How to Get Started With House Plants

It’s super sunny and warm where I live right now. And all the sunlight is making my indoor plants so happy! I love having plants around the house because they bring color and life to any room. I’d definitely say they’re one of my decor go-to’s!

How to Get Started with House Plants

But if you’re anything like me, I used to be SO bad with plants! It’s actually taken me a while to learn how to take care of them. And let’s be honest, there were a few plant casualties along the way (sad face!). So, I wanted to share with you what I’ve learned about getting started with house plants so you can enjoy them too!

Where to Buy

The first thing to know is where to actually buy these little babies. Even though you can find plants at almost any type of store now, I would highly recommend buying them from places that specialize in plants. This is because they tend to be better quality at plant stores. And I’ve actually had bad luck with plants dying right away when I’ve gotten them at random places, such as a grocery store or gas station.

So, my one of my favorite places to find plants in person is at the Home Depot. They have a huge selection, especially in the summer. You can even ask them to help you find the type of plant you want, and any question you might have about it!

However, if you’d rather order your plants online there are a few sites that I keep going back to:

The Sill. Why I like it: they categorize their plants by easy, good for pets, etc. They also have monthly plant subscriptions and indoor gardening kit options! I have a few ferns and a pilea from them that have just flourished.
Fast Growing Trees. Why I like it: you can choose from lots of gorgeous indoor trees with detailed instructions about how to help it thrive. I have an orange tree from them that I love and blossomed beautifully this spring!
Bloomscape. Why I like it: their plants ship directly from the greenhouse to your door. That means your plant gets taken care of up until the time it ships to you.
Amazon. Why I like it: Amazon brings the same reliability and quick shipping to their plant orders. You get what you see, and it comes to you quickly. Nice and simple!

Which Plants to Start With

So, like I mentioned before, I’ve killed a few plants in my time! That’s because I had no idea that some plants were easier to care for than others in the beginning. That being said, I’ve put together a list of some easy plants for you to start with!

All of these plants are great choices for your first! For instance, the snake plant and the peace lily need very little light to survive. I’ve actually known both of them to thrive in offices without windows. Additionally, I’ve had great success with jade, aloe vera and the prayer plant.

Ok let’s be real…I’m a plant lady and could keep listing the plants I’ve done well with (haha)! Any of the above will be good to start with. If you’re a plant lady too, I made a free printable for you! It’s for all my fellow plant ladies-

I think this would be so, so cute hanging on a wall! And bonus, it’s an easy reference if you’re looking for the next house plant to invest in! To download your free printable (and subscribe to my newsletter), just fill out your information below. You’ll get a link to download the art right away!

Watering Schedule

The next thing to think about is watering your plant baby! This will first of all depend on the climate where you live.

For me, I have to water my plants A LOT because I live in the second driest state in the country. That means that I water all of my plants every single day. Also, I’d probably forget if I didn’t water daily. But, if you live in Florida or Hawaii where there’s a lot of moisture in the air, you wouldn’t need to water as much.

However, if you live somewhere with medium-humidity, you might need to water your plant one to three times a week.

So, once you choose your plant, make sure to follow the watering instructions on the tag. These will come with your plant when you buy it. And if they don’t, just ask the nursery worker or call the website where you order it from for directions.

There’s really not an exact science to watering your plants. You just have to get to know your plant and watch for any trouble signs, which we’ll talk about next.

Plant Problem Solving

There are a few signs that your plant isn’t doing well. You might be over or under watering them, they might even need a bigger pot or they’re in the wrong lighting. So, make sure to take a close look at them from time to time.

If you’re under watering your plants, first, look for any leaves that are dry or falling off. Second, your plant’s growth might slow down or stop altogether. Another sign is that the bottom leaves are yellow and curled up.

On the other hand, make sure you’re not over watering your plants. If you are, there might be a rotten smell coming from the plant as the roots are starting to rot. Additionally, you might see the base of the plant is turning brown and dropping leaves, both new ones and older ones. You might also see mildew or mold on the surface or sides of the plant.

Basically, if the top 1-2 inches of soil is still moist then you don’t need to water!

Another thing to look for with your plant is the pot size. That’s because your plant will eventually outgrown its original pot. So, to check if the pot size is still good, look at the bottom of the pot. If you see roots sticking out of the bottom, that means your plant is running out of space!

If you need help repotting, you can always take the plant to a nursery. The people who work there are usually happy to help you buy the right potting soil. They might even help you put it into a bigger pot on the spot!

If you’re sure you’re giving your plant the right amount of water and it’s in a good sized pot, the final thing that might be killing your plant is lighting. Let’s take a look at that below.

Getting the Right Lighting

One of the most important things for plants is lighting. Some plants like bright light, others like medium or low lighting. It all depends on the specific plant. So, pay attention to the instructions on the tag when you first get it.

Additionally, I would look at the lighting instructions before even buying the plant. If you have tons of bright light in your home, don’t buy a plant that likes low light. It won’t be happy and will possibly die once you bring it home.

For instance, south facing windows will give off more light. So make sure to put your plant in a window with the right amount of light.

Tips to Decorate With Plants

Now that you know how to care for your plant, let’s talk about how to decorate with them!

There are three basic ways to decorate with your plants: hanging them, placing them on a raised surface (like a shelf or counter top) and on the floor.

If you’re hanging them, make sure that they’re very secure! You don’t want the plant to fall and break. Here’s an easy DIY plant hanger I did.

In a kitchen, I’d suggest either hanging them or placing them on a surface, like a counter top. If you’re trying to fit more than one plant in the same area, adding shelves next to a window would work nicely.

No matter where you put them, choosing a cute container is KEY in making sure they fit with your decor. This doesn’t have to be expensive either! You can find cute, affordable planters at IKEA and Walmart. You can also buy cheap terra-cotta pots and painted them however you want! I show you how here.

And if you’re curious about starting seeds, I like to have a big tray that I put the smaller seedling containers in. That way, I can rotate it in front of the window so they grow straight. Also the tray makes it look prettier – bonus!

So, I think that’s pretty much everything you need to know to get started with your own house plants! Do you have any tips and tricks for keeping your indoor plants happy? Let me know in the comments below!