Plants are great to have in your home. Besides adding some decor, plants help filter the air which can keep you and your family healthy. Plus, there’s something really great about having life in your home! Unfortunately, it’s hard to keep plants alive. Unless you’re a real-life plant whisperer, you’ve probably killed a fair share of plants in your time. I don’t know why, but those suckers die so easily. Luckily, there are steps you can take to ensure your plant lives for a while. Here are 10 hacks that’ll help your indoor plants grow and thrive:
Use Coffee Grounds
In order to keep plants alive, you have to make sure the soil stays acidic. Coffee grounds are natural fertilizer replacements and odds are, you have them in your home. When you make your morning cup of coffee, don’t just throw away the grounds — pour them in your plants. Coffee can also keep bugs away from your plants which won’t just keep your plants happy, it’ll keep you happy too. No one wants bugs in their home!
Coffee Filters Are Great, Too
It looks like coffee is basically the elixir to plants! Not only can you use coffee grounds, but you can also use coffee filters to keep your plants happy and healthy. Putting your plants in coffee filters will help keep the soil in place, while still letting the water drain. What a hack!
Dust Your Plants Regularly
Do you dust your plants? Probably not, right? Why would you need to clean the leaves when the soil is what’s keeping the plant alive? Because it’s not just the soil that’s keeping your plant healthy. When dust accumulates on the leaves, it blocks sunlight. Which in turn reduces your plant’s ability to feed itself. You can water your plant and give it as much sunlight as humanly possible. But if you’re not dusting the leaves, you’re not taking proper care of your plant.
Add Club Soda
Club soda? What? You probably haven’t heard this hack, but club soda is a solid way to keep your plants alive and thriving. Club soda contains minerals that plants love to soak up. Add a little club soda to your plants once a week and watch them grow!
Don’t Just Water For The Sake Of Watering
Watering your plants every single day doesn’t make you the best plant parent. Sure, you shouldn’t forget to water your plants. But every plant isn’t the same. Meaning, they don’t need to be watered every single day. Do some research on your plants to see what they need in order to thrive. Also, consider where you are in the world! If you live in a dry climate, you might need to water your plant more than someone with the same plant in California.
Touch Your Plant From Time To Time
You shouldn’t just rely on your eye to tell how your plant is doing. You should also rely on your touch. Feel your plant’s stems and its soil. If the soil is still damp days after you watered your plant, you most likely watered your plant too much and it needs time to dry out. Don’t forget, you can kill your plant by overwatering. Be careful!
Use Mayonnaise
Mayo? Yes, mayo! Mayonnaise is the plant hack you need in your life. Turns out, mayo is effective at breaking down and removing sap that builds upon plants. It also keeps plants looking shiny and brand new. And you only need to use a little bit of mayo to see a difference!
Have you ever walked into someone’s home and wondered, “How the heck do their plants look so good?” Odds are, they’re either artificial plants or that owner is rubbing them with mayonnaise.
Watch The Placement Of Your Plant
Is your plant near a vent? Or, a fan? How close is it to artificial light? A lot can impact your plant; including the small things, it’s exposed to. You want to do your best to really pay attention to where your plants are situated. The best place for your plant isn’t always right next to a window.
Use Ice Cubes To Water
Sometimes, it can be challenging to know how much water you should give your plants. All it takes is a slip of the hand and BOOM, you’ve overwatered your plant. Which is why instead of using a cup of water or hose, you should use ice cubes. Place ice cubes around the soil and let them melt into water. Don’t put the ice directly on the stems and make sure the cubes are evenly placed so EVERY patch of soil is getting water.
Don’t Forget To Re-Pot Your Plants
You might not realize this, but plants can’t live in the same pot forever. They grow, just like people. You’re not sleeping in the same crib you used to sleep in when you were a baby. Well, your pants can’t live in the same pot they were born in. Re-pot your plants and don’t forget to upgrade the soil, when needed.