There are many reasons why house plants die. Here is a list of tips to make you succeed in house plant journey. Followed by a list of very hardy house plants.
Do not over water. House plants take a long time to dry because they are inside and there is not much airflow or light to dry up the soil. Very few house plants require moist soil ferns being one of the house plants that require moist soil. You can always water them and bring them back to life if they are drooping but if you overwater them they are susceptible to harmful funguses and diseases.
Location, Location, Location
Examine the place that you want to place a houseplant and buy the house plan that will be more successful and the environment. Factor in how much natural light the plant will get, examine the airflow in the room that they have windows can you open the windows, and be willing accept the type of house plant that is right for the space you have to give it. The worst thing you can do is buy outdoor plants and place them inside they are not going to be happy because they're not able to do their photosynthesis without the sun being on them. This is why most house plants if not all house plants come from a tropical origin/ rainforest. Most tropical plants are able to do photosynthesis without the sun being directly on them.
Do not repot houseplants right away let them get acclimated to their new environment for a few months. If you have a certain style in your home and you like to keep things consistent and want to have a pot to match the style just get a pot that will fit the plant with its existing pot. When you do repot make sure you get the correct soil for the plant and only get a pot that's a couple inches bigger than what it's in. If you repot into a giant pot there's going to be a lot of soil that's going to be absorbing and reserving excess water and the plant will more susceptible to funguses and diseases.
Do not over fertilize. Buy an all purpose with a very low percentage of NPK so it's less likely to over fertilize. Some house plants do not need fertilizer like snake plants and Eternity plants. It's better to leave them alone.
The following is plant recommendations for beginners or people that have busy lives:
- Sansevierias or snake plants/mother-in-law tongue. This is my favorite plant in the world it's the best plant very low maintenance. Water once a month low-light, highlight, outside in the shade, the perfect plant. It's on the list of plants by NASA for air-purifying.
- Pothos or devil's ivy. This plant is very nice as a hanging plant or as a vine. Low water, low light is okay.
- Money tree. Low light to highlight, low water. This is a small tree that is very easy to take care of and they usually come with the braided trunk.
- Orchid cactus. This is a very easy low water plant to take care of if you have a bright room you only have to water it once a month. Once in awhile they'll give a beautiful big bloom.
- Orchids. They don't always have a flower but they do last if you place them outside in the shade or any bright humid room like a restroom they will rebloom year after year. Give them very little water.
I hope these tips give you a better understanding on how to take care of houseplants.