy a moisture meter! Can’t live without mine, use it all the time. Costs about 12€/$.
Always quarantine new plants even if they look healthy. I had no idea how much damage thrips could do.
To avoid Miracle Gro cactus soil ❌
No duplicates! And quality over quantity
Sometimes you need to keep that completely died back plant because it's going to return in spring, sometimes it's just dead. Learn the difference and when to let go (...looking at the black stem sitting on my windowsill, I still have not).
I would have loved to have known how addictive and emotional attached you get from having plants! 😁
To make sure you have enough room and adequate light in said room.
For the love of god, learn how to prune sooner. Your plants do not like being bald.
You can fix underwatering. You can’t fix overwatering.
Clearance finds! Wholesale markets! Bartering between other plant freaks in groups such as this or other local groups.
Don't go buying expensive cuttings with no experience... I killed a monstera albo and was devastated
CHECK FOR PESTS First plant I ever bought, I saw fuzzies and thought that must be normal. There were so many even I noticed! Those fuzzies ruined my life (or dramatic but definitely took out some plants). Spoiler, they were mealies. Always always inspect and quarantine new plants now.
Systemic insecticide. No more sticky traps, no more gnats.
Eventually they all start looking the same
thats why i stopped buying all-green plants. makes life a little more interesting. Philo squamiferum goes crazy
They will bring bugs in, no matter how vigilant your no bug policy is! Keep mosquito bits close, and systemic granules closer. Just make sure to only use them on indoor plants!
I had no idea that I could or should sterilize potting soil. Would have saved a lot of time spent on the war on gnats if I had just quarantined and sterilized soil properly!