How to take care of indoor plants (and that they do not die)

Errors when choosing them

Whether you are resistant to indoor plants or you are looking for easy ways to naturalize your home, you must take into account certain aspects before getting down to work.

One of the most common mistakes when choosing them is to be guided only by aesthetic criteria and to put them without rhyme or reason , forgetting the most basic: in what environment they are going to live, where in the house you will place them and your degree of involvement.

Key 1: Degree of involvement

Before opting for one or another indoor plant , you should be honest with yourself and decide how much you want (or can) get involved in caring for them.

If you don't have any time, or you are not good at it, there is no point filling the house with delicate and demanding plants.

Key 2: The environment in which they will live

The orientation, hours of light and temperature of your home, or of the specific space where you want to put them, is another essential aspect.

If you don't have direct light, forget about cacti or plants that want full sun.
If the environment is dry, tropical plants, such as dragonflies, will need more moisture.

Key 3: The place where you are going to place them

Many plants do not hold because they are not placed in the right place. First of all, ask where you have acquired them what location and care your plants require .

Those of jungle or wooded origin, such as the monstera or Adam's rib, tend to prefer indirect light and warm and somewhat humid environments.
Those in dry or desert climates, such as cacti, need direct sun and little humidity.
Those with large, dark leaves, such as the spatifilus, tend to prefer more shade and moisture than those with small, light leaves.

Basic care: Change the pot and add soil

Once acquired, there are several tricks that will help you to withstand an earthquake. The first thing is to add new land, but not just any land. Find out which substrate is best for your plant by consulting the seller.

Most of the plants they sell come in poor quality pots with little soil or room to grow. For this reason, after them, it is recommended to transfer them to larger and warmer pots, as well as adding new soil.

Basic care: Water in its proper measure

One of the most common questions is: how often do you have to water the plants? And the answer is that it depends. Irrigation is not an exact science, it depends on the specific conditions of each house.

It is better to water a little rather than a lot, since plants have systems to store and reserve water, but they drown when they have more and this stagnates at the base of the pots or the dishes that we put so that they do not wet the floor or furniture .
One of the infallible tricks to know when to water is to wait for it to dry before watering and stick a finger in the soil to see if there is moisture inside.

Basic care: Pay, yes but without going over

To live, plants need sunlight to a greater or lesser extent, water and a substrate full of nutrients. As time passes, the land they are on is becoming poorer and makes it necessary to fertilize it (but it is advisable not to go overboard either).

Do it from time to time, but with a little less amount than indicated on the fertilizer containers to avoid the risk of burning them.

Basic care: Transplant them periodically

Plants are living beings that, as they grow, need more space to develop. As a consequence, it is necessary to periodically move them to larger pots with new soil.

If you cannot do it due to lack of space or other reasons, one of the things you can do is reduce them so that they remain comfortable. First, trim the length of the branches a bit, as well as the number of branches (so they have space between them). Then, take the plant out of the pot and also cut a little the base and the outline of the mass that the roots have formed. And finally, replant it by adding new soil.

Important aspects to consider

Precautions. The leaves and other parts of some plants can be toxic if eaten. Take this into account if there are pets or children.
Quantity. Between three and five plants per room are enough to oxygenate, regulate humidity and purify the air.
Compact. When you transplant or add soil, tighten it so there are no air pockets.
Moisten. Spray water on the leaves of those of jungle or wooded origin or give them a shower; that way they won't dry out.
On holiday. A trick to water is to nail a cloth cord that goes from the ground to a basin full of water, so that it gradually absorbs the moisture.

The most resistant and undemanding

If you are looking for very strong plants that hold up to everything and require little care, here is the list of the most resistant ones.

Ribbons - potus - dracenas - cactus - ficus - sansevieria - monstera - crasas - statifilo.

But, be careful, if you have pets, avoid dracenes, ficus, monstera and spatifilus, as they can be toxic to cats and dogs.

Other very resistant plants

In addition to the strongest and undemanding, there are other indoor plants that are also very long-suffering.

Showy-leaved plants: money plant - peperomia - aloe vera - jade tree (Crassula ovata) - echeveria - aglaonema - lounge palm (Chamaedorea elegans) - ivy - philodendron - croton - aspidistra.
Flowering plants: African violet (Saintpaulia) - red anthurium (Anthurium) - kalanchoe - tillandsia - Christ's thorn (Euphorbia milii) - Saint Teresita (Schlumbergera) - bromeliad - begonia - dahlia - gerbera - clivia.

If you want to know more, discover the most resistant and suitable indoor plants for denied.