There is more to house plant care than sticking a plant near a window and leaving it grow. The truth is that there are many houseplants out there that are very forgiving of error and when you are just getting started, gravitate towards those. Head to the local nursery and see if the clerk can recommend something for you, or look at the labels and see if there is a level of skill required. Proper house plant care requires you keep in mind some basics. Lets take a look at some of them now.

First take a look at the space where your houseplant is going to live. You should make sure that your houseplant has good soil; this does not mean that you should simply go outside and dig up some from the yard! Look for potting soil that has ingredients in it that will nourish your plant as well as provide good drainage. When you bring your plant home, it will probably be in a container with its own soil, but chances are good, especially if it is a new plant, that you are going to need to replace it at some point soon. When you notice that the roots are pushing against the sides of the pot or when the water drains through too quickly, it is time to look into a new pot for your plant.

Good house plant care calls for regularly fertilizing of plants. Depending on the individual plant, there will be directions that you can refer to let you know how often you should do it. The issue is that when the plant is indoors, it has less opportunity to get the nutrients and minerals that it needs, and this is what fertilizer will do. Fertilizer will feed the plants and this in turn helps the plant grow up towards maturity.

Similarly, take some time to consider what kind of light your houseplant wants. Different plants have different needs. If a plant needs strong light, consider placing it in a southern or eastern exposure. Plants that do not need as much light can get by very handily with an northern or western exposure. In some cases, you may want to rotate your plant from time to time to make sure that it grows up straight rather than leaning in a diagonal towards the light.

An important part of house plant care is the watering of your plants. Remember that under-watering can leave the plant looking sickly and unable to absorb essential nutrients, while over-watering can create root rot. Take some time and really consider what your options are going to be and check the care guide to see what watering schedule is ideal for your plants. Typically, flowering plants need more water than foliage plants.