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Whether you’re a beginner with a windowsill succulent or a commercial grower considering houseplants as a new crop, this guide covers everything you need to know about growing healthy, pest-free, and high-performing houseplants—at home or in a greenhouse.
From common mistakes like overwatering to pro grower tips like using EC meters, this is your go-to houseplant resource.
Most houseplants die from too much love. Sitting in stagnant water leads to anaerobic conditions, ethylene production, and root diseases. Even rainforest natives like Monstera and Philodendron don’t want soggy roots.
Tip: Let soil dry out between waterings. Avoid pots that trap water.
Counterintuitive as it may sound, succulents and cacti can suffer from underwatering—especially during the growing season. In winter, reduce watering drastically.
Placing houseplants above radiators in winter creates dry air that cooks your plants. Keep them in bright, cool rooms away from heaters to prevent dehydration and stress.
Fungus gnats thrive in moist, decomposing grow media. Keep the top inch of your soil dry and consider switching to high-quality coco coir to reduce pest risk.
Experienced growers often overfeed, especially without proper runoff. Fertilizer salts build up over time and damage roots.
Best practice: Use an EC meter to monitor and flush excess salts. Check runoff regularly!
Before getting fancy with pH pens or designer nutrients, buy an EC pen. It will help you diagnose fertilizer build-up and prevent long-term salt damage.
Many liquid houseplant fertilizers lack calcium or sulphur. Look for complete, one-part solutions like Gold Leaf Fertilizer (aka Liquid Gold in the UK) for balanced growth.
Ideal pH for houseplant feed: 5.5–6.5. Some “houseplant-specific” products have extreme pH levels that harm your plants. Always test if you’re unsure.
Let tap water sit for 24 hours to degas chlorine, or use a fertilizer that dechlorinates as it feeds—Gold Leaf does both.
Popular during the houseplant boom, variegated Monstera and Philodendrons lack chloroplasts in white areas, making them more vulnerable to sun scorch and dehydration.
In winter, reduce or stop fertilizing. Most houseplants go semi-dormant and can’t process high nutrient loads. Overfeeding in winter leads to salt build-up.
Key houseplant pests:
For more, check previous episodes focused on pest ID and control.
Advanced growers may use commercial products like soil sterilant—but these are often not safe for indoor use due to strong odours or toxicity.
These growers face challenges like cheap imports from the Canary Islands and building brand value. Success often depends on:
Despite common belief, bonsai should not be kept indoors. Most bonsai species (pines, elms, maples) require outdoor, shaded, cool environments.
Indoor bonsai is a Western misinterpretation of Eastern culture. Figs are the exception—but even they prefer outdoor life.
Never leave unlabelled fertiliser bottles lying around. Mistaken ingestion of diluted solutions happens—especially in homes with kids or pets.
Article by Dr Russell Sharp
If you would like to keep up to date with subjects just like this, you can listen to both our podcasts! Links can be found bellow:
Hydroponics Daily Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/207T7p7fw9sPjINfSjVXW2
Cereal Killers Podcast: https://t.co/eSEbBkTVHl