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The fun part is definitely going out and purchasing your plant. But to ensure you get the most from your purchase, it is worth bearing in mind the following tips.

Check to see if you can provide the growing requirements of plants that interest you

• Read the plant label, or use your phone to research the growing needs of the plant, to see if it will be happy in the conditions you can provide before buying
• Where it's not possible to provide for its needs, it is much better to select another plant you like that will grow well in your home, rather than risk disappointment

Look for strong robust plants

• Plants should be balanced in shape and have no dieback
• Leaves should be healthy and have no discolouration
• Compost
  

  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

  
  • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

  should be clean, weed and algae free
• Avoid plants with browning foliage or leaf spots
• Buy from reputable garden centre where they would generally have been stored and cared for correctly
• Avoid buying wilting plants whose soil has become too dry
• Especially avoid buying those wilting while in moist, or wet compost, as this can indicate root damage from overwatering, or root disease

Check for the presence of pests, in particular:

Fungus gnats (sciarid flies)

Glasshouse red spider mite

Mealybug

Scale insects

Avoid plants with common fungal diseases:

Leaf damage on houseplants

Grey mould

Getting the most out of flowering plants

• A plant with plenty of unopened buds, will be in flower for longer
• Place the plant away from a bowl of fruit. Ripe fruit produces ethylene
  

  Ethylene is a plant hormone that plays a role in regulating plant growth and development, particularly in response to environmental cues such as light, temperature and stress. It is involved in many processes, including fruit ripening, leaf senescence (ageing) and flower and seed development. Ethylene is also produced by plants in response to mechanical damage or pathogen attack and can act as a signal to nearby plants to prepare for potential threats.

  gas that can shorten the life of the flowers
• Placing plants in cooler, not cold temperatures (15C (60F) when in flower, can help the flowers last longer
• Flowers are often aborted if the compost becomes too dry
• Remove flowers as they fade, to prolong new flower production

Transporting the plant home

• Cover the plant for the journey home, to protect against exposure to cold, especially in winter

Where to place your houseplant

When positioning your plants in the house, remember they are living organisms and should be placed where they will have the best growing conditions for their particular needs

Try to avoid placing your plant purely for decorative purposes, as this can lead to the plant failing to thrive. The important things you'll need to consider are what light levels, temperature, water and humidity

The concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere. This affects the rate at which plants transpire (lose water from their leaf pores), which in turn affects how much water their roots absorb from the soil. If air humidity is low, plants transpire quickly and become at risk of wilting if water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be absorbed by the roots. Different plants require different levels of humidity to thrive. Many tropical houseplants need high humidity and are best grown in a steamy bathroom, misted regularly or placed on a saucer of damp pebbles. In a greenhouse, humidity can be raised in hot weather by damping down (wetting) the floor or overhead misting.

your plant needs to grow well.

What light does my houseplant need?

• Research your plant to see how much light is optimal for good growth
• In winter, houseplants will benefit from full sunlight when daylight is weak
• In summer strong sunlight can scorch susceptible plants through glass
• Bright shade i.e. bright light which does not cast a sharply defined shadow, is generally OK in summer
• Flowering houseplants often need more light than foliage plants

How do I improve humidity for my houseplant?

• Place the plant on a saucer over a tray of moist gravel or hydroleca
• Group plants together to benefit from local humidity created by the combined moisture given off by their leaves
• Spraying can be helpful if done frequently

What is best temperature for my houseplant?

• Some plants deal with heat and cold better than others. Research their minimum temperature tolerance before positioning
• Excessive heat can cause those plants preferring cooler conditions to dehydrate and wilt
• Temperatures that are too low can cause plants liking a warmer spot to collapse and rot
• Don’t leave plants behind drawn curtains in winter as the space there can become very cold
• Close proximity to radiators can cause leaves to dehydrate and become brown around the margins
• Too much warmth along with low daylight levels in winter can force the plant to make weak unhealthy growth

Draughts

• Place away from cold draughts which can shock a plant and cause it to collapse

Potting media

• Check if the plant prefers acid or alkaline soil
  

  The acidity/alkalinity of soil is measured on a pH scale, which runs from 0 to 14. Neutral soil has a pH of 7. Alkaline (lime-rich) soil has a pH above 7, and the higher the pH, the more alkaline the soil. Chalky or limestone soils are alkaline. You can measure your soil pH using a simple testing kit. If you have alkaline soil, choose plants that will thrive in it – acid-loving or ericaceous plants such as rhododendrons will not. Club root disease (which affects brassicas) is less prevalent in alkaline soil.

  conditions
• Acid-loving plants (e.g. azalea) need peat-free ericaceous
  

  Plants that thrive in acid or ericaceous soil, which has a pH of less than 7 (neutral). You can measure your soil pH using a simple testing kit. Ericaceous or acid-loving plants include rhododendrons, camellias, heathers and blueberries.

  compost
  

  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

  
  • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

  or foliage will become yellow (chlorosis)
• Top-heavy plants are best potted into a peat-free, loam-based compost which is heavier and provides more stability
• Plants requiring extra drainage will benefit from the addition of grit or sharp sand

  Sharp sand is washed, gritty sand used in potting compost mixes, This is sold for gardening and is not the same as builders sharp sand.

  to the potting compost

Choosing the pot size

• Choose a pot size 5–10cm (2–4in) larger in diameter than the current pot, or enough space for growth for two to three years

When to repot

• Compost degrades in time and compacts, reducing the volume of air reaching the roots which can promote disease
• Pot on every two to three years
• Plants are best potted on in spring, to establish during the subsequent growing season
  

  The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

• Algae appearing on the surface of the compost, can indicate the compost has become sour and that the plant requires repotting

When to water

• Water when the surface of the compost
  

  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

  
  • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

  becomes dry
• Drier pots feel lighter than wet ones
• Don’t water routinely, check that the pot needs water first
• Pots dry out faster in winter when the atmospheric humidity
  

  The concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere. This affects the rate at which plants transpire (lose water from their leaf pores), which in turn affects how much water their roots absorb from the soil. If air humidity is low, plants transpire quickly and become at risk of wilting if water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be absorbed by the roots. Different plants require different levels of humidity to thrive. Many tropical houseplants need high humidity and are best grown in a steamy bathroom, misted regularly or placed on a saucer of damp pebbles. In a greenhouse, humidity can be raised in hot weather by damping down (wetting) the floor or overhead misting.

  is lowered by central heating
• Plants in a cool room will need watering less often than plants in a warm room

How to water

• Bring water to room temperature before use, particularly in winter. Cold water can kill
• Chlorine in tap water can be toxic to plants so allow the water to stand in an open container for a minimum of 24 hours for the chlorine to dissipate
• Water the pot thoroughly so that water escapes from the drainage hole

Importance of drainage

• Containers should always have a drainage hole to allow the water to escape
• Plants’ roots need air to breathe
• If your plants are allowed to sit in water for long periods, the airspaces in the soil can be replaced with water and cause the roots to drown
• Once your plants have been watered, allow them to drain thoroughly and then empty any water-filled saucers

Does water quality matter?

• Hard tap water is alkaline which ericaceous
  

  Plants that thrive in acid or ericaceous soil, which has a pH of less than 7 (neutral). You can measure your soil pH using a simple testing kit. Ericaceous or acid-loving plants include rhododendrons, camellias, heathers and blueberries.

  (acid loving) plants don’t like
• Ericaceous plants are best watered with rainwater
• It often contains fluoride which can be toxic to plants, the effects accumulating over time
• Chlorine in tapwater is also toxic to some plants
• Tap water should be allowed to stand in an open bowl for 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate
• Domestic water softeners contain salts that are highly toxic to plants and so should never be used to water them

Holiday care

• In winter, houseplants can be left for a week or two without water as long as the room temperature is cool, but does not fall below the minimum tolerated
• In summer, with higher temperatures plants are more active and dry out faster.
• Water loss can be controlled by;Grouping the plants together and covering with a polythene sheetPlacing the plants onto a tray containing wet capillary matting for the plants to absorb water fromInsert one end of a wick made from a strip of capillary matting into the base of a container and the other end into a large container of water. Your plant will draw on the water as it needs it

When to feed

• Plants are best fed during the growing season
  

  The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

  March to October
• Feeding during the winter should be limited to once a month as the light levels are too low for your plant to use the fertilser to make good growth

How to feed your houseplants

• A liquid fertiliser can be applied once or twice a month, or a quarter strength can be applied at every watering during the growing season
• Alternatively, you can apply a granular fertiliser to the soil surface one or twice a season
• Don’t apply fertiliser to dry soil as this can burn the roots of your plant

What to use

• Ericaceous plants need an acidic plant fertiliser
• Organic fertilisers can be a little too smelly to use indoors
• Slow release granules save labour, releasing a small amount of feed at each watering
• High nitrogen fertiliser (N) are suitable for foliage plants
• Flowering plants should have fertiliser higher in phosphorous (P) and potassium (K)

Fertiliser labels explained

How to feed plants

Learn how to propagate houseplants by taking cuttings

A method of growing new plants from parts of an existing plant, such as sections of root, stem, leaf or bud. When prepared correctly and planted in the right conditions, they can produce roots and eventually become independent plants. There is a wide range of different methods for taking cuttings, depending on the plant and time of year.

, with tips on preparing, and nurturing cuttings, plus the best plants for easy propagation.

Find out how

When your plants aren’t given the conditions they need to grow properly, they can become weakened and stressed.

Some non-disease problems to avoid

• Brown leaf edges – possible under-watering
• Plant collapse, or yellowing leaves which drop – possible overwatering
• Soils that have become overly dry – may cause wilting foliage drop and dieback and check the plant’s growth
• Plants which are unstable in their containers – weak root system
• Yellowing leaves with green veins – nutrient deficiency, chlorosis
• Plant drying out very quickly, and making little growth – possibly pot bound, repot into larger container

Common Pests

Glasshouse red spider mite - look for fine webbing and straw coloured speckling on the foliage

Glasshouse red spider mite

Mealy bugs – look for white, cotton wool-like blobs on the foliage and stems

Mealybug

Scale insects – look for light brown limpet-like insects on stems and underside of foliage

Scale insects

Sciarid flies (fungus gnats) – look for minute black flies

Fungus gnats (sciarid flies)

Common diseases

Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea)

• improve ventilation
  

  The introduction of outdoor air into a space, for example, a greenhouse. This airflow can reduce temperature, replenish the gases absorbed by plants and keep down fungal diseases like grey moulds.

  to reduce humidity
  

  The concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere. This affects the rate at which plants transpire (lose water from their leaf pores), which in turn affects how much water their roots absorb from the soil. If air humidity is low, plants transpire quickly and become at risk of wilting if water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be absorbed by the roots. Different plants require different levels of humidity to thrive. Many tropical houseplants need high humidity and are best grown in a steamy bathroom, misted regularly or placed on a saucer of damp pebbles. In a greenhouse, humidity can be raised in hot weather by damping down (wetting) the floor or overhead misting.

  remove any dead plant material

Grey mould

Fungal leaf spots

• improve ventilation
• spraying with broad spectrum fungicide may have incidental control
• avoid wet foliage persisting on plants after dark in cool/cold temperatures

If your houseplant has a problem as you're not sure what is wrong, see our handy step-by-step guide on how to help a poorly houseplant.