Whether you’re a seasoned plant veteran, or a beginner plant parent, keep your space organized and your plants at their best with these 10 Plant Parent essentials:
10 Things Every Plant Parent Needs In 2023
- The Right Soil Mix
- Grow Lights/Grow Light Bulbs
- Fertilizer
- Plant Cabinet
- Trellises/Plant Stakes
- Humidifer
- Pots With Drainage Holes
- Pest Control
- Plant Stands
- Miracle Gro Leaf Shine
1. The Right Soil Mix
The right soil mix can be a make-it-or-break-it for your plants! A good balance of water retention, drainage and nutrients is important. I created an easy, all-purpose soil mix here. The best part about my mix is that all ingredients can be found at your local Home Depot or Lowe’s.
2. Grow Lights/Grow Bulbs
Grow lights are a game changer for indoor plants. Have a dark space in your home where you want to add plants? Use grow lights. Bringing outdoor plants in for the winter? Use grow lights. Growing plants from seeds indoors? Use grow lights. You get the idea.
Grow lights come in two different types: actual grow lights and grow light bulbs. Traditional grow lights are great for greenhouses and cover a large area. Grow light bulbs can replace regular light bulbs in lamps or light fixtures to match your space and encourage your plants to grow!
3. Fertilizer
Fertilizing is an important, sometimes overlooked aspect of plant care. Without fertilizer, your plants can’t replenish necessary nutrients to the soil. Good fertilizer also promotes faster, fuller growth. My favorite fertilizer is Dyna Gro Foliage Pro. I love this fertilizer because it’s water-soluble and easy to use. I use it each time I water my plants, and I don’t have to worry about keeping a fertilizing schedule.
4. Plant Cabinet
Plant cabinets have been really popular recently, and for good reason. Cabinets are a great way to display your plants, keep them organized and maintain a humid environment. A popular choice is the Milsbo cabinet from Ikea. With a few tweaks, it’s perfect for your plants. I purchased a vintage cabinet from Facebook Marketplace and added grow lights and insulation strips.
5. Trellises/Plant Stakes
Trellises and plant stakes are a good way to provide your vining plants with support as they grow. Attach your plants to a trellis while they are young to encourage a stronger stalk and larger leaves as they mature. Check out the Hilly Acrylic Trellis in the Happy Houseplants Shop (available in two sizes)!
6. Humidifier
Many houseplants grow naturally in a humid environment, and the key to happy plants is to match that environment as closely as possible. Enter humidifiers. Humidifiers are a great way to increase humidity in your space, encourage faster growth and eliminate crispy leaves. This one is my favorite!
7. Pots With Drainage Holes
Good drainage is one of the most important aspects of plant care. Without drainage, your plants will hold water and essentially “drown” the roots, creating root rot. You’d be surprised how many pots are on the market without drainage holes (often referred to as “cache pots”). Luckily, there are work-arounds to this.
- Use a plastic pot with holes inside of your “cache pot.” Nursery pots like these are great for this.
- Drill a hole in the pot. Here’s a tutorial on how to do it!
8. Pest Control
Pests always come at the worst times, and you’ll want to be ready to fight them effectively! As a general pest control for Mealybugs, Spider Mites and more, I use 70% Isopropyl Alcohol to wipe any pests off of the plant, followed by Sevin Spray on the entire plant. Make sure to quarantine the infected plant from your collection and repeat the process daily until all signs of the pests are gone.
9. Plant Stands
Plant stands are great for displaying your collection in your home and maximizing space (to fit more plants!). Enhance your surroundings, match your style and show off your plants by adding a plant stand (or a few) to your space. I love thrifting for plant stands at estate sales or my local Goodwill. TJ Maxx and Homegoods have good prices too. Below are some of my affordable online favorites:
- Indoor Wood Plant Stand With Wheels
- 3-Tier Outdoor Metal Plant Stand
- Pack Of 2 Rattan Plant Stands
- Pack Of 2 Adjustable Plant Stands
- Bamboo Rolling 6-Tier Plant Stand With Wheels
- Mid-Century Wood Plant Stand
10. Miracle Gro Leaf Shine
Miracle Gro Leaf Shine is my favorite product for removing dust build-up and water stains on plants to make them look super shiny and healthy. I use Leaf Shine with Microfiber Gloves to easily clean the leaves on my plants.
Happy Planting!
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