Genius Hacks Every Plant Parent Needs In Their Life
Everyone wants gorgeous houseplants in their home, but not all of us excel when it actually comes to helping these plants thrive. In truth, there’s a lot more to being a good plant parent than meets the eye. So, to all the true green thumbs out there, we salute you — because it’s your helpful hacks that will improve our plant game tenfold! We've weeded out the best tips and tricks that every aspiring home gardener needs in their life.
Mix some cinnamon into your seedling soil
Cinnamon is a natural fungicide, which means it can kill the fungus fed on in soil by gnat larvae. It can also help prevent “damping off,” which is when the lower part of a new seedling stem becomes thin and weak, and eventually collapses and dies.
So, if you want to protect your seedlings and control the number of gnats in your soil, sprinkle a little of the spice into the mix and watch the magic happen.
Water orchids with ice cubes
Orchids are tropical plants, yet they react extremely well to being watered with ice cubes. Simply place three cubes on top of the soil — making sure they’re not touching the leaves or protruding roots — and leave them for a week.
The ice will melt pretty quickly, but then trickle through the soil for the entire seven days, ensuring it stays healthy without the risk of overwatering. It’s weird, but it works!
Fill large planters with crushed soda cans
Have you ever looked at a large plant pot and thought, “Surely there’s no way any plant could need that much soil?” Well, you’d be right – this is often the case! To save yourself some cash on soil, you could try lining the bottom of your planter with crushed soda cans.
Make sure they’re clean, and add a piece of landscape fabric on top to provide a barrier to the soil, and then you’re set! It’ll also have the added bonus of improved water drainage.
Use a mirror to bathe plants in light
Houseplants are notoriously picky when it comes to light. Not enough, too much, not the right type — it's a minefield out there. There's one thing, at least, that has a simple solution. If you're tired of gangly plants that are bending out of shape to try and get more sun, all you need is a mirror.
By placing the mirror in a position that faces a natural light source, you can guarantee a steady stream of sun all around your beloved pot plant. Just make sure that it's not blasting direct sun onto the leaves. Remember that playground experiment with a magnifying glass and some unsuspecting ants? Yep, nobody wants that for their plant pals!
Create a unique watering globe with a wine bottle
This hack will aggravate anyone ever tasked with watering someone’s plants while they’re on vacation. Why? Because they didn’t even need to be there! If the vacationer had simply filled wine bottles with water, turned them upside down, and stuck the stem deep into the soil of each plant, they’d have been set.
The bottle’s shape means water can only trickle out over time, which is just what the roots need to thrive! The same can be achieved with any similar-sized bottle, too.
Make a vertical garden from an IKEA bag holder
This hack involves the Variera plastic bag dispenser — available for a few bucks at your local IKEA! Simply take that handy plastic contraption and affix it to the wall.
Fill it with soil and some succulent plant seeds, and then watch as the plants grow through the holes in the dispenser. It’ll leave you with a truly eye-catching wall-mounted vertical garden — and it barely costs a thing!
Add cat litter to your succulent's soil
Cat litter is obviously designed to be absorbent, and it also contains sand. These things make it perfect for adding to your succulent’s soil, as it can help retain moisture and improve drainage.
Be careful to always use the clumping, clay-based litter, though, because other types of litter could actually hurt the soil. Oh, and as the website Apartment Therapy notes, always use fresh litter — nothing that’s been used by your kitty already!
Soak terracotta pots
“Terracotta pots have become a standard in planting because they’re simple and easy to use,” Green Piece’s Maryah Green told Apartment Therapy. “But it’s important to make sure that you soak them before putting any plants inside.
If not, you run the risk of the pot absorbing lots of water and creating a really dry environment for the soil.” So listen to the expert and soak your pots overnight in a sink or bathtub.
Mist with caution
Many plant parents are constantly misting their tropical houseplants to try and mimic the plant’s humid natural habitat. Unfortunately, this doesn’t actually increase humidity — and if you’ve misted the plant so much that water droplets are visible on the leaves, it could lead to fungus and bacteria growth.
Those are two things we'd like to keep far away from our plant babies! As the ultimate plant parents, Richard Hull and Richard Cheshire, suggest, a few spritzes every two or three days is more than enough.
Use boiled vegetable water to your advantage
Plants don’t just like cold water from a watering can — they also like boiled water left over from cooking! So long as the water hasn't been salted, you're good to go. The next time you boil some eggs or veggies, don’t dump the water.
It’s now filled with useful nutrients from the food and, once it’s cooled down, your plants will gladly gobble up those nutrients in their soil. And hey, it means you won’t be wasting water, either, which is a great bonus.
Use pebbles for drainage
Adding pebbles to the bottom of a plant pot is an easy way to improve drainage — and is an especially good idea for people with a tendency to overwater their plants!
Putting the plant on top of pebbles raises it up and ensures water can’t pool at the bottom of the planter. The reason you don’t want this is that it can easily lead to root rot.
Dip plant roots in honey
Honey has some properties which make it ideally suited to use in planting. It's anti-fungal and antiseptic in nature, you see, so if you dip the roots of any new plant in honey, it will protect against the bacteria and fungus that can occur in the soil.
So, there you have it — honey isn’t just great for our health, it’s great for our plants’ health, too. Just remember to do the dipping before you add the plant to the pot. Otherwise, things are going to get real sticky, real fast!
Repel pests with orange peels
If you find your houseplants are plagued by pests — slugs, fruit flies, ants; the usual suspects — and you don’t want to use harmful pesticides to get rid of them, here’s a great hack: simply use orange peels!
Citrus peels contain a chemical known as D-limonene, which emits an odor that pests can’t stand. By adding the peels to the tops of pots, you’ll have the best of both worlds. Pests will be deterred without the need for harsh chemicals.
Work out when to water with BBQ skewers
Overwatering is a surefire way to kill off even the hardiest of houseplants. And, unfortunately, it's all too easy to misjudge when your greenery is in need of more liquid. Most plant aficionados will suggest the "top two inches" rule, but there's actually one better.
Using your finger to test for soil dampness does abide by this old-school method, but it means any moisture below that depth will go undetected. It could be a whole swamp in there! To avoid any mishaps, use a wooden BBQ skewer to test instead.
Dust your plants
This one might sound weird, but hear us out. We all know that surfaces in our homes need regular dusting, but we don’t often include the leaves of our plants in this equation.
But guess what — leaves get dusty too! If that happens, they can’t "breathe" properly, and if they can’t absorb oxygen, they’ll wilt and eventually die. So, PSA — dust your plants.
Give your plants a shower
For those of us who come out in a cold sweat at the thought of dusting their homes — let alone all of their houseplants — take note. There are options for laid-back plant parents, too. Although not quite as effective as hand-dusting each leaf, simply pop your plants under the shower head and spray away.
The water will remove most dust build-up with half the effort. Naturally, this means you can also tick off 'water plants' from your to-do list as well. Win-win!
Place a coffee filter in the bottom of your pot
Almost all plant pots will come with drainage holes in the bottom, but sometimes they’re slightly too big. The result? Wet soil can leak out through the hole whenever you move the pot.
If you want to avoid this muddy mess — and also the potential of the holes becoming clogged, which can lead to root rot — there’s a simple hack. Put a coffee filter over the bottom of the pot and it will let water drain but keep the soil where it should be.
Boost root growth with safety pins
This trick works especially well for vining plants like pothos, philodendrons, and string-of-pearl plants. To avoid spindly greenery with only one or two long straggly vines, pay close attention to the top part of the plant.
Secure sections of the plant — nodes facing down —with open safety pins. This will encourage new roots to sprout, resulting in a bushy plant with lots of leaves.
Use coffee grounds as fertilizer
Did you know that you aren’t the only thing in your house that runs on coffee? Your plant’s soil loves a cup of joe, too! More specifically, if you add used coffee grounds to the soil, it can increase water retention, open the soil up to air, and improve drainage.
It will also encourage microorganisms — such as earthworms — into the soil, and they will help the plant thrive. Just make sure to water down the grounds with plenty of water to avoid clogging the soil with too many grounds.
Use Epsom salts to combat transplant shock
Moving houseplants from one pot to another is something we all do, but it can be riskier for your plants than you may think. You see, plants can experience “transplant shock” when they’re moved, which can weaken the plant and even lead to its demise.
To avoid this grisly fate, consider adding a solution of water and Epsom salts to the soil you’re moving a plant to, and then water the leaves with that same solution!
Use wine corks instead of plant pot feet
British TV gardener David Domoney revealed this hack on Instagram, and it’s an ingenious one. He posted, “Use wine corks instead of buying pot feet for containers. By elevating your pot you're creating a gap between the container and the patio allowing the pot to drain effectively and preventing the soil from getting waterlogged.”
You'll have to get your hands on a glue gun to secure the corks, but just think of all the money you’ll save — and the wine you’ll get to drink!
Group humidity-loving plants together
This hack is all about being strategic with your houseplants, and it’ll give you great results. It stands to reason that plants that grow in similar conditions in the wild — such as humidity-loving tropical plants — should be grouped together in the home as well.
According to the plant lovers at Treehugger, clustering them closely like this will help them all benefit from the moisture given off by each plant. Work smarter, not harder!
Give your plants some of your club soda
A University of Boulder study conducted in 2002 found that green plants grow faster when they’re fed carbonated water instead of tap water! It’s all to do with the nutrients contained in the water.
Hydrogen, potassium, sodium, carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus are all in there. AKA — all the good stuff! So, the next time you’re enjoying a club soda, give some to your plants too — they’ll thank you for it!
Use the right soil for each plant
When it comes to growing plants, a rookie mistake — and one we’ve made all too often — is assuming that every plant will thrive in the same soil. Though every clump of soil may look the same to the untrained eye, the truth is that different plants need different kinds of soil in order to survive.
You’d best do your research when trying to grow anything. For example, cacti and succulents need dry, sandy soil to grow, because they traditionally grow in arid desert climates. A wet soil wouldn’t be good for them at all!
Skip repotting day by using a chopstick
If you're a top-waterer, then listen up. We know — It's often easier to pour water directly onto your thirsty plants rather than watering them from the bottom up. Unfortunately, this isn't always the best option for keeping your leafy friend in tip-top health. One of the biggest problems this causes is compacted soil. And who wants soil that's rock hard and no good at retaining water or nutrients?
The main solution for this is re-potting, but every plant owner knows what a chore that is! Instead of the whole soil-y rigmarole, try loosening the earth with a chopstick or something similar. As long as you take care not to disturb the roots, you should be left with refreshed soil, no mess, and a much happier plant.
Use a turkey baster to remove excess water
Turkey basters aren’t just great for smothering everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving food in delicious juices — they can also be used to suck up excess water from the soil! This is a great hack if you think you’ve overwatered your plant.
With a few simple squeezes, it can save you the hassle of re-planting or trying to move the heavy pot to tip the water out. Just make sure to clean the baster when it’s being used for dinner again.
Try not to move your plants from their ideal spots
If you’re anything like us, you can’t resist the urge to redecorate. When it comes to plants, this means we’re constantly moving them around the house, seeing where they look best, and then changing our minds almost immediately!
This is not what we should be doing, though, because once plants start flourishing in one place, they don’t particularly like to be moved. It’s better to choose a spot and stick to it!
Grow a rose bush in a potato
Yes, it's possible! You can grow a fresh new rose plant from a cutting cultivated in a potato! All you need to do is cut a six-inch piece of stem from a healthy rose bush, dip the stem in growth or rooting powder, then stick it into a potato.
Dig a hole in your soil, bury the potato, and watch as, over time, a brand-new rose bush grows. It's like magic, except it's not — it's science!
Use a chopstick to support leaning plants
Sometimes when plants are growing, the leaves can get a little droopy. They’re just not quite strong enough to stand up straight yet, that’s all! You can give them a helping hand, though, using chopsticks.
Yes, that’s right — the next time you get sushi, save your chopsticks and then push those bad boys into the soil beside your plant stems. Tie them together with string, and voila! Your plant will stand tall.
Use eggshells to give your soil extra calcium
The next time you have eggs for breakfast, save the shells. Clean them out and let them dry, then crush or grind them into a fine powder. You could use a pestle and mortar, or perhaps a bag and rolling pin.
Then, mix the crushed shells into the soil in a plant pot, add it to the soil around the base of the plant, or even put it in the hole alongside new seedlings. Your plant should absorb the nutrients — especially calcium — from the decomposing shells.
Cut open a diaper to help your plants retain moisture
Most garden centers sell water retention crystals which people use to help their soil retain moisture. But what if we said you can get the same effect from the hydrogel found inside diapers?
It makes sense: a diaper is designed to absorb liquid, after all! Before you do this, though, a quick reminder — we’re talking about clean diapers here, not dirty ones.
Use cinnamon and a straw to save snapped stems
If you notice that any of your plants have acquired a semi-broken stem, then fear not — help is at hand. All you'll need is cinnamon and a drinking straw to rescue the injured patient. First, make sure that the stem isn't fully severed. Then, dab the injured piece of plant with a little cinnamon.
Cut a piece of drinking straw to the desired length, scoring one side so that you can slip the piece over the affected section of the stem. The powder's antibacterial properties will help the plant to mend itself, while the straw acts as a protective brace. Just like ointment and a plaster cast for us humans!
Use hydrogen peroxide to fight root rot
Back in the day, we used hydrogen peroxide to bleach our hair an unnatural — yet awesome — shade of blonde. Little did we know we could have also used it to combat root rot in our houseplants!
You see, if your plants have wilted, yellow leaves, root rot is the likely culprit — and a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide can attack the bacteria causing it. The roots will then have better access to the oxygen they so desperately crave.
Add a length of wet string to dry plants
Anything that's been approved by Martha Stewart is A-okay in our books. The Martha Manual's plant section is chock full of tips, but this one for tending to thirsty plants without effort is well worth it.
Simply use a length of rope — a spare washing line or a length of standard string would be perfect — to connect your plant to a pot of water. The rope will wick water away from the pot and straight into the soil. Simple!
Grow herbs from cuttings
Have you ever wanted to grow fresh rosemary, basil, or thyme, but don’t fancy paying grocery store prices? Well, you’re in luck, because you can actually grow new herbs from the very cuttings you bought at the store!
Simply clip a six-inch piece of the stem with leaf nodes, place it in water, and rest it in the sun until the stem sprouts new roots. Plant those roots in the soil, and hey presto!
Use eggshell halves, citrus halves, or an empty egg carton to start seedlings
If you’re short on cash but still want to try planting, you don’t actually need to buy new plant pots. There are plenty of things around the house that can be used to house seedlings, including citrus halves, empty cardboard egg cartons, or even the eggshells themselves!
Simply clean these things out — making sure you’ve hollowed the citrus peel until it’s simply rind — then add soil, and there you go! The perfect starter homes for your seedlings.
Join a plant society or internet group
If you really want to be the best plant parent you can be, you need to do your homework and earn your green thumb. But it also helps to have like-minded people in your orbit — after all, most hobbies work on a “more the merrier” basis!
Why not join a plant society or a plant-related Facebook group? You’ll meet all kinds of unique characters and become inspired by their tips and suggestions!
Use your bath for plant maintenance
Plants love water — we know that already. But how often have you gone to water your precious plant babies and ended up making a mess? It might seem simple, but collecting all of your healthy plants together and feeding them in the bathtub is a great way to save time and minimize the chance of mess.
This is also a great spot to leave extra-thirsty plants while you're away. Just soak some old towels in plenty of water and place the plants on top of the saturated cloth. They will be able to absorb water gradually for the duration of your trip.
Chic plant pots, for free!
What's better than getting something for free? Also saving the planet at the same time. Single-use anything isn't great, so why not put something you'd otherwise discard to good use?
Glass candle jars are perfect for small plants. Once you've finished your favorite candle, simply use a splash of recently boiled water to remove any excess wax. Place in your plant, and enjoy!
Play your plants music
Music licensing company PPL PRS carried out a study to find out how many green-thumbed people were playing music to their plants. And apparently, over 63 percent are cracking out the tunes for their leafy sidekicks! According to Michael Perry, PPL PRS's gardening hotshot, they're making the right choice, too.
“As strange as it might seem — research suggests that plants enjoy music. With houseplants, a good beat can mimic the natural vibrations they would experience outside.” Jazz and classical are the best, apparently.