Hi Friends, I don't know about you but growing up I never had much of a green thumb. Every person in my house struggles to keep plants alive. When I started university, though, I wanted plants in my dorms so I could have some life in the room. I have been very determined to keep them alive, and my collection has now grown to 17 plants. I thought I would share with you some of the hacks that have helped me keep my plants alive.
1) Keep the ugly plastic containers.
I had no idea I had been doing it wrong this whole time! You are actually supposed to keep the ugly plastic container it comes in! You guys! I've been purposefully taking them out of the plastic container and just putting them straight into the pot because I thought this whole time that's what you were supposed to do. Turns out I was so wrong. You're actually supposed to keep them in a pot with a draining hole, then put some rocks inside the pot, and then that's when you put the ugly plastic which is holding your plant inside the pot. This reduces root rot. This whole time I've just been placing the rocks at the bottom of my pot and the plant straight. This is a total game-changer, you guys.
2) Baking soda fights mold.
If your indoor plant shows signs of mold on the dirt, use baking soda. Just put a light cover of baking soda on the mold and it will get rid of it. You can put olive oil on your surrounding plants so they don't pick up mold spores. However, I don't necessarily recommend the olive oil trick because I tried that and my plants did not love the mixture of baking soda and olive oil. Just a tip.
3) Use a banana to fertilize.
Put a banana peel in water for 2 days and then use the water as a natural, free fertilizer. You can also put banana chunks straight into the dirt to decompose and fertilize. Banana is great for plants because it holds a lot of potassium. Eggshells are another household decomposing material that helps fertilize, however it does take much longer. Eggshells are a good way to give calcium. Another home remedy is to put some of your hair in the soil, as hair is a source of nitrogen.
4) Use pencil shavings to repel bugs. If you have a problem with bugs eating your indoor plants there is a simple at-home solution. Sharpen a pencil and put the shavings around the base of your plant. Cedarwood repels pests.
5) Help Photosynthesis
We all know that, like a solar panel, plants use their leaves to get nourishment from the sun. To optimize effectiveness make sure to dust or wipe down your plant's leaves, as indoor plants can easily collect dust. Another way to help photosynthesis is to rotate your plant, this way every leaf gets a chance to thrive. Any easy way to do this is just to turn the plant pot when you water your plants.
I hope these tips help you and your plants thrive. Make sure to comment below your favorite plant hacks.
Connect With Me | It's not a conversation until you join in
Instagram: @Samantha.Twist
Youtube: Samantha Twist
Facebook: Samantha Twist Blog
Pinterest: Samantha Twist Blog
Twitter: @TwistSamantha
Podcast: Twist Talks