Plant Parenting 101: Three Things to Know Before Buying Your First Houseplant
You’ve thought about it, you’ve dreamed about it, you’ve doodled about it. And now you know it in your heart — you’re ready to become a plant parent. That’s awesome. We fully support your life goals. But if you’re like a lot of prospective indoor gardeners, your next thought might be: Wait, now what?
Once the idea of a leafy companion captures your imagination, your first impulse might be to rush out and buy the first one that catches your eye. And we’re not necessarily saying you shouldn’t! Maybe you’re a learn-as-you-go kind of person, and you’re ready to adapt to the needs of whatever new friend you end up bringing home. More power to you, and don’t hesitate to get in touch with questions as they come up along the way.
But if you prefer to know what you’re getting into and you want to choose the perfect first plant for your personal style and environment, then you’re in luck — we wrote this post just for you.
The Moon Valley Pilea plant pictured above is fast growing, hard to kill
& offers unique & eye catching textural leaves.
Orchids are simple to care for once you get the hang of it, but they do need adequate light to thrive.
Carnivorous plants like these cobra lilies need lots of distilled water & bright light to catch fruit flies for you.
Tales of success with gardenia may be few & far between, but if you can meet it's needs, the reward is huge.
1. What kind of plants do you like?
Scroll through your preferred social media or check out some indoor plant books from your local library, whatever works for you. Which plants catch your eye, & what do you like about them? Is it the unique foliage colors, interesting textures, or bold blooms?
Try not to get your heart set on any one particular plant just yet. Keep an open mind. But if you can bring us some pictures of what you like, we can help you find a plant friend that matches both your practical and your aesthetic needs.
10 Awesome Plant Parents & Pages to Follow on Instagram:
- Cascade Cactus & Succulent Society @cascadecss - Our local nerds for all things spiky &, well, succulent. Watch for their annual "Odd Plant Show" at Sky!
- Kari @kariplanting - PNW houseplant maven.
Self-proclaimed "hobbity" lover of all things that grow. - The Plant Daddy Podcast @plantdaddypodcast - Seattle plant cultivators & all around captivating people. Listen to their podcast as you stare longingly at your plants on a quiet Friday night.
- Alison @plantingpnw - Oregon plant officianado!
Follow if you love incredible foliage plants in all shapes and sizes - Volunteer Park Conservatory @vpconservatory - Capitol Hill indoor plant HEAVEN. If you haven't been, you have to go!
- Christopher @plantkween - NY plant obsessed human with a beautiful appreciation for plants & community. Cheerful & informative videos too.
- Christian @crazyplantguy - Plant Dad north of the border
with great videos & a huge plant collection to drool over. - The Seattle Spheres @seattlespheres - Even if you don't visit this amazing Seattle structure, their page is full of tropical plants you won't want to miss.
- Jonna & Julien @earthwindandcactus - CA based.
They may have more light down there, but don't let that hold you back from exploring some of the varieties in their collection. - James @botanygeek - UK Botanist you'll want to follow if you have big jungle dreams for the future. Stunning photos too!
A recent poll on the Sky Instagram. There are many ways to approach indoor plant care!
2. What's your plant parenting style?
Now it’s time to get really honest with yourself. How much time and attention are you going to spend on this plant? Keep in mind that if everything goes well, you could be making a decades-long commitment here, and new relationship energy has an expiration date. Set yourself and your plant up for success with realistic expectations.
Would it bring you joy to set up a rainwater-collection system, make a humidity tray, and check on your plant every day? Or are you looking for a more ruggedly independent companion? Either way, we can help you find the right plant for you. There’s no right answer here except what works for you.
It's important to consider your other kids: the furry kind of course! You'll want to choose varieties that are non-toxic for your dogs & cats.
3. How much light can you provide?
Light-level denial is a leading cause of death in indoor plants. We don’t want to scare you; we’re just being real. There are indoor plants that will do just fine with minimal light, and artificial grow-lights are also an affordable and simple option if you need to supplement your natural light (and it doesn't have to be purple or red!) So there’s no need to give up on your plant parenting dreams if all you have is a north-facing window.
The key is to be realistic and find a plant that matches what you have to offer. Take a look around your space, and figure out what direction your windows face, whether or not anything blocks the light coming through, and how close to the window you’d like to place your plant. From there, we can help you either choose plants that will thrive with the light levels you have or adjust your light levels for the plants you want.
Snake plant is a basement dwellers dream: very low light & tons of patterns & shapes.
Air Plants are a "breeze" to care for & tolerate a variety of light levels.
Find the Right Plants for You
Bottom Line: If you need any help at all, we are here for you.
Taking the first steps into plant parenthood can certainly feel overwhelming. But don't fret! Consider what's right for your particular situation, then give us a call or pay us a visit. We will put the collective knowledge of all the plant geeks at Sky to work, so that you can embark on the deeply satisfying journey of caring for your very own indoor plants with confidence. Who knows, you might even live in an indoor jungle one day!
Written by Toby Madrone & Sarah Oakes