Tips and tricks for the people that are still learning.

Learning how to care for houseplants can feel like a win or lose situation. Sometimes we find what truly works for them, and other times it feels like we are right back at square one.

In this blog post, I am going to walk through the plants in my home and share how I work with them, in the hope that it may help you with your own plant journey.

Monstera

My first and longest lasting plant is my beautiful Monstera. She stands at a whopping six feet tall and constantly chases the light. I bought her around eight years ago, and she has been with me through some very hectic times.

Through this plant, I learned about root rot, using cinnamon as a natural pesticide, and even beer as an oxidiser when roots become compacted. If you have a Monstera, you know the struggle.

Monsteras are actually one of the easiest plants to care for. As long as they are watered, they will show you a lot of love in return. My biggest recommendation is to avoid terracotta or very heavy pots. Monsteras grow fast and large, and heavy pots can weigh them down if you are not prepared.

Monsteras love water. Using a water dispenser or making one yourself by cutting the bottom off a recycled water bottle can make a huge difference. When happy, you will notice the leaves growing larger and developing more separation.

Rubber Plant

My second oldest plant is my rubber plant. It grows very tall, and I have recently considered splitting it to calm the height and encourage fuller growth, since rubber plants tend to grow upward rather than outward.

This plant is also very easy to care for. It usually does not need anything fancy. Keeping it hydrated is key, and it generally thrives without much intervention.

Peace lily

Then there is my peace lily. She is dramatic and will let you know immediately when she needs water by drooping. As soon as she is watered, she perks up as if nothing ever happened.

I like to give this plant extra attention because it produces flowers. Cleaning the leaves regularly helps ensure proper photosynthesis and allows the plant to absorb sunlight fully, which supports those beautiful white blooms.

Anthuriums

Next are my two anthuriums, one with pink blooms and one with red. They are placed in very different environments, which is likely why they grow so differently.

I clean the leaves on both regularly because they attract dust easily. When dust builds up, the leaves struggle to breathe and absorb sunlight, which affects blooming. While all plants benefit from leaf cleaning, blooming plants especially need this care.

Snake plant

Now we move on to my snake plant, hands down the easiest plant I have ever cared for. I only water it once a month, and it is flourishing.

Occasionally, I spray it with neem and a small amount of dish soap to keep the leaves clean and healthy. Snake plants respond especially well to this. They also have the added benefit of helping improve air quality, so as long as you care for your snake plant, it will care for you too.

Pothos

Second to last is my pothos. It was originally meant to be a marble pothos, but the cutting did not inherit the white marbling, so we embraced the classic variety.

She is very low maintenance, similar to the Monstera and rubber plant. I water her once a week and make sure the soil has enough nutrients to support steady growth.

ZZ plant

Lastly, my most problematic plant, though only because of my own learning curve, is the ZZ plant. It is technically a succulent, and I initially overwatered it without realising it stores water in its bulb.

When fully healthy, it is a beautiful plant. When overwatered, root rot becomes an issue, which I recently had to address. This plant taught me the importance of understanding how plants store water before setting a routine.

Final thoughts

Plants can be hit or miss, and that is part of why I love them. They teach patience, awareness, and care. Sometimes it is grounding to nurture something outside of ourselves while learning along the way.

What plants have taught you the most lessons so far?

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