4 Common Mistakes You’re Probably Making if You’re New to Plant Parenthood

Green Thumb4 Common Mistakes You’re Probably Making if You’re New to Plant Parenthood Overwatering is just the start

By Michelle Mastro

April 21, 2022

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Kat Hernandez of Juanita’s Plants inspects a monstera deliciosa for signs of too much sun exposure.Photo: Riley Snyder

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Most plant experts will probably tell you that there’s no such thing as having (or lacking) a green thumb. Rather, the road to a successful plant parenthood is all about trial, error, and learning what your plant babies like or don’t like. Of course, this is always easier said than done. Too much sunlight can lead to a houseplant’s early demise as quickly as drowning a plant in too much water—even the incorrect vessel can prove disastrous.

To save plant parents from the heartache of losing a beloved houseplant, we reached out to six experts to identify the most common mistakes plant parents make—and more importantly, how to avoid them. Forewarned is forearmed, so read on for all the errors you didn’t know were wreaking havoc on your houseplants.

Overwatering

All six of our experts agree that this is the biggest blunder a plant parent can make. But it’s also a mistake many are unaware of. According to Ciara Benko, a content creator, plant stylist, and cofounder of The Jungle Upstairs, “Many new plant owners tend to be helicopter parents and overwater their plants.” This leads to root rot and, as she puts it, “a generally sad, soggy plant—not to mention an infestation of fungus gnats.” Instead, err on the side of caution by underwatering. She adds, “Most plants will tell you when they’re ready for water by starting to wilt, signaling they’re ready for you to fill up that watering can again.”

The best course of action is often to forget having a watering schedule altogether. Ciara suggests poking “your finger into the top two inches of soil to gauge whether it’s time to water again—if your finger comes out dry, they’re thirsty! If not, wait a few more days.” At the same time, Matt Aulton, cofounder of Plant Proper, makes an important point. “There is a common misconception that the plant’s soil needs to be constantly moist from top to bottom,” he explains “But there are several more inches of soil below that are more than likely still moist and supplying moisture to the plant’s roots.”

A plant’s roots typically gravitate to the bottom of the planter, so when it is time to water plants, fully saturate the soil. “Make sure that water is clearly draining out of the drainage holes, making sure all the soil in the whole pot has had the opportunity to retain some moisture,” he adds.

Allowing too much sun

Similarly, overexposure to sunlight can wreak havoc on houseplants. As plant specialist Jilana Thomas of Grounded points out, “There is such a thing as too much sun, which can scorch the plant’s leaves.” In fact, only some desert plants can truly handle direct sunlight; otherwise, your plant will get bleached white spots, or dark sections will appear on the leaves, signaling leaf burn, Jilana says. The best way to spare houseplants from the sizzle of the sun is to first read up on your plant’s lighting needs. Plants like the jade plant and ponytail palm can handle more direct sunlight, while many plants should be rotated away from south- and west-facing windows, sources of the warmest and most intense light.

Kamili Bell Hill, the founder of Plant Blerd and Black People With Plants, says she relies on the compass app on her phone to check her windows’ direction. “Generally speaking, south-facing light is the brightest you can have, and north-facing light is a much lower lighting condition,” she advises. “The key to success is doing a bit of research beforehand. And of course, if all else fails, a good grow light is every plant parent’s very best friend.” If dealing with too many south-facing windows, consider a sheer curtain to help filter out the abundance of rays, she says.

Any plant variety that thrives in indirect or low light is susceptible to sunburn, notes Ciara. “It can be tempting to expose lush houseplants like monsteras to bright sunlight, but if you take a step back and think about where they thrive in the wild—under the jungle canopy—it makes sense why they’re so sensitive,” she says. Should your plant become sunburned, Ciara suggests trimming off the damaged leaves to encourage new, healthy growth. “In fact, with certain varieties like fiddle leaf figs, pruning them is the best way to help them become bushier,” she adds.

Overemphasizing aesthetics

We all want our homes to look great with an even flow of well-balanced decor from room to room. But before buying a plant, investigate your home, say our experts. Do all your windows face south? If so, this will impact what houseplants you should have on your window sills. Is your apartment prone to drafts? This too will affect the plants in your home. Kat Hernandez of Juanita’s Plants, a woman-owned plant shop in New York City, urges all plant owners to think beyond how their plant’s aesthetics will add to the space.

“I’ve noticed that sometimes people have a specific place in their home where they think, This corner is perfect for a plant, they buy a plant, and within a few weeks the plant starts dying,” she explains. “It’s because that corner that gets no light wasn’t the best place for that particular plant.”

Other times, plant parents want to repot a plant too soon, hoping a new vessel fits the look of their home better than the plant’s original nursery planter. According to Kat, “plants can go into shock when they are in your home for the first week. The plant is used to the temperature, humidity, and light it was getting at the nursery, so repotting right now can cause extreme shock to your plant because it is still adjusting.”

Puneet Sabharwal, cofounder of Horti and author of Happy Plant: A Beginner’s Guide to Cultivating Healthy Plant Care Habits, likewise suggests that some plant parents worry too much about their plants’ looks. While trimming a plant can create new leaves, he warns that “most of the time it’s less about health and a bit more about aesthetics.”

“In certain cases, interventions can instigate more growth especially if the plant is stunted, but I am a big fan of intentional wilding and usually just let the vines roam free,” he explains. “Plants can suffer from over-grooming, so I think it’s better to let the plants take up the space they need to spread green joy throughout our homes.”

Ignoring your nature or habits

Puneet is quick to point out that plant parents should also understand their own nature for nurture. “Ultimately the plant needs to fit your lifestyle, so it’s important to analyze how much time and care you can dedicate to this relationship. If you work or travel a lot and often forget to water your plants, then it’s important to find the varieties that can sustain your nature,” he warns.

Match your nature or lifestyle to your plants. Succulents do well in areas of the home with lots of direct sunlight and require infrequent watering, Kamili says. If you are away from home a lot, choose drought-tolerant plants such as the Sansevieria (Dracaena), ZZ plant, white birds of paradise, or ficus, Matt suggests. Ferns, on the other hand, grow on forest beds and need indirect light and lots of moisture to thrive, hence they require more daily care. “Do you have the time and patience to monitor the conditions needed for a rare plant to thrive, or should you look into a heartier breed, which are often just as beautiful?” Ciara asks. Ask yourself what plants you have the bandwidth to truly care for. Puneet adds, “Plant care requires patience and observation, it’s a dialogue and it actually nurtures both sides, not just the plant.”

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