Take a bucket and put a little water in it. Then place your plant in the bucket. Then take some water and put it on top of the dirt. The plant will bubble and all the air will come out.
As a relatively new plant parent I have only been poking soil with a chopstick for a few weeks and it's already a game changer. Love your videos so much, thanks for all the excellent advice!
I have a plumeria I bought in a drugstore 20 years ago. It was a twelve inch stick with leaves on the top. When all the leaves fell off my husband said ditch it it’s dead. I didn’t. I’ve never fertilized it just watered it once a week. 14 years ago it bloomed. They were the most beautiful flowers and the scent was incredible. 3 moves later (2 cross country) it is 6 feet tall still loving life and blooming for the fourth time,this time months longer than it ever has. I feel so lucky to have had this plant in my life. My husband died 13 years ago but I still have my plumeria.
"They meet old friends they haven't seen in a while and having a blast while you're away" 😂 Best description ever! I have a schedule for fertilizing the plants but even then I check the plant first and reschedule. When I see no current growth on the plant, especially in winter, I move the fertilizing a few weeks back as not to fertilize them too much. Having a schedule is great, but checking first is so much more important.
I do find the app helps with my personal watering issues... since i tended to water all indoor plants at the same time ( yeh i know ) but the app together with a trusted finger checking how moist the soil is have improved alot my plants survivability and health.
Tip for leaving home with your plants: get a smart outlet plug and a plant light/grow light (even just a regular lamp with a strong LED bulb). You can turn it on/off remotely or set a timer on it. Lets you ensure your plants have a steady light schedule AND can deter burglars who see the lights going off and on :)
Good stuff my friend 👍 another tip,if you will, don't be greedy. Try and control yourself when you see "The Plant" that you just got to have in the store, and refrain from buying it and thereby avoiding overwhelming yourself with the responsibilities of properly caring for your plants individual needs. I know from personal experience how hard this can be! Just because you can doesn't mean you should. 1 beautiful, well maintained plant is much more appealing and satisfying than a 100 mediocre, struggling to live plants. I'm really enjoying your content and the presentation of it, well done to you sir 👏 👍
So true, I have about 12 plants, and last year I got overwhelmed with watering them. I felt so bad how dry I let them become and some lost alot of leaves...doing much better this year.
Good morning from PA! I always love to see the opening shots of your room with the fireplace. It’s beautiful and the picture over the fireplace makes me smile!
I like how you say protected my babies lol My daughter gets so jealous of me for loving my plants so much. I don't know why but I can't help it and I am obsessed with them. Something new for me, but learning so much from you. Thank you!
I'm not a new plant momma...but I always attributed hydrophobic soil with most potting soils having too much peat... after this video I realized I only have this problem in winter when all of my windows stay closed and there is no air circulation. I use a BBQ skewer...thanks for the info! 💚
I live in an apt. with no real heat other than a small standing heater. Sometimes it gets pretty cold in here. My philoendrons seem to love it though...I know from experience that they can go weeks without water but I try not to do that. They are all in front of my balcony window. They really grew this winter and are really going to town now. I live in WA state so our winters aren't too bad. I learned the hard way not to have too many plants. My daughter has a philodendron plant from some cutting s off my plant that I started before she was born in the late 70's. At one time it had grown along my ceiling around the entire room. They are great plants if you just take care of them.
I lived in Washington and had a lucky bamboo plant that thrived for 12 years before I had to give it to a neighbor when we moved. The humidity there is generally amazing for most plants!
I love your page. So much information. It is so refreshing to hear you admit you have made an error just like us BUT have learnt from your errors and pass the correction onto us . Thank you so very much.😊
I remember doing the soil poking intuitively some time in the past, glad to know it's arguably a good trick. After all the tricks and impossible to kill plants like golden pothos that I managed to drain dead over couple of years, the poinsettia was the one that started making its green leaves red in this march, after buying it in december. Lucky me, these days it's mandatory here for apartments to have air circulation in the winter as well to prevent mold. Would you talk about bringing your indoor plants outside after winter and how to acclimatise them? Also about the problems your plants can get outdoors and how to deal with them. For example the first year I bought some herbs in the summer they did great outside, but the next year I bought new ones, they got attacked by bugs right away and died.
I have the hydrophobic problem with most of my succulents despite having well-draining, perlite-laden soil. I sometimes poke the soil, but haven’t done it consistently. I’ll try that. Thanks!
I often water all over the leaves when I'm doing a full soak so that the dust doesn't accumulate, then give the plant a bit of a shake before putting it back in its home. It hasn't caused a problem for me but maybe my house has some good air flow going on. The soil poking trick is something I haven't tried though, so I'm going to give it a go!
I live in a very cold climate, and when I went to Brazil, I was shocked to see all our houseplant staples… living just like this outside exposed to the elements… 4 times bigger and thriving 😭😂
A note on rocks in your pots. I use lightweight plastic pots, and I find putting three or four small river rocks (like the size of a quail's egg) in the bottom really helps with stability as my pal gets taller. After all, your plant expects to be firmly anchored in the ground so it can reach for the sky, then it finds out it's actually got its feet in a two-ounce plastic world. I don't go crazy with rocks, but by adding a few ounces of weight to the bottom, they're much more stable as they grow. Yeah, I could put them in heavier ceramic things, but...well...I don't. Maybe I should hook up with a potter?
Totally agree with accepting when certain plants just aren't suited to you or your home. I've admitted defeat on succulents and cacti, especially the latter. Snake plant does fine for me. I've got a stick plant that I think is finally settling in and might survive. But other than that, I can't even keep aloe alive. LOL Regular houseplants, I've got in abundance and doing well, but succulents and cacti, I'm death for.
I learned that most of the time, commercial plant soils are made to hydrophobic once completely dry. That's why it's hard to rehydrate them normally once completely dried out.
The suggestion of adding a water conditioner is completely brilliant. I was completely unaware of such a thing, and as I live in an area of chlorinated and high mineral content water, it would be a great way to help balance my tap water before using it on my plants. Thanks for such a great tip!
I know you’ve mentioned really struggling with the zebrina a number of times and I hope that you’re having more success now! I’ve had my zebrina for a couple of years and I’ve never had a problem with it, minus the occasional brown leaf tip, it’s incredibly bushy and is happy enough to have divided me four new plants! Calatheas are my favourites, I have 16 of them now and I’ve found them to be completely unproblematic. I think my secret to this though is that I water my plants with my old aquarium water when I do water changes. It’s mildly fertilising and had been treated with all of the water primers and sometimes even aquarium plant fertiliser. You don’t need the fish tank of course but I’m going to recommend a water primer called prime by Seachem, it’s the gold standard amongst fish keepers, my calatheas seem to approve, and a less than £10 bottle will last me over a year! Oops, a bit of a long comment but I totally recomend prime for you plants, it’s also a lot cheaper than the api stuff you showed!
Your point about air circulation should be taken to heart. We're told to try to elevate the humidity of our rooms to help our green pets out, which means most folks who don't live in the sub-tropics or tropics have to add humidity. But if you leave some windows open to promote circulation, all that humidity you're hoarding goes out the window! My solution was pretty simple. I have one of those vertical floor-standing fans for summer use (really saves on the AC bills!) but I pretty much run it all day in the winter as well to circulate the warmed air and keep things moving inside. Without it, I've seen my incense smoke go straight up to the ceiling, instead of wafting about the place. (Can I complain about my cave-flat yet again?) I know the plants depend on me to mimic their natural habitats are getting some air circulation by watching the smoke pattern from the incense. Never have fungal issues, and yes, I do mist those plants that like it, and never those that don't. My area usually runs about 45% humidity, unless it's raining, so if I can just boost my indoor humidity to around 60% my plants will love me. BTW...can anyone recommend a RELIABLE humidity meter (at a reasonable price). There's tons of them on Amazon, but many of them have proved to be very unreliable as far accuracy. I've got no way to check an instrument's accuracy without buying a dozen different types and doing some bloody Consumer Reports test, so help a brother out, if you know of one that works well.
Great video! I don't have trouble with the soil going hyrdophobic (learned a new word today) but I do notice plants I buy from the big box stores are notorious for this. Sadly, if you don't know to look for it, you think it is something you have done as it slowly starts to die.
A good Ol' spray bottle is my tool of choice for all things indoor plants. I made the change this year , and literally cannot believe the difference that makes for water control... and , I honestly find it quicker aswell , highly impractical outside.. 😂 and I also think this method will be much better when fertilizer is due , as you never risk pouring too much but I've yet to try it out.
I am confused about which plants would like a shower and which wouldn’t like water on them. I am a plant killer and I think my strongest weapon against plants has been water. So a video on showering plants vs not getting the foliage wet, please?
“Plants don’t appreciate a schedule”. I’m thumping myself on my head. Why didn’t I know this? Thank you for telling me not to water my plants every Wednesday.
On the topic of hydrophobic soils, buy yourselves an organic wetting agent such as Quillaja extract or Yucca extract. Rather than disturb the root zone and potentially damage healthy roots, add a dash of one of these wetting agents, stir it up, or shake it in a pump sprayer, and the foam from the saponins will evenly distribute the water everywhere in the pot. The saponins have the added benefit of smothering tiny, annoying insects like fungus gnats and the like. Just a thought. It's what I do when faced with this problem.
@@SheffieldMadePlants If you'd like to, research it when you have a minute. It'll change your life. You'll never have dry soil again. Anyway, I dig your channel. I enjoy it for several reasons, but what keeps me coming back is that cheeky sarcasm and good editing.
Great video with practical tips. My plants' leaves are infested with spots apparently they're fungus. I have learned that watering the plants from the top is not the right way when your video confirmed my suspicion. I'm now treating them with Neem oil, I hope it works.
Really top tips - I wished I knew them when I started few dead plants ago :-) Moisture meter was for me the key to success. I still use it and bought it to my overwatering friends too 🙂
I envy your indoor paradise. I just can't handle the mosquitoes and then watering them carefully in their spaces. I do love gardening but I am used to a hose to water my plants. Love the smell of freshly watered greens. I do agree with your tips. I acclimate my plants if I bought them in high altitude areas. Aside from quarantine, to avoid from unwanted pest(s) which was a hard lesson as I bought a birds paradise which had eggs of garden snails. I was fighting off an army of them for months. 😢 But really your videos tempt me to start keeping a few plants in tbh.
@@SheffieldMadePlants issue with the mosquitoes? I don't think that's a problem where you live. I live in Asia plus there is dengue to consider. Yes love hosing down the plants specially summer is coming soon and the plants will be thirsty more and my water bill...otherwise yes cathartic. ❤️
Wow! This is SO informative! I am buying one of those moisture meter because I often wonder if it's wet or not deep down there. One thing I hope you can (or maybe have covered) is how to use the plant lamps correctly! Can plants be stressed by them and which plants love them or not?
All plants will enjoy a grow light. Just don’t let the leaves get too close or they might burn. Other than that just have em on for something like 10-12 hours a day
@@SheffieldMadePlants Thanks for the reply! I actually have these close to my window, and since I don't have much other lights available now, I use them for plants but also for myself indirectly. But if the recommendation is 10-12 hours then I guess that having them on from morning to late night might be too much?
BTW, I usually haul all of my plants out onto the back porch and give a thorough shower once a year - when the weather is warm in the late spring. I leave them out until they dry. That's about the only time the leaves get wet. Glad I've done it that way and haven't watered the leaves when watering my plants!
I shower my plants every two weeks (including tradescantia) It’s necessary for me to get rid of dust due to dust mite allergy. I’m glad that my plants doesn’t suffer negatively. But I do air the house daily. Just saw you in that colab with Kill This Plant. Hilarious 😂
I use wooden chop sticks to loosen compacted soil. They give them to you at all the restaurants, use your knife and fork and take the chop sticks home.
Very interesting video! These are all very good reminders! I'm a bit surprised you mentioned a moisture meter - I thought there was something to do with physics or electrolytes (?) that meant over time, either the moisture meter or the soil will stop giving an accurate reading. Not sure if anyone has come across this?
Hi, I'm a new plant mom and I have a lot to learn. I'm having a hard time understanding the difference between watering plants on top and heavy rain water falling on them?
It's just about the rate of air change inside vs outside. Outside things dry out quicker because of wind etc. Inside water just sits there causing problems for the leaves
I have a geo plant where all the leaves died. I took the leaves off & took it out the dirt with intentions of tossing it out. I noticed the some of the roots & stems were getting bad so I trimmed them down. Some of the roots & stems still looked healthy. So I put them in soil under a grow light to see if anything will happen since it’ll be spring soon. Any advice?
I'm thinking about getting the water additive you mentioned. I've noticed my plants do much better when I use filtered water, but that has been challenging as my plant family grows 😅. Do you mix the solution as it directs on the bottle?If not, what ratio of water to solution do you use? Thank you in advance! I hope to fashion a rain barrel one day, but I really need a better solution for now. Thank you for your content! I love your channel! 💚
Thank you for this video! I also use the same Elho watering can, but I've got it without this matching sprayer. Could you please advise where I can find this? Thanks in advance :)
9:40 If you let tap water sit for a day, chlorine and chloramine should gas off, usually leaving you with fairly calcium rich water. If calcium is also problem, a small reverse osmosis set might be even cheaper & better. RO is also the preferred way to do beneficial microbes, fungi.
So true do not water the leaves. My plants is always GREEN I had to pruned it every month. I NEVER watered the leaves. And yes I see one side of my pants grew reaching for the lights the ones that didn't get the sun light didn't grow. I am guilty of not changing the soils I really need to take care of my indoor plants. I am going to start taking of my plants more not just water it. Poor thing my babies is just living lol.
@@SheffieldMadePlants too much sun surely not. it's winter here :) lack of water makes sense. yet, i hear it's not meant to be in constantly moist soil...
@@SheffieldMadePlants time is money. You give me clear, steady paced, valuable information. I enjoy your videos. You come prepared. You aren’t just winging it. A+
Pardon my pedantry, but I question your correlation of low light and reversion of variegated plants. Variegation is the result of genetic mutation. Although the total area of green tissue in variegated leaves may increase in low light, it follows that reversion of a chimera back to type must also occur at cellular level, independently of any external factors.
@@SheffieldMadePlants Yeah, I know :). I am terrible with plants, youtube noticed, so it recommended your videos. Probably reason being that what I am doing with them qualifies as war crimes. Anyway I watched a few of your videos and now I am an expert! Do not take my comment too seriously ;). Great videos btw! Should increase my plant lifespan from 2 weeks to 2 months at least :D. If I watch a few more maybe it will be even better than that! I will be unlocking achievements "Plant survived for 6 months" reached!! ;) Thanks!
Hi, do you think that when soil has gotten too dry to the point that it becomes hydrophobic, can poking it with a stick as you did in the video before watering it tackle the issue once and for all ? Or should we eventually repot the plant as the soil might ultimately stay hydrophobic ?
@Sheffield Made Plants I have a philodendron that's not doing so well. It's getting indirect light but it's not bright. I don't have another spot for it and I'm concerned that it isn't getting as much light as it should. The leaves are wilting (I just watered it again - it wasn't dry to the roots but the soil was dry about 3 inches down. Any suggestions? I'm beginning to think that I should give it away to a home that has more light. 😢 I don't want to kill it. Thanks for any help 🌺🌿🌞
I'm pretty new to taking care of my plants and love your video's. But I am confused. In one video you said my plants will thank me for giving them a shower, which I did, because i was trying to take care of infest. In this video you say not to get the leaves wet and only water the soil. I'm confused.
Hi hi Mr Sheffield you always do things in a fancy way dont you lol you use a chop stick I use a pice of wood or smthing that wld pierce the ground well we do live on an island so i try to use what I have available or at hand lol but it serves d same purpose thanks for sharing and I dont eat chinese lol God bless from my lovely island to yr beautiful country take care be safe
Living in sheffield or anywhere in uk you should ideally not drop below 10-15 temperature anyway as mould can develop in your house. I also always put my fan on after watering as it both helps make the air nicer to breathe, as well as avoiding the water being on the leaves.
I swear my soul becomes hydrophobic so fast. Most of my plants are bottom watered, but the ones I don’t get hydrophobic. Is there anything else I can do to prevent that?
It is possible that myths like misting plants and use gravel or some drainage layer came from terrarium hobby? I have a huge dart frog terrarium full of plants (mostly ferns and bromeliads) and I have false bottom and misting system to keep humidity high. These thins are necessary to keep healthy the whole ecosystem, yet it is a completely different story than keeping plants in pots, I still don't fully understand what the difference...
@@SheffieldMadePlants I mist it daily, humidity need 80% or above (the frogs dont appreciate if its less than 80% :D ). Not a closed one, there are ventilation holes, and I want to upgrade with pc fans :D And I leave the door open for a while when it is feeding time, but yeah the whole one should be moist all the time. Obv there are all kind of creatures like springtails and isopods which are help to control fungus. At the very beginning I had some mold outbreak but after that it is going smoothly. But yeah.. I killed some plants there (root rots of course) :P I have some experience but Im not an expert yet.
@@SheffieldMadePlants thaanks!! If I'm right you mentioned in a video that you want to try closed terrarium. I also made some terrarium jars, there are almost the same, btw much easier to grow moss here. Some delicate plants won't make it, but smaller ferns love them, even fittona trive in a closed setup. I occasionally opened up the jar to prevent mold outbreaks and also used springtails.
Iv been repotting plants way too tightly i think. The water just kind of pools on the top and slowly drains. I use a cactus mix as well, ill try the chopstick thing. thx
Do you actually use that particular water conditioner or is it a stock photo? That stress coat has other additives (aloe but not sure what else) in it for fish that I wouldn't guess would be safe for plants. API, company that makes it does have a regular water conditioner, labels do look very similar. It's just called "tap water conditioner" in the U.S. I ask because I was going to spend extra money on fancy hydroponic water conditioner from Amazon but a fish tank water conditioner without extra additives is much easier for me to source for a lot less money. Have you had luck using the tap water conditioner? I've been wasting a lot of money on distilled water for my calatheas. Thanks for the video! Good stuff as always. My soil moisture meter is on its way thanks to you 😊
@Sheffield Made Plants thanks for replying! I'll check the ingredients. There are a lot of water conditioners on the market for aquariums. A lot of them do buffer as well. That particular stress coat was always one that I've recommended using with extra aeration because it is speculated to drop the oxygen levels in certain tank parameters. But for plants that probably isn't a big deal. I'm mostly thinking of my picky calatheas lol 😍 thanks again! If it seems to be working for you, I'll try it. I might even try a few different brands to see which one they like best. And I'll still probably be spending less than the stuff I was going to order. Have a lovely day!
I dont argee with the aeration bit. You should never have to do that between repotting. If you use well draining soil you are drawing oxygen into the root zone as the water draws through the soil.
@Sheffield Made Plants I can argee with that. However If your soil gets compacted it to the point that it no longer draws water and oxygen then you just need to repot. I don't even think it's possible for a potted plant to get compacted enough to actually effect root growth. I think the reason you are seeing positive effect on the plant from chop sticking is you are breaking roots up. I guess in a way chop sticking is the "lazy man's" repot.
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Take a bucket and put a little water in it. Then place your plant in the bucket. Then take some water and put it on top of the dirt. The plant will bubble and all the air will come out.
As a relatively new plant parent I have only been poking soil with a chopstick for a few weeks and it's already a game changer. Love your videos so much, thanks for all the excellent advice!
That is awesome! Thank you 😊
gonna do this now lol
just a thought: Have we considered that when we use the same stick for poking dirt. We might be transferring gnat-eggs from one plant to another?
I have a plumeria I bought in a drugstore 20 years ago. It was a twelve inch stick with leaves on the top. When all the leaves fell off my husband said ditch it it’s dead.
I didn’t.
I’ve never fertilized it just watered it once a week. 14 years ago it bloomed. They were the most beautiful flowers and the scent was incredible.
3 moves later (2 cross country) it is 6 feet tall still loving life and blooming for the fourth time,this time months longer than it ever has. I feel so lucky to have had this plant in my life.
My husband died 13 years ago but I still have my plumeria.
Wow that is some longevity!
This story is so beautiful ❤️😭
💕
I've just started one off today. Never grown one before but I hope to be as successful as you.
@@louiseburke919
I hope you do too. This plant has given me so much happiness and the perfume is incredible.
The skewer idea for aerating soil is so obvious but I never thought of it till your video - thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
"They meet old friends they haven't seen in a while and having a blast while you're away" 😂 Best description ever!
I have a schedule for fertilizing the plants but even then I check the plant first and reschedule. When I see no current growth on the plant, especially in winter, I move the fertilizing a few weeks back as not to fertilize them too much. Having a schedule is great, but checking first is so much more important.
Good point! Glad you liked that segment too 😁
I do find the app helps with my personal watering issues... since i tended to water all indoor plants at the same time ( yeh i know ) but the app together with a trusted finger checking how moist the soil is have improved alot my plants survivability and health.
Fair enough 👍
@@SheffieldMadePlants thank you by the way i have been binging your plant tip videos ive learnt alot!
Tip for leaving home with your plants: get a smart outlet plug and a plant light/grow light (even just a regular lamp with a strong LED bulb). You can turn it on/off remotely or set a timer on it. Lets you ensure your plants have a steady light schedule AND can deter burglars who see the lights going off and on :)
That’ll work! 👍
Good stuff my friend 👍 another tip,if you will, don't be greedy. Try and control yourself when you see "The Plant" that you just got to have in the store, and refrain from buying it and thereby avoiding overwhelming yourself with the responsibilities of properly caring for your plants individual needs. I know from personal experience how hard this can be! Just because you can doesn't mean you should. 1 beautiful, well maintained plant is much more appealing and satisfying than a 100 mediocre, struggling to live plants. I'm really enjoying your content and the presentation of it, well done to you sir 👏 👍
Nice one. Thanks for sharing. Glad you like the videos
So true, I have about 12 plants, and last year I got overwhelmed with watering them. I felt so bad how dry I let them become and some lost alot of leaves...doing much better this year.
Good morning from PA! I always love to see the opening shots of your room with the fireplace. It’s beautiful and the picture over the fireplace makes me smile!
Hehe thank you. My favourite picture in the house 😁
I like how you say protected my babies lol My daughter gets so jealous of me for loving my plants so much. I don't know why but I can't help it and I am obsessed with them. Something new for me, but learning so much from you. Thank you!
So do my kids 😂
I'm not a new plant momma...but I always attributed hydrophobic soil with most potting soils having too much peat... after this video I realized I only have this problem in winter when all of my windows stay closed and there is no air circulation. I use a BBQ skewer...thanks for the info! 💚
Glad it was helpful 👍
I live in an apt. with no real heat other than a small standing heater. Sometimes it gets pretty cold in here. My philoendrons seem to love it though...I know from experience that they can go weeks without water but I try not to do that. They are all in front of my balcony window. They really grew this winter and are really going to town now. I live in WA state so our winters aren't too bad. I learned the hard way not to have too many plants. My daughter has a philodendron plant from some cutting s off my plant that I started before she was born in the late 70's. At one time it had grown along my ceiling around the entire room. They are great plants if you just take care of them.
Wow that Philo sounds awesome!
I lived in Washington and had a lucky bamboo plant that thrived for 12 years before I had to give it to a neighbor when we moved. The humidity there is generally amazing for most plants!
I love your page. So much information. It is so refreshing to hear you admit you have made an error just like us BUT have learnt from your errors and pass the correction onto us . Thank you so very much.😊
Thanks for watching 😁
I remember doing the soil poking intuitively some time in the past, glad to know it's arguably a good trick. After all the tricks and impossible to kill plants like golden pothos that I managed to drain dead over couple of years, the poinsettia was the one that started making its green leaves red in this march, after buying it in december.
Lucky me, these days it's mandatory here for apartments to have air circulation in the winter as well to prevent mold.
Would you talk about bringing your indoor plants outside after winter and how to acclimatise them? Also about the problems your plants can get outdoors and how to deal with them. For example the first year I bought some herbs in the summer they did great outside, but the next year I bought new ones, they got attacked by bugs right away and died.
Thanks Yuppi for the suggestion 👍
I have the hydrophobic problem with most of my succulents despite having well-draining, perlite-laden soil. I sometimes poke the soil, but haven’t done it consistently. I’ll try that. Thanks!
You're my favourite plantuber 🌵🪴💚
Thank you so much for your uploads, they've helped me a lot 🌱🌞
You're so welcome!
I often water all over the leaves when I'm doing a full soak so that the dust doesn't accumulate, then give the plant a bit of a shake before putting it back in its home. It hasn't caused a problem for me but maybe my house has some good air flow going on. The soil poking trick is something I haven't tried though, so I'm going to give it a go!
I shower mine about once a month to dust the leaves which also helps keep the pests at bay.
Yep a shower once in a while is a good idea 👍
I don’t use the rose when I water my indoor plants, wow I’m doing something correct for a change. Many thanks. 👍
You’ve got this ✊
As a Brazilian I find it extremely funny everything you guys have to do to keep your plants alive in the winter
If only I had some of that sun!
You find it funny I cry every winter 😢
I live in a very cold climate, and when I went to Brazil, I was shocked to see all our houseplant staples… living just like this outside exposed to the elements… 4 times bigger and thriving 😭😂
A note on rocks in your pots. I use lightweight plastic pots, and I find putting three or four small river rocks (like the size of a quail's egg) in the bottom really helps with stability as my pal gets taller. After all, your plant expects to be firmly anchored in the ground so it can reach for the sky, then it finds out it's actually got its feet in a two-ounce plastic world. I don't go crazy with rocks, but by adding a few ounces of weight to the bottom, they're much more stable as they grow. Yeah, I could put them in heavier ceramic things, but...well...I don't. Maybe I should hook up with a potter?
Totally agree with accepting when certain plants just aren't suited to you or your home. I've admitted defeat on succulents and cacti, especially the latter. Snake plant does fine for me. I've got a stick plant that I think is finally settling in and might survive. But other than that, I can't even keep aloe alive. LOL Regular houseplants, I've got in abundance and doing well, but succulents and cacti, I'm death for.
I’m with you on aloe. Always go soft and grey 🤷🏻♂️
I learned that most of the time, commercial plant soils are made to hydrophobic once completely dry. That's why it's hard to rehydrate them normally once completely dried out.
I absolutely love this channel, great advice
Thank you 😊
Oh wow, thanks for the tip about water touching the pink & green plant you showed. Couldn't figure out why the leaves were browning on my plant!
Glad it was helpful!
The suggestion of adding a water conditioner is completely brilliant. I was completely unaware of such a thing, and as I live in an area of chlorinated and high mineral content water, it would be a great way to help balance my tap water before using it on my plants. Thanks for such a great tip!
My pleasure 😊
Love this video. I like to think plants are friends. So many useful tips that absolutely make sense, thanks.
Thank you 😊
Ive been looking for the company who sells the wooden climbing pole for the Monsterras and Pothos. Which video or how can I find that link?
The Truth About Climbing Plants You Need To Know
ruclips.net/video/J_Zg6KMjWLs/видео.html
I know you’ve mentioned really struggling with the zebrina a number of times and I hope that you’re having more success now! I’ve had my zebrina for a couple of years and I’ve never had a problem with it, minus the occasional brown leaf tip, it’s incredibly bushy and is happy enough to have divided me four new plants! Calatheas are my favourites, I have 16 of them now and I’ve found them to be completely unproblematic. I think my secret to this though is that I water my plants with my old aquarium water when I do water changes. It’s mildly fertilising and had been treated with all of the water primers and sometimes even aquarium plant fertiliser. You don’t need the fish tank of course but I’m going to recommend a water primer called prime by Seachem, it’s the gold standard amongst fish keepers, my calatheas seem to approve, and a less than £10 bottle will last me over a year!
Oops, a bit of a long comment but I totally recomend prime for you plants, it’s also a lot cheaper than the api stuff you showed!
Great shout and I’m already there but I’m using API 😁
I really appreciate your videos. Im new to house plants and learning so much ty
My pleasure 😊 Thanks for watching
Your point about air circulation should be taken to heart. We're told to try to elevate the humidity of our rooms to help our green pets out, which means most folks who don't live in the sub-tropics or tropics have to add humidity. But if you leave some windows open to promote circulation, all that humidity you're hoarding goes out the window!
My solution was pretty simple. I have one of those vertical floor-standing fans for summer use (really saves on the AC bills!) but I pretty much run it all day in the winter as well to circulate the warmed air and keep things moving inside. Without it, I've seen my incense smoke go straight up to the ceiling, instead of wafting about the place. (Can I complain about my cave-flat yet again?) I know the plants depend on me to mimic their natural habitats are getting some air circulation by watching the smoke pattern from the incense. Never have fungal issues, and yes, I do mist those plants that like it, and never those that don't. My area usually runs about 45% humidity, unless it's raining, so if I can just boost my indoor humidity to around 60% my plants will love me.
BTW...can anyone recommend a RELIABLE humidity meter (at a reasonable price). There's tons of them on Amazon, but many of them have proved to be very unreliable as far accuracy. I've got no way to check an instrument's accuracy without buying a dozen different types and doing some bloody Consumer Reports test, so help a brother out, if you know of one that works well.
Great video!
I don't have trouble with the soil going hyrdophobic (learned a new word today) but I do notice plants I buy from the big box stores are notorious for this. Sadly, if you don't know to look for it, you think it is something you have done as it slowly starts to die.
Very true 👍
A good Ol' spray bottle is my tool of choice for all things indoor plants. I made the change this year , and literally cannot believe the difference that makes for water control... and , I honestly find it quicker aswell , highly impractical outside.. 😂 and I also think this method will be much better when fertilizer is due , as you never risk pouring too much but I've yet to try it out.
Thanks for sharing!
Very pretty and decorative trellises. Never seen anything like them 😊
Love your channel, my plants are doing so well! Thank you
Great to hear! thank you!
Thank you, I never thought about aeration with a stick to help with water flow .
👍👍
I am confused about which plants would like a shower and which wouldn’t like water on them. I am a plant killer and I think my strongest weapon against plants has been water. So a video on showering plants vs not getting the foliage wet, please?
I use a 2litre mechanics watering bottle. It has a screw on top and a long flexible spout.
“Plants don’t appreciate a schedule”. I’m thumping myself on my head. Why didn’t I know this? Thank you for telling me not to water my plants every Wednesday.
My pleasure 😊
On the topic of hydrophobic soils, buy yourselves an organic wetting agent such as Quillaja extract or Yucca extract. Rather than disturb the root zone and potentially damage healthy roots, add a dash of one of these wetting agents, stir it up, or shake it in a pump sprayer, and the foam from the saponins will evenly distribute the water everywhere in the pot. The saponins have the added benefit of smothering tiny, annoying insects like fungus gnats and the like. Just a thought. It's what I do when faced with this problem.
Nice, thanks for the tip. Didn't know about that
@@SheffieldMadePlants If you'd like to, research it when you have a minute. It'll change your life. You'll never have dry soil again. Anyway, I dig your channel. I enjoy it for several reasons, but what keeps me coming back is that cheeky sarcasm and good editing.
@@cactsai nice one, thanks!
I love the idea of plants having a party together 😂🎉
Since I've been using distilled water, my calathea look much healthier😺👍
That's great!
Great video with practical tips.
My plants' leaves are infested with spots apparently they're fungus. I have learned that watering the plants from the top is not the right way when your video confirmed my suspicion. I'm now treating them with Neem oil, I hope it works.
Good luck 🤞
Really top tips - I wished I knew them when I started few dead plants ago :-) Moisture meter was for me the key to success. I still use it and bought it to my overwatering friends too 🙂
Thank you 😊 Glad you found it useful 👍
Absolutely love your post … thank you
My pleasure 😊
Please do a teaching on wick watering - which plants like it, benefits, drawbacks etc.
Bottom watering or using self watering systems?
I envy your indoor paradise. I just can't handle the mosquitoes and then watering them carefully in their spaces. I do love gardening but I am used to a hose to water my plants. Love the smell of freshly watered greens. I do agree with your tips. I acclimate my plants if I bought them in high altitude areas. Aside from quarantine, to avoid from unwanted pest(s) which was a hard lesson as I bought a birds paradise which had eggs of garden snails. I was fighting off an army of them for months. 😢 But really your videos tempt me to start keeping a few plants in tbh.
Wow I’ve never had that issue before! Watering with a hose in the garden is so cathartic compared to watering indoor plants 😂
@@SheffieldMadePlants issue with the mosquitoes? I don't think that's a problem where you live. I live in Asia plus there is dengue to consider. Yes love hosing down the plants specially summer is coming soon and the plants will be thirsty more and my water bill...otherwise yes cathartic. ❤️
Hey I have stress stuff for my fishies, thanks for the tip. My water has lots of chlorine and other nice chemicals.
Glad to help 😊
Thanks for the tips. Maybe I over do it and need to take a break from daily watering my lavender and rosemary plants.
You should!
Do you have any thoughts on Pon? Videos. Thank you for all the wonderful videos.
I’ve not tried pon yet
Thank you so much for your advice….I’m trying to be a better plant parent!
You got this!
Wow! This is SO informative! I am buying one of those moisture meter because I often wonder if it's wet or not deep down there. One thing I hope you can (or maybe have covered) is how to use the plant lamps correctly! Can plants be stressed by them and which plants love them or not?
All plants will enjoy a grow light. Just don’t let the leaves get too close or they might burn. Other than that just have em on for something like 10-12 hours a day
@@SheffieldMadePlants Thanks for the reply! I actually have these close to my window, and since I don't have much other lights available now, I use them for plants but also for myself indirectly. But if the recommendation is 10-12 hours then I guess that having them on from morning to late night might be too much?
BTW, I usually haul all of my plants out onto the back porch and give a thorough shower once a year - when the weather is warm in the late spring. I leave them out until they dry. That's about the only time the leaves get wet. Glad I've done it that way and haven't watered the leaves when watering my plants!
That’s a good thing to do. Just be mindful of pests though 😬
@@SheffieldMadePlants So far, in over 20 years, never been a problem, but I check things over well before hauling them back inside.
I shower my plants every two weeks (including tradescantia) It’s necessary for me to get rid of dust due to dust mite allergy. I’m glad that my plants doesn’t suffer negatively. But I do air the house daily.
Just saw you in that colab with Kill This Plant. Hilarious 😂
Ooo I need to watch that!
Great advice like always.
Glad it was helpful!
can peace lillies and snake plants tolerate tap water? i am also from the north of england, near sheffield
Oh nice, where abouts? Snake plants are fine. Peace lilies might develop some brown tips
I use wooden chop sticks to loosen compacted soil. They give them to you at all the restaurants, use your knife and fork and take the chop sticks home.
Chop sticks are one of my favourite plant tools 😁
Very interesting video! These are all very good reminders!
I'm a bit surprised you mentioned a moisture meter - I thought there was something to do with physics or electrolytes (?) that meant over time, either the moisture meter or the soil will stop giving an accurate reading. Not sure if anyone has come across this?
Thanks for watching. I've not heard that myself. Something to have a look into 🤔
Hi, I'm a new plant mom and I have a lot to learn. I'm having a hard time understanding the difference between watering plants on top and heavy rain water falling on them?
It's just about the rate of air change inside vs outside. Outside things dry out quicker because of wind etc. Inside water just sits there causing problems for the leaves
Fantastic advice😊
Thank you 😊
Hi am having brown spots on my ficus elastica tineke it's stayed in sides my bedroom
Might be too much sun or a watering problem. Look for pests also
I have a geo plant where all the leaves died. I took the leaves off & took it out the dirt with intentions of tossing it out. I noticed the some of the roots & stems were getting bad so I trimmed them down. Some of the roots & stems still looked healthy. So I put them in soil under a grow light to see if anything will happen since it’ll be spring soon. Any advice?
Just wait and see I guess. Watch your watering and cross your fingers.
I'm thinking about getting the water additive you mentioned. I've noticed my plants do much better when I use filtered water, but that has been challenging as my plant family grows 😅. Do you mix the solution as it directs on the bottle?If not, what ratio of water to solution do you use?
Thank you in advance! I hope to fashion a rain barrel one day, but I really need a better solution for now. Thank you for your content! I love your channel! 💚
I add a drop per litre of water. A little goes a long way. Let it sit for half and hour to work it’s magic
@@SheffieldMadePlants thank you! I will definitely try it out. 🙂
Do you know if you can still add fertilizer to the water when you used the conditioner?@@SheffieldMadePlants
Is the aeration necessary if you bottom water your plants?
Soil tends to get less compact but it will still do after a while. Just do it to those plants that are compact
When my soil reject the water ,I mist or lightly spray the soil ,it holds it for some reason
I'll try that 👍
Thank you for this video! I also use the same Elho watering can, but I've got it without this matching sprayer. Could you please advise where I can find this? Thanks in advance :)
I think i got it off amazon
The thought of my plants having a party while I'm away.....😂😂😂😂🎉🎉
🤣🤣
"...recommend jabbing your plants..." I think I'm falling in love, lol!
😂
How much API Stess Coat do you add to 4L or 1 Gallon of water? I have aquariums and have never needed to use my Stress Coat.
Only a couple of drops. A little goes a long way
9:40 If you let tap water sit for a day, chlorine and chloramine should gas off, usually leaving you with fairly calcium rich water.
If calcium is also problem, a small reverse osmosis set might be even cheaper & better. RO is also the preferred way to do beneficial microbes, fungi.
👍
My plants are my friends, too😻
How's the pickle plant going? I'm tempted to buy 😍
I was loving it but it’s had a hard winter. It’s a bit bald on top. I’m hoping I can get it full again.
@@SheffieldMadePlants It'll soon come to life now we're into spring. Can't wait to see all my plant babies thrive ❤️
So true do not water the leaves. My plants is always GREEN I had to pruned it every month. I NEVER watered the leaves. And yes I see one side of my pants grew reaching for the lights the ones that didn't get the sun light didn't grow. I am guilty of not changing the soils I really need to take care of my indoor plants. I am going to start taking of my plants more not just water it. Poor thing my babies is just living lol.
You’ve got this ✊
my cascade palm's leaves dry out one after the other. what could it be?
Hard to say really. Too much sun and lack of water?
@@SheffieldMadePlants too much sun surely not. it's winter here :) lack of water makes sense. yet, i hear it's not meant to be in constantly moist soil...
Got my bottle of stress coat today❤
Great stuff 👍
What plant is at 1:30?
Green syngonium
Turning the plants is what I do regularly but I also have to turn the faux topiaries at the front entrance to the house so they will fade evenly 😂
I wish I could do that to my sofa in the living room 😂
I absolutely prefer YOUR channel.
Strong agree-zero contest for me!
Wow, thank you!
Thanks 😊
@@SheffieldMadePlants time is money. You give me clear, steady paced, valuable information. I enjoy your videos. You come prepared. You aren’t just winging it. A+
@@deltatango6793 amazing, thank you!
Pardon my pedantry, but I question your correlation of low light and reversion of variegated plants. Variegation is the result of genetic mutation. Although the total area of green tissue in variegated leaves may increase in low light, it follows that reversion of a chimera back to type must also occur at cellular level, independently of any external factors.
okay I’ll keep that mind. thanks
how about some spritz?
10:10 Not true - what about taking care of roots, trimming, bigger pot size if plant overgrows? It would die eventually as well I would think.
They’re the basic building blocks. They can live being rootbound etc
@@SheffieldMadePlants Yeah, I know :). I am terrible with plants, youtube noticed, so it recommended your videos. Probably reason being that what I am doing with them qualifies as war crimes. Anyway I watched a few of your videos and now I am an expert! Do not take my comment too seriously ;). Great videos btw! Should increase my plant lifespan from 2 weeks to 2 months at least :D. If I watch a few more maybe it will be even better than that! I will be unlocking achievements "Plant survived for 6 months" reached!! ;) Thanks!
@@XaFFaX 😂
Hi, do you think that when soil has gotten too dry to the point that it becomes hydrophobic, can poking it with a stick as you did in the video before watering it tackle the issue once and for all ? Or should we eventually repot the plant as the soil might ultimately stay hydrophobic ?
You should be able to correct it eventually. Poke it and water first. If it's still hydrophobic then you can submerge the whole rootball in water
@@SheffieldMadePlants Thanks for the steady and clear answer :) love your content
@Sheffield Made Plants I have a philodendron that's not doing so well. It's getting indirect light but it's not bright. I don't have another spot for it and I'm concerned that it isn't getting as much light as it should. The leaves are wilting (I just watered it again - it wasn't dry to the roots but the soil was dry about 3 inches down. Any suggestions? I'm beginning to think that I should give it away to a home that has more light. 😢 I don't want to kill it. Thanks for any help 🌺🌿🌞
@@RavenVapor873 a grow light would help
@@SheffieldMadePlants I thought about it. Thanks so much for your input! Now to search for one that will do the trick 🌿🫠🌺
I'm pretty new to taking care of my plants and love your video's. But I am confused. In one video you said my plants will thank me for giving them a shower, which I did, because i was trying to take care of infest. In this video you say not to get the leaves wet and only water the soil. I'm confused.
A shower to clean is once in a while and won’t do much damage. Wetting the leaves often will lead to leaf mould problems.
Hi hi Mr Sheffield you always do things in a fancy way dont you lol you use a chop stick I use a pice of wood or smthing that wld pierce the ground well we do live on an island so i try to use what I have available or at hand lol but it serves d same purpose thanks for sharing and I dont eat chinese lol God bless from my lovely island to yr beautiful country take care be safe
Thanks Jennifer 😁
Living in sheffield or anywhere in uk you should ideally not drop below 10-15 temperature anyway as mould can develop in your house.
I also always put my fan on after watering as it both helps make the air nicer to breathe, as well as avoiding the water being on the leaves.
Perfect 🤩
I swear my soul becomes hydrophobic so fast. Most of my plants are bottom watered, but the ones I don’t get hydrophobic. Is there anything else I can do to prevent that?
I guess watering more frequently to stop the soil drying out
@@SheffieldMadePlants I’ll have to try. It gets interesting on plants like my ZZ that dry out more
Try soaking the entire pot in water
I mist “hydrophobic” extra dry hard soil.
Does it get it moist further down?
Are your techniques effective on cannabis plant as well or detrimental?
Should be the same
@@SheffieldMadePlants 🙏🏼
Where do you buy your plants?
Ny local garden centre or even Homebase and B&Q
It is possible that myths like misting plants and use gravel or some drainage layer came from terrarium hobby? I have a huge dart frog terrarium full of plants (mostly ferns and bromeliads) and I have false bottom and misting system to keep humidity high. These thins are necessary to keep healthy the whole ecosystem, yet it is a completely different story than keeping plants in pots, I still don't fully understand what the difference...
Not sure to be honest. With a closed terrarium you mist at the beginning and leave alone don’t you?
@@SheffieldMadePlants I mist it daily, humidity need 80% or above (the frogs dont appreciate if its less than 80% :D ). Not a closed one, there are ventilation holes, and I want to upgrade with pc fans :D And I leave the door open for a while when it is feeding time, but yeah the whole one should be moist all the time. Obv there are all kind of creatures like springtails and isopods which are help to control fungus. At the very beginning I had some mold outbreak but after that it is going smoothly. But yeah.. I killed some plants there (root rots of course) :P I have some experience but Im not an expert yet.
@@adamnagy4544 ah I see. I had a different type of terrarium in mind. Yours sounds awesome.
@@SheffieldMadePlants thaanks!! If I'm right you mentioned in a video that you want to try closed terrarium. I also made some terrarium jars, there are almost the same, btw much easier to grow moss here. Some delicate plants won't make it, but smaller ferns love them, even fittona trive in a closed setup. I occasionally opened up the jar to prevent mold outbreaks and also used springtails.
I live in the SW of US. Misting is de rigor!
Fair enough 😁
50 degrees???
I see you have your plants in the window with curtains. Does closing the curtains trap cold air and damage the plants?
Yes potentially. The ones I have seem to be doing ok for now though
Iv been repotting plants way too tightly i think. The water just kind of pools on the top and slowly drains. I use a cactus mix as well, ill try the chopstick thing. thx
Thanks
It mimics what worms do.
Or don't let the soil dry out that much in the first place!
Do you actually use that particular water conditioner or is it a stock photo? That stress coat has other additives (aloe but not sure what else) in it for fish that I wouldn't guess would be safe for plants. API, company that makes it does have a regular water conditioner, labels do look very similar. It's just called "tap water conditioner" in the U.S. I ask because I was going to spend extra money on fancy hydroponic water conditioner from Amazon but a fish tank water conditioner without extra additives is much easier for me to source for a lot less money. Have you had luck using the tap water conditioner? I've been wasting a lot of money on distilled water for my calatheas. Thanks for the video! Good stuff as always. My soil moisture meter is on its way thanks to you 😊
I use stress coat that's in the video. I think I read the other water conditioners alter the PH so I went with this one. Aloe won't harm your plants.
@Sheffield Made Plants thanks for replying! I'll check the ingredients. There are a lot of water conditioners on the market for aquariums. A lot of them do buffer as well. That particular stress coat was always one that I've recommended using with extra aeration because it is speculated to drop the oxygen levels in certain tank parameters. But for plants that probably isn't a big deal. I'm mostly thinking of my picky calatheas lol 😍 thanks again! If it seems to be working for you, I'll try it. I might even try a few different brands to see which one they like best. And I'll still probably be spending less than the stuff I was going to order. Have a lovely day!
@@puggyflowerchild6263 please let me know how you get on
I dont argee with the aeration bit. You should never have to do that between repotting. If you use well draining soil you are drawing oxygen into the root zone as the water draws through the soil.
Even with good aeration soil becomes compacted over time
@Sheffield Made Plants I can argee with that. However If your soil gets compacted it to the point that it no longer draws water and oxygen then you just need to repot. I don't even think it's possible for a potted plant to get compacted enough to actually effect root growth. I think the reason you are seeing positive effect on the plant from chop sticking is you are breaking roots up. I guess in a way chop sticking is the "lazy man's" repot.
When watering my plants, I've always give the leaves a good shower (?)
mist is good what you saying