Commonly Asked Plant Questions

Answers to your Questions

How often should I water my plants?

The most popular question we receive is, “how often should a plant be watered?” but many different factors affect the answer regardless of the plant. Temperature, humidity, light, and species play a role in the response. The best way to determine your watering routine for a particular plant is to understand your environment. If you place your plant in a warm & brightly-lit area, you’ll find that the soil tends to dry faster, meaning you’ll need a more frequent watering routine. The more humid the space, for example, a bathroom, the more the soil will retain moisture leading to less watering. A pothos placed in a brightly lit room near a south-facing window, will likely need a change to its watering routine if moved to a space with different lighting and humidity. If you’re having trouble deciding when to water, keep a watering schedule to reference how much you’re watering and adjust the routine if you notice the plant is unhappy. A moisture meter is a great tool to have on hand for plant care. The moisture meter will measure to let you know if it’s time to water. When bringing home a new plant you’re unfamiliar with, do a little research to better gauge the care routine based on your home environment.

Why are my plant’s leaves turning yellow/dropping?

There is never a one-size-fits-all answer to troubleshooting plant care, so you’ll need to assess a few things when spotting yellow or dropping leaves. Various situations can cause leaf discoloration. The most common culprit for experiencing dropping or yellowing leaves is insufficient lighting. If a plant is not receiving enough light, it will begin to dispose of its older leaves and recycle nutrients as the new growth makes its way to a brighter spot. In the case of plants like alocasia and aglaonema, they may just be going through a natural leaf turnover process. If you notice this is happening with some of your plants, trim the discolored leaves and try moving your plant into a brighter area. 

Does my plant need to be in a pot with drainage?

The short answer is no, but here’s why we do not recommend planters without drainage: With nowhere for the water to escape, there is a risk of standing water in the planter, leading to root rot. Some more moisture-demanding plants may be more tolerant to pottery with no drainage, but a drainage hole at the bottom of the pot will always help mitigate these issues.

Do I need to mist my plants?

A standard tip you’ll hear is that misting increases the humidity in your home, but is that true? While misting can raise the humidity levels for your plant, it can only do so for a short period. It’s always good to keep leaves free of dust and debris by misting, but having standing water on foliage without proper airflow can be detrimental. Misting your plants is an excellent alternative if you notice you tend to overwater. A great tool to add to your plant care kit is the Mossify Mister that we carry online and in-store. It’s automatic and cordless! Still confused by this topic? Read on to the next question!

How do I maintain humidity indoors?

There are a couple of ways to increase ambient humidity in your home to benefit your plant collection. The easiest way is to simply get more plants! When grouping plants together, they create a micro-biome that maintains higher humidity. If you only have one or two plants that demand high humidity, another way to achieve that is by putting the plants on a shallow tray with pebbles and water. As the water evaporates, it raises the humidity around your plant. While these methods work, the best way to increase humidity is to invest in a good humidifier.