Four steps for thriving indoor plants

Different houseplants will have different needs, so it is important to know and observe each plant. When looking for a sunny window, windows that are south facing are likely to be the best. Don’t place your plant too close to windows especially in the winter because of cold air drafts and don’t allow plants to directly touch the window. When it comes to plants with thicker leaves or succulents, they don’t need direct light as much and will grow fine with florescent lighting. Usually, if a plant isn’t getting enough light, the leaves will yellow and fall off. In some cases of too little light, the plant will elongate and the stems might start stretching. If you see cases of yellowing leaves or stretching, move your plant to a better lit area.

Houseplants should be repotted when they are root bound, meaning there isn’t additional space for the roots to grow. One way to know if a plant is rootbound is if the roots are growing out of the drainage hole. If you find the roots have filled the pot and there isn’t any loose soil, it’s time to pot it up. Only pot up an inch to two inches bigger than the current pot. If you place the plant in a pot too big, there is a risk for the soil around the roots to stay moist and possibly cause root rot. I don’t recommend repotting in the winter because plants are generally more stressed; instead, I usually wait until the spring when the humidity and light are better.