Keeping the houseplants as a hobby and taking care of them is a form of therapy. During the pandemic (Covid-19), when people reverted to healthy lifestyles, home planting was among the top searches on the internet. Instagram posts about those pretty houseplants received many likes and shares. Besides the trending mandala coloring books and yoga sessions practiced during the quarantines, houseplants were considered one of the best therapeutic hobbies to keep. Interestingly according to the experts, keeping houseplants keeps your mind calm, your time occupied, and your focus on the positive energy released from these plants (sounds a bit superstitious, but it is scientifically proven, though!)
But there is a common concern among all those who keep indoor plants: why don’t they survive for long? Well, the simpler answer could be that they are not taken care of properly, but apparently they are. So let’s explore the possible reasons for the houseplants to die so quickly:
- Is your house environment right for the plants you want?
Inner house temperature is something so often overlooked by the people who struggle to keep their plants alive for even a week. Most of the plants are not much adaptable despite being pretty to look at or adding an aesthetic value to your place. Is there proper sunlight? Is the air conditioning too high, or is the room too humid or warm? Are they kept in an open balcony or inside the kitchen window pane? Well, one needs to see which plant will adapt most to your house environment. This is the only way of making them thrive.
- Have you considered how many do you want?
Well contrary to the popular adage, in this case, the quantity matters more than the quality! When you buy a lot of plants at once you can fail to take care of them individually. It is not just water, soil, and sunlight that they require, but a lot of other factors like temperature and air also matter. Besides, some plants do not grow properly along with some specific ones like humans, pun intended. So, make sure you have a good group of plants that get along well!
- Are they over-watered or maybe, under-fertilized?
Watering the plants in a specific quantity is the key to maintain their health. Not all plants require excessive watering every day. They may become yellow and wilt soon due to too much liquid in their roots. Similarly, when you don’t fertilize on time or put too much fertilizer, the soil becomes unable to absorb a large number of nutrients at once. They function only at a natural speed that needs to be observed and taken care of.
- Do you consider the seasonal changes?
Some plants require a lot of water in summer, a bit less in autumn, while little to none during winter as they do not get enough sunlight to perspire out that water during the winters. So, if you keep watering them in the same amount as you did during summer, they will immediately die out.
- Maybe, you aren’t repotting on the right time
Changing the plant pot is crucial as it refreshes the nutrients and the soil. But it is important to know when and how to transfer your plant into a new pot. It is equally important to consider the size of the pot which must be chosen gradually according to the growth of the plant. If you a small plant in a big pot, it will absorb more water and will be swimming in it. Thus, the size and timely change of the pot matters for healthy plant growth.
- Are there any bugs or pests in the house?
If your house is not protected from flies, bugs, and indoor pests, they can eat your plants. Some bugs also alter the surrounding environment for the plants to grow healthily. Also, if you are using pest control sprays, powder, or liquid, make sure you do not spill some of those on the plants. Remember, plants are living things who breathe like us so they require clean and healthy air to survive.
These are just a few of the possible reasons one can come up with when thinking about houseplants’ short life. There can be other reasons like not proper drainage under the pot to release excess moisture, no proper light exposure, not watering all plant areas in a required manner, etc. can also be a few reasons why your houseplants do not survive for long. However, although taking care of these things is essential, but in case they still wilt and die, do not be hard on yourself or feel guilty. After all, we all learn from mistakes.
