New year, new houseplant goals. As a keen houseplant collector, and our resident houseplant expert at Homes & Gardens, I've got my mind set on a few things I want to achieve in my indoor garden this year.
I'm not talking about expanding my display of indoor plants (though that will inevitably happen), but rather I'm thinking of ways to be a better plant parent and making a list of exciting plant experiments to try out.
If you're also keen to spend some time on your indoor garden this year but you don't know where to start, look no further. Here, I talk through my top five houseplant New Year's resolutions, to give you some inspiration.
5 Houseplant New Year's Resolutions
When considering what houseplant New Year's resolutions to make, consider the indoor plant mistakes you find yourself making most.
A resolution could be as simple as adopting a better watering regime or repotting houseplants when they need it.
1. To Use Organic Houseplant Fertilizers
If you're like me and adopt non-toxic garden habits where you can, you'll be pleased to hear this can extend indoors, too.
While many of the chemical and synthetic houseplant fertilizers on the market (like this liquid houseplant fertilizer from Amazon) provide an instant boost of essential plant nutrients, some of the best houseplant fertilizers are organic.
This includes coffee ground fertilizer for houseplants, which is rich in nitrogen in particular.
You can also purchase specially formulated organic houseplant fertilizers, like this organic liquid houseplant fertilizer from Amazon, using some of the best ingredients to support houseplant growth.
This houseplant New Year's resolution aims to create a healthier soil ecosystem for your houseplants and reduces the risk of root burn, which comes from excessive use of chemical fertilizers.
2. To Turn My Houseplants into Artwork
This houseplant New Year's resolution isn't about plant care, rather it's about how to style houseplants in the home.
It can be easy to put a houseplant on a windowsill and leave it be, but putting some thought into displaying your plants more innovatively can make all the difference in how they elevate interiors.
I'm personally eager to try mounting houseplants on a plant mounting board (like this from Amazon) to hang up and display as art.
You can also style succulents in a unique way, for example making a centerpiece for the coffee table or even making a terrarium.
Kokedama is another unique take on plants as artwork, allowing you to hang them from the ceiling, displayed in a moss ball (you can make your own using a moss sheet, like this from Amazon).
It's these little details that enhance an indoor garden and make it feel more curated, just like garden design outdoors.
3. To Keep Houseplant Leaves Clean
It can be surprising just how much houseplants reduce dust, collecting it on their leaves. It's especially notable on houseplants with the larger leaf surface areas, like monsteras.
It's a task us houseplant owners don't think to do often, but cleaning houseplant leaves can actually make a big difference for the health of your plant.
Dust attracts many houseplant pests, like spider mites, and can block sunlight hindering essential processes like photosynthesis. Plus, it can dull the appearance of plant leaves.
Luckily, it's easy to clean houseplant leaves. You can simply use a slightly damp microfiber cloth (from Walmart) or even houseplant dusting gloves (like these from Amazon), which I have personally found to work excellently.
4. To Use Planters with Drainage Holes
If you struggle to water houseplants correctly, you might also want to take on this houseplant New Year's resolution.
Planters that lack drainage holes are more likely to cause houseplant root rot, trapping in excess moisture.
That's why I'm switching up my planter collection, opting for planters with drainage holes to aid moisture management.
If, however, you have particularly special planter that lacks drainage holes, you can use these planter inserts from Amazon to provide drainage.
I also recommend every plant collector I know to use a soil moisture meter (available at Walmart). You insert the probe in soil and it tells you how wet it is and if it's time to water your plant.
5. Try Feng Shui Plant Placement
It's no secret that plants can boost our wellbeing, and this is something Feng Shui plants particularly encourage.
That's why I'm keen to try out some Feng Shui plant placement this year, using the Feng Shui energy map to position my plants in an optimal spot to promote positive energy.
This includes placing a jade plant in the southeast corner of the home to encourage wealth and abundance, or placing a pothos in the entryway to encourage a warm welcome.
At the same time, it's important to pay attention to Feng Shui houseplant mistakes to ensure you don't accidentally attract negative energy in the home.
FAQs
Are There Any Indoor Plants That Symbolize New Beginnings?
Across different modern and ancient traditions, several plants represent new beginnings. For example, lucky bamboo symbolizes prosperity and luck in Feng Shui, while peace lily has some Western symbolism around purity and a fresh start. Orchids also hold some symbolism in both Victorian and Asian tradition around renewal and growth.
You can also draw inspiration for New Year's resolutions from the habits every good plant parent has. The below plant care kit can likewise aid your houseplant efforts this year:
This watering can and plant mister set not only looks beautiful but also helps with houseplant care. The watering can has a narrow spout, ideal for indoor plants, and the mister can be used to boost humidity levels for tropical houseplant, like orchids.
