We recently asked the green-thumbed members of the BuzzFeed Community to share their best tip or hack that keeps their houseplants from dying, and they had some sound advice. Here's what they said:
1. "Don't set yourself up for failure, know your strength, and start out with the corresponding 'indestructible' plant."
2. "Only buy easy plants: snake plants, aloes, jade plants, etc."
3. "Different plants have different needs, and sometimes you just won’t have the right environment for a specific type."
4. "Don’t be afraid to prune! Cutting or pulling off the 'unsightly' or yellowing leaves isn’t hurting the plant. In fact, it does just the opposite!"
5. "If you need to cut off leaves and stuff, it's usually a good idea to disinfect your scissors or cutters, because you're basically creating an open wound on the plant."
6. "When in doubt, wait before watering."
7. "Get a moisture meter and google when each species needs water."
8. "I bought watering bulbs 'cause I have five different plants, and watering them all on the same day was just not going well."
9. "Try moving an unhappy plant to a different spot in your home."
10. "Google your plant and find articles with advice about that specific plant."
11. "Find a community that has experts on your plants."
12. "Mix orchid potting mix in with your regular potting mix. Or, even better, mix in straight orchid bark."
13. "Fertilize weekly and fertilize weakly."
14. But..."don't assume that more fertilizer is the answer!"
15. "Use worm castings (their poop!) instead of chemical fertilizers...it’s not as harsh, and less likely to cause leaf burn."
16. "When you repot a plant, mix in a small amount of insect killer (like Bonide) into the soil."
17. "Cheap paintbrushes are great for dusting plant leaves."
18. "My best advice is not to pay them too much attention."
19. And finally, "Give them lots of love."
Now it's your turn! Do you have any tips or tricks to keep a houseplant from meeting its untimely end?
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.