When becoming a plant owner, most newbies go off of aesthetics. Yes, plants are beautiful, but you can easily avoid causing unnecessary stress to your plants by taking the necessary precaution. Whether you join the plant world because you’re looking for a new hobby or enjoy caring for something other than living things, it’s important to understand what you’re getting yourself into. I want to share with you five common mistakes new plant owners make and ways to avoid them.
Repotting To Soon
Imagine buying a new plant and immediately repotting your new baby as soon as you enter the home. This is a common mistake that many new plant owners make. When plant owners desire to repot their new baby, it’s mostly because they want their plant to be displayed in a pretty planter. It may be aesthetically pleasing, but you are doing your new plant more harm than good when repotting too soon.
When purchasing your plant, allow it to adjust in your home. Once your plant has adjusted inside your home, and there is a need for repotting, go ahead. To identify if your plant needs to be repotted, look at the bottom of your nursery pot to see if any visible roots are escaping. If so, repot your plant into a new pot with drainage holes.
Forgetting To Water Your Plant
Another common mistake new plant owners make is forgetting to water their plants! Unlike humans and animals, plants can’t vocalize themselves when they require attention. And as most new plant owners, you may even forget that you own plants! Before purchasing a plant, ensure your life isn’t so busy, and you want to have time to care for your plants and not neglect them.
If you’re always on the go, maybe being a plant owner at the current isn’t the right time. You don’t have to create a weekly water schedule but check on your plants every few days to see how they’re doing and if they need your attention. Not to say that busy people can’t be plant owners, but investing in succulent or cactus plants is good since those plants don’t require much watering.
Interested in learning more about plants? I have the perfect blog post for you, The Best Indoor Plants for Beginners.
Over Watering
Just like forgetting to water your plants can be harmful, so can overwatering. Trust me; every new plant owner has overwatered their plants a time or two. One cause for overwatering thinks you need to water your plants every day. Most new plant owners believe that the plant’s soil should never be dry.
Your plant can be visibly dry on top but still have moistness throughout. You should always check the soil before adding water to your plant. One way of checking the soil is by placing your finger 1-2 inches into the soil. If there is no soil residue on your fingers, you may give your plant a little H20. Or you can purchase a soil moisture meter.
Not Conducting A Full Research
Before purchasing a plant, it’s a good idea to conduct a little research. You should have basic knowledge about the plant you’ve bought and what it needs to grow correctly. Knowing these things beforehand will save—you a lot of time and less disappointment.
Not Giving Your Plants The Right Amount Of Light
A relatively easy common mistake new plant owners make is not giving your plants the right amount of light. It would help if you understood that not every plant requires the same amount of light, and some plants require direct sunlight, while others require indirect sunlight. Giving your plant too much or too little light could easily affect its color, growth, and many other unnecessary things.
As I mentioned previously, constantly research your plants before purchasing. It’s also a good idea to research your home to see which areas receive the most and least sunlight.
Mistakes are inevitable, and it’s part of learning something new and what works. I hope these tips can help you avoid some of the typical new plant owners’ mistakes. Do you have any errors that you have made? Please share.
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