Author: Barry Powers

Aside from soil moisture, sunlight is perhaps the most important factor in determining the health of your plant. Some plants need more than others, and some thrive with extended exposure while others suffer. But when it comes to caring for your plant, sunlight is one of the top considerations.

And, like water, plant parents might make the mistake of providing too much in their efforts to make sure the plant gets enough. And that can be just as damaging to the plant. Sunlight is not a yes/no option when it comes to good plant care. What kind of plant, how much sunlight do they need, what kind do they need, and the effects of too much and/or not enough all play a role.

Here’s how to make sure you’re providing the best sunlight environment for your plant.

Type of plant

It sounds obvious, but too many people get a plant without truly knowing its needs. Some plants thrive in direct sunlight, while others merely tolerate it. Knowing it’s okay to give your plant direct sunlight is not the same as knowing if that’s the best thing for it. Eight hours of light will have a different effect than two hours. And some plants do very poorly in an environment with a lot of light. They might need no direct sunlight at all for healthy growth, relying solely on artificial light.

Every plant is different, with different needs and different optimal conditions. Knowing what your specific plant requires is critical to keeping them healthy.

Know your house

It might also seem obvious that plant parents know their own house. But subtle changes to a room can have a dramatic effect on plants that live there.

Many people find the perfect plant for a specific room, give it a great spot and then simply enjoy it. But even if they never move the plant, room conditions can change. Seasonal changes might cut down on available sunlight. A room that consistently received six to eight hours of sunlight might only get a couple each day. And during some seasons, longer nights and cloudy days might turn a high-sunlight room into one with very few opportunities.

The opposite might also be true. A plant that doesn’t need as much sunlight might find itself in a less-than-optimal situation. Hours of extra sunlight can be great for some plants, but less helpful for others. The perfect room at one time of the year might provide a negative environment just a few months later.

Those seasonal changes also affect the indoor heating and cooling schedules, which can impact a plant’s water needs. When you throw in changes to sunlight opportunities, it disrupts the schedule to which your plant is accustomed, making damage more likely.

Light intensity

Even if you only expose your plant to the number of hours of sunlight it needs, the intensity of the light can impact its health. Hours of contact with a blazing sun is very different than moderate sunshine. Even artificial light can make a difference, both good and bad. A plant that thrives in low light will suffer if the room is brightly lit, even if it isn’t exposed to much direct sunlight. But a plant that needs light can usually still benefit from artificial light, though it might do better in natural light. While some plants can tolerate intense light, it can be dangerous to others. Again, knowing your plant and its reactions to light duration and intensity is important.

Looking for trouble

Be on the lookout for signs that your plant is in distress, either from too much sunlight, or not enough. In many cases, you’ll see clear visual cues. A plant that isn’t getting enough light might have small leaves and skinny stems, with wide spaces in between the leaves. Plants will also lean toward a light source if it isn’t getting enough.

Signs of too much light include yellowing or browning on leaf tips, or dry, brown patches on the leaf. Wilting is a symptom of many dangers, including too much light. These signs will be seen most prominently in areas of your plant that are receiving the most light.

PLANTZ Can Help

Not sure if a certain room is a good fit for the plant you want? What plant goes with your locale and home décor? We can help you choose the right plant and keep it healthy for years to come.

There are places where you buy a plant and take your chances. But at Plantz, we use our expertise and experience to make sure the plant you choose is the right fit for you. You’ll get a great plant from us, shipped safely and securely, with all the information you need to ensure you’ll get the maximum enjoyment out of your purchase. Simply use our contact page for more information.

 

Watering Your Plants, the Right Way 

 Making sure your plants have enough water is the most important thing you can do to keep them alive. Like all living things, water is essential to survive, so any good plant parent knows that watering your plants is necessary to keep them happy and healthy.

Unfortunately, it’s also a common way to hurt or even kill your plants.

While people understandably want to make sure their plants get enough water, those good intentions often cause them to overwater. And while they know that under watering a plant is bad for its health, they might not realize the damage done by overwatering. In a best-case scenario, the plant looks unhealthy and droops or wilts as root rot sets in. But in many cases, the roots literally drown in too much water and the plant dies.

Caring for a plant means more than making sure it has water. It needs the right amount of water, delivered at the right interval. Want to do right by your plant? Here are methods to avoid and one that will ensure you take care of your plant, no matter what type you choose.

What Doesn’t Work

Finger test. It’s a common method, but also inaccurate and often dangerous. Sticking your finger in a plant’s soil to determine whether it needs water is common, but certainly not the best way to keep your plant alive and thriving. Our fingers are not designed to be accurate soil moisture tools. You can tell if it’s damp or bone dry, but in between are a host of moisture levels that will determine if your plant needs watering. Also, your fingers don’t usually reach down to the roots, where the plant draws its nutrients and is in jeopardy of rot or drowning. There are better ways to check for moisture.

Rigid schedule. In our busy lives, it can be hard to make time to check everything around the house as necessary, so we make schedules for routine chores and maintenance. That can include watering your plants, but if it’s too rigid, it can carry risks to their health.

Plants are living things, of course, and they all have variables that can affect when they needs water. Your plant’s age, height, and overall health will all play a role, as well as the current season, the climate in which it lives and the sunlight it receives. Any schedule needs enough flexibility to take these changes into account, so adjustments can be made to keep your plant in optimal health.

What Does Work

Know your plant.  Knowing the special needs of the plant you choose is essential to making sure it’s watered properly. When you buy from Plantz, we make sure you have all the knowledge and tools to give your plant a great head start. You can also supplement with your own research and understanding the differences between your plants will help ensure they all receive the proper care and attention.

Different plants also react differently to overwatering. While it’s never a good thing, some plants are more sensitive than others. Knowing the impact that overwatering has on that particular plant will help guard against making that mistake.

Know the environment. Knowing your plant includes knowing the circumstances in which it lives. As previously mentioned, temperature, climate and sunlight can have an impact on water needs, so recognizing when those factors change (perhaps as seasons change, depending on where you live) will help you water properly. The more variables you consider, the better the watering schedule and the healthier the plant. You’ll also be less likely to underwater or overwater.

Look for changes. While a plant can’t tell you when it receives too much water, it can show you. It’s always a good idea to recognize the physical signs of overwatering and inspect your plant for signs of damage. You might see discolorations as cells burst, or leaves turning brown and wilting. Unfortunately, the latter can also be signs of underwatering, so plant parents might mistakenly make the situation worse if they misinterpret the signs. Again, knowing your plant and how much water it normally needs is key.

What Always Works: Soil Sleuth 

For fast, accurate information to ensure you’re only watering, when necessary, we recommend the Soil Sleuth, which you can get right here at the Plantz website. The Soil Sleuth is an easy-to-use tool that can reach deep into the soil and let you evaluate moisture at five separate levels. Simply push it into the soil, turn, and bring it back up. The notches collect a small soil sample you can evaluate to gauge what the moisture level is like closer to the roots. It’s fast, accurate and actually aerates the soil as it works. It’s great for indoor and outdoor plants and is sturdy enough to work in whatever type of soil your plant uses.

Best of all, it takes the guesswork out of watering your plants. You get a real-time evaluation of the moisture each time you use it. Knowing your plant’s unique needs and using a tool like the Soil Sleuth will eliminate the common problem of overwatering.

More Questions?

If you have more questions about watering plants or other topics, we’re here to help. Just use our contact page for a prompt response.

 

At PLANTZ, we have a wide range of plants for just about any type of home. Now we’d like to introduce you to a very special plant that requires little maintenance but loves light.

We’re talking about the Ponytail Palm.

It’s a beautiful plant that has a few surprises (it’s not actually a palm, for example) but can add a new level of décor to just about any room. The Ponytail Palm is also known as the Elephant’s Foot Plant, and while neither name is truly accurate (it’s a Beaucarnea recurvata, to be precise), there are very good reasons why it has those names.

It’s a Ponytail Palm because the leaves, when grown out, resemble a pony’s tail. And it’s known as the Elephant Foot Plant because the stem’s base will swell to an unusual shape, sometimes resembling an elephant’s foot. The swollen base retains moisture in preparation for the dry season in its native eastern Mexico. While unusual in its own way, it also has a comfortable, attractive look that fits in with a variety of home designs.

Let There Be Light!

The Ponytail Palm loves light, so bright light will keep it happy and healthy. But it’s also a relatively forgiving plant, so you don’t have to be perfect here. If you can make sure it gets bright light most of the time, it can adapt to some lower-light conditions. But remember, more light is better. As long as you’re making sure it gets enough exposure to bright light, it will reward you with a healthy look as it grows.

One caveat: Like most living things, your Ponytail Plant doesn’t do as well when thrown into a shocking new environment. If you’re going to bring it into (or out of) bright light, do it gradually over the course of a few days. Give it some time in both environments, and let it transition to a new area gradually. If you let it get accustomed to its new surroundings, and it will adapt better and maintain its beautiful look.

Easy on the Water

As a succulent coming from an arid climate, the Ponytail Palm doesn’t expect a lot of water. Since you’re bringing it in as a houseplant, you want to take care not to over-saturate it. Let the soil get dry between waterings (you might find yourself spacing them out for a month or so), and be careful when repotting. If you put it into a pot that’s much larger than the previous one, more water will accumulate and it will get too much. You want to get a pot that’s only an extra inch or two wider than the previous one, and it won’t suffer from too much water. Check out our Watering Guide for more details!

Good for Pets, but Be Careful

Your Ponytail Palm won’t be a danger to your cat or dog, but the reverse might not be true. Some cats find the large base and healthy trunk appealing and might be tempted to scratch it. And while the plant can easily maintain its healthy look under good conditions, it will succumb to too much physical duress. So be mindful of how your cats and dogs react to your new Ponytail Palm, but don’t worry about the plant harming them.

Slow and Steady

One thing your Ponytail Palm won’t do is impress you with its speedy growth. It’s a slow, steady pace for this plant. Make sure you’re comfortable with its general height when you get it (we offer two sizes) because it won’t be shooting up immediately. It will grow over time, but you want to enjoy it at its leisurely pace to full maturity.

Pruning, Cleaning, and More

When you get your Ponytail Palm from PLANTZ, it will have one stem and one head, which reduces the need for pruning. If you see leaves turn completely brown, you can remove them at the stem. Brown tips can be trimmed with sharp scissors.

You’ll also want to feed your plant, but don’t worry about that requirement when you first get it. Your Ponytail Palm will have plenty of nutrients from the nursery, so wait about six months before using fertilizer. Use a formula designed for interior plants, our Foliage Pro fertilizer is a great option. Apply quarterly, and it should do just fine.

Your Ponytail Palm (and plants in general) thrive when they’re kept clean. A towel soaked with light, soapy water will keep the leaves clean when applied gently. And mealybugs, mites, and other pests can be sprayed with a light soap solution and wiped down. Taking care of your Ponytail Palm will keep the leaves looking great, allow it to breathe and photosynthesize, and provide the look you imagined when you brought it into your home.

Just be careful when tending to it. The leaf margins are serrated and pleasant to the touch pulling away from the stem but going against the grain can irritate (or even cut) unprotected hands. But overall, the Ponytail Palm is a low-maintenance, hearty plant with a look that can change the décor of a room. Take good care of it, and it’s sure to return the favor.

Need More Help?

If you have more questions or want to make sure the Ponytail Palm is the right plant for your home, you’ve come to the right place. We don’t just sell plants; we love them. We want a perfect match between customers and plants, and we can offer our extensive experience and knowledge to make sure we find it for you. Just use our contact page with any questions.