Plants Don’t Have to Be Hard

You’ve tried. You really have. You bring home a plant, maybe even one the store employee called “unkillable,” and a few weeks later it’s a brown, wilted mess. Sound familiar? You’re not alone, and you’re almost certainly not cursed. Most plant deaths come down to a handful of very fixable mistakes — and once you know what they are, keeping plants alive gets a lot easier. The Number One Killer: Overwatering If your plants keep dying and you don’t know why, start here. Overwatering kills more houseplants than any other cause, and it’s counterintuitive because it feels like you’re being caring and attentive. ...

Not all houseplants are equally forgiving. Some need precise humidity, specific light conditions, and will throw a fit if you look at them wrong. Others are genuinely hard to kill — they tolerate drought, low light, irregular care, and the occasional neglect. If you’re new to plants, starting with the forgiving ones makes all the difference. You build confidence, you learn how plants communicate (yellowing leaves, droopy stems, dry soil), and you don’t lose $30 on a plant that dies in two weeks. ...

“How often should I water my plants?” is one of the most common questions beginners ask — and the honest answer is: it depends. It depends on the plant, the pot, the soil, the season, your home’s humidity, the light levels, and more. A fixed schedule like “every Sunday” might work some of the time, but it misses the point. Plants don’t care what day it is. They need water when the soil is dry enough, and that changes constantly. ...

Fertilizer is one of those topics where beginners either ignore it entirely or overdo it and burn their plants. Neither extreme is great. Here’s a grounded look at what fertilizer actually does, what types work best for houseplants, and when to use them. Why Houseplants Need Fertilizer at All When plants grow in the ground, their roots access a constantly replenishing supply of nutrients — organic matter breaks down, microbes help make nutrients available, and rain cycles them through the soil. ...

Homegrown tomatoes are one of those things that will ruin you — once you taste one, grocery store tomatoes never taste the same. The good news: you don’t need a sprawling backyard to grow them. A balcony, a patio, or even a sunny windowsill can work if you choose the right varieties. Here’s a straightforward guide to growing tomatoes at home, whether you have a backyard bed or a few containers. ...

Raised beds are how a lot of people get serious about growing food — and for good reason. They give you control over your soil, they drain well, they warm up faster in spring, and they keep weeds more manageable than in-ground beds. If you’ve thought about starting a vegetable garden, a raised bed is one of the best ways to begin. Here’s how to set one up from scratch. ...

Soil is the foundation of healthy plants — and it’s one of the most overlooked factors by beginners. Using the wrong soil can hold too much water and cause root rot, or drain so fast the plant is perpetually thirsty. Getting the soil right makes everything else easier. Here’s what you actually need to know about soil for potted plants. Garden Soil Doesn’t Belong in Pots This trips up a lot of beginners. Garden soil — the stuff in your yard or bagged as “topsoil” — is designed for in-ground use. In a pot, it becomes dense and compacted, drains poorly, and suffocates roots. It can also harbor pests and diseases. ...

Growing herbs indoors gives you something no grocery store herb shelf can: fresh herbs whenever you need them, cut five minutes before you use them. The difference in flavor between freshly cut basil and the bunch that’s been in your fridge for three days is significant. The good news: herbs are relatively forgiving and great for beginners, as long as you give them the right light. The Non-Negotiable: Light Light is where most indoor herb gardens fail. Herbs need at least 6 hours of direct sun daily — ideally from a south-facing window. East and west windows can work for less demanding herbs like mint and chives, but south-facing is your best bet. ...

Here’s a frustrating fact about plant problems: overwatering and underwatering can look almost identical. Both can cause drooping, yellowing leaves, and a struggling plant. Treating one when you have the other makes things worse — so getting the diagnosis right matters. Here’s how to tell them apart. Why They Look Similar When a plant is underwater, it can’t move water from roots to leaves, so leaves go limp. When a plant is overwatered, the roots rot and can no longer absorb water — so even though there’s plenty of moisture in the soil, the plant effectively can’t drink. Same symptom, opposite problem. ...

Not every room gets beautiful natural light, and most plant guides assume you have a bright, sunny home. What if you don’t? What if you have north-facing windows, a dark hallway, or a room that just never gets direct sun? The good news: there are genuinely beautiful houseplants that don’t just tolerate low light — they actually prefer it. And many of the most popular houseplants are among the most adaptable. ...