How to Care for Houseplants

Learning how to care for houseplants needn’t be tricky. With our specially selected range of indoor plants - and expert tips - you can make sure your houseplants thrive. 

In a nutshell, your plants need a light space, enough warmth, ventilation and regular feeding and watering. For a little more indoor plant care advice, read on - we’ll detail where best to put your plants and how often to water them in our simple guide. 

Where to Put Indoor Plants

Houseplants prefer a well-lit, draught-free spot with an even temperature and good humidity. Most windowsills provide the ideal location if they’re not directly over a radiator or other heat source and not in direct sun for more than a few hours a day. East- or west-facing windows are often good choices as south-facing windows may provide a little too much direct sunlight for many houseplants. If your plant isn’t thriving where it is, you’ll soon know - for example, in low light, flowering plants won’t bloom, and growth becomes pale and spindly. This means you simply need to move it somewhere that offers more light. 

Some indoor plants may need less light than others, like ferns which prefer more shade. Cacti, succulents, and carnivorous plants, on the other hand, love a bright, sunny windowsill. As for orchids, they prefer bright, indirect light, fresh air, and high humidity. See more below on how to water orchids - they need a little more TLC than many other plants. 

How Often to Water Houseplants

Overwatering is probably the biggest reason many houseplants don’t survive. Try to keep the compost moist but wait until it has almost dried out before watering again. Just stick your finger into the compost to check! 

Certain plants have specific needs but for the most part, plants will do well when watered from above without wetting the leaves. Make sure there’s enough drainage by placing pots in saucers, which will let excess water drain away. Never let plants sit in water as they’ll soon be very unhappy! 

Plants will usually need watering more frequently during periods of growth (spring and summer), than when they’re dormant in winter. Tap water is fine for most houseplants, though some of the more specialist plants, such as bromeliads, orchids and carnivorous plants need to be watered with rainwater or distilled water in a particular manner to keep them permanently moist. 

Following these tips will help make sure your plant is happy and thriving, so you can enjoy the natural beauty they bring to your home year after year. And if you ever want any more to brighten up your space, our range of houseplants offers lots of varieties to suit every taste.