Serial houseplant killer? Here’s how to keep them alive

Have you lost count of the times you’ve had high hopes for a potted plant, but it always seemed to die despite careful positioning and diligent watering?

Experts say you’re not cursed and you don’t need particularly green fingers for your greens to thrive, you just need to know where you’re going wrong.

Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost and Clare Preston-Pollitt of the Royal Horticultural Society share their top tips for keeping your houseplants alive and healthy.

Most of us choose plants that we think are beautiful, but making sure they are compatible with the conditions in our home is key to survival, says Clare, horticultural consultant at RHS Garden Bridgewater.

“I think a lot of people buy plants they like the look of… take them home and then watch them slowly look sicker over a few months,” he explains.

Often this may just be “because it’s in the wrong place,” so don’t be afraid to try moving a plant around the house to give it a new lease of life, she advises.

Clare says bright living room areas with lots of light are ideal for monstera, while hot, humid kitchens suit peace lilies.

She also recommends devil’s ivy for a bathroom that will see lots of humidity, and false castor plant for a shady room or hallway.

A common mistake is overwatering. Rather than assuming that all plants need the same amount, it is important to learn about their individual needs.

For common houseplants like peace lilies and spider plants, brown leaves are an indication of over- or under-watering. Check the dryness of the soil before adding.

For others, like cacti and succulents, Clare says we accidentally drown them by watering them unnecessarily.

Adam explains that such plants need a light mist of water to keep them looking fresh.

Clare recommends using a water mat or watering globe that can slowly deliver liquid to your plant.

A cast iron plant, a Hoya carnosa, and a snake plant (above) are the hardest to kill, according to Clare.

These plants are “highly drought tolerant,” meaning they can survive for long periods of time without watering.

Snake and cast iron plant can also tolerate dark areas in your home.

It is important to adjust how you care for your plant throughout the season.

“You can water more regularly in spring and summer,” says Clare, because that’s when plants are growing “actively.”

At the height of summer, some plants, such as monstera, can be watered two or three times a week. It is also important to “feed” them at this time by adding plant nutrients to the soil to ensure they have enough nutrients.

However, in the fall and winter, Clare says this treatment should be the opposite.

Foliage plants enter a “semi-dormant state” as light levels drop during these months.

This means that the soil does not need to be nourished and the plants need much less water. Clare recommends waiting for the soil to dry completely before adding more water.

Repotting is also important to keep your plant healthy. Clare says it’s best to do this in the spring, when the plants are larger and can establish roots more easily.

Signs that it’s time to repot include roots tying together at the bottom and sides or crawling through holes. Clare also says that direct water overflow from pits is a sign that it’s time to expand.

For many of us, our first foray into greenery begins at Christmas when we are gifted poinsettias. But right now, in early January, those crimson leaves are probably already looking shriveled.

The trick to these festive friends, says Adam, is to respect their Mexican roots to help them take root in our much colder climate.

“It’s going to want that warmth, it’s not going to want to be in a drafty place,” he says, but they need to be kept out of direct sunlight.

He says they don’t need a lot of water, so they only do this when it’s dry.

To avoid overwatering, you can place the pot in a container of water and return it to its original location every day or mist it lightly with a spray.

To make these outlast your New Year’s resolutions, Adam says you should add phytonutrients to your poinsettias every month. He recommends cutting back the branches in April before repotting in May.

From September onwards it should be moved to a darker area for at least 12 hours a day, as this allows the bracts to turn red and be ready for the next festive season.