Basic tips for keeping your house plants alive

During the COVID-19 lockdown, when the whole world was ‘on pause’, I acquired a high number of house plants and spent my days reading and learning about ways to look after plants. I received a couple of questions about how I look after my house plants and even though I’m not an expert, I created a mini-blog with some basic tips to share with you.

1. Don’t over-water your plants.

Obviously we want to keep our plants hydrated, but watering our plants too often can result to soggy soil and eventually to the rotting of the roots.

2. Help the water drain.

Another way to protect the roots from rotting is by putting a layer of pebbles at the bottom of the pot. The pebbles will keep the water away from the roots.

3. Give ’em space.
Just like us, plants need plenty of room to breathe and feel comfortable. Remember that over time, your plants will outgrow their pots and may need to be replanted into a larger container.

4. Shine some light on them.
Plants require lots of natural light, sunshine and warmth, therefore it is advisable to keep them near windows where the light is bright, but also indirect and filtered.

5. Give them coffee.
You read it right. Coffee grounds (or brewed coffee) are a source of nitrogen for plants, which is the nutrient that produces healthy green growth and strong stems. So don’t be scared to give them a shot of caffeine.

6. Make them look glossy.
I often spray hairspray on the leaves of my plants to make them look glossy and shiny. They almost look fake when I do this and I’ve noticed that it also keep those annoying little flies and ants away.