Houseplant Care 101 The Cheat Sheet: Watering, Light & Growth Tips for Beginners
Fundamentals of Houseplant Care 101 - The Cheat Sheet
This guide is for casual plant keepers, beginners, and anyone who wants a simplified approach to houseplant care. Keeping houseplants can seem tricky, so we’ve created this all-encompassing cheat sheet that breaks down the essentials in an easy-to-follow format. The more you read, the deeper you’ll go into the details of successful plant care.
In the age of misinformation, sorting fact from fiction in plant care can be overwhelming. Social media, forums, and websites are full of conflicting advice. But the good news is, you don’t need to be an expert to care for houseplants like one! This guide lays out universal rules that will work for most indoor plants. Master these, and you can refine your care routine as your plants grow—and as your knowledge grows with them.
LET THERE BE LIGHT - Don't forget it
Lighting & Positioning - Determines your plant's Potential for Growth
Care Regime - Determines to what degree your plant can REACH its Potential for Growth.
You can do all of the correct watering and fertilising you like, if your plant is too far away from (or too close to) a window, then it will not survive long term.
Learn to get the placement of your houseplants correct with the right intensity of light FIRST and follow through with the proper care regime for that position.
It's a common misconception that Plants 'feed' on fertiliser and minerals. They don't, they 'eat' light through a process called Photosynthesis. Getting insufficient light is the same as starving and there's no way around having insufficient light so set your plant up in the right position based on its natural habitat and any special requirements its variety may have.
The Three Fundamentals of Plant Growth
Plants need three main elements to thrive and photosynthesise:
-
Light on their leaves
-
Too much: Sunburned leaves
-
Too little: Slow growth or decline
-
Ideal = Right intensity × Right duration
-
-
Water at their roots
-
Too much: Root rot
-
Too little: Dehydration, limited nutrient uptake
-
Ideal = Proper access × Correct frequency
-
-
Airflow to their roots and leaves
-
Too much: Roots and leaves dry out
-
Too little: Poor respiration, increased rot risk
-
Ideal = Balanced moisture retention × Proper drainage
-
The Right Amount of Light
For most houseplants, Bright Indirect Light is the sweet spot. This term is widely used but often misunderstood. Here’s the simplest way to think about it:
Bright Indirect Light = The plant can 'see' blue sky but not direct sun.
In nature, many houseplants grow beneath tree canopies where they receive reflected light from the sky rather than direct sunlight. Your job is to replicate this environment indoors.
How to Find Bright Indirect Light in Your Home
-
Use your perspective: Get down to the plant’s level and look at its window view. If you see a wide portion of the sky but not the sun itself, you’ve found bright indirect light. If only a small amount of sky is visible, move the plant closer. If the sun is visible, move it farther away or diffuse the light with sheer curtains.
-
Use angles: Imagine a 45° line extending downward from the top corners of your window and another extending upward from the bottom corners. The area within this space receives the best light for houseplants.
Window size and shape matter. A large window lets in more indirect light, meaning it can support plants deeper inside the room. Tall, narrow windows provide a different distribution of light than wide ones, and eaves, awnings, or nearby buildings can significantly impact the intensity.
Too Much Sunlight
The tropics are where most houseplants originate - the stable temperatures in the home mimic the stable year round temperatures of the tropics. Often the plants are evolved a 'understory plants' where mature shade-providing trees shield them from the afternoon rays. By contrast, many temperate plants require seasonal triggers like a cold season followed by warming up or day length changes to grow properly so often do not grow in the tropics or indoors very well.
The weather conditions in the tropics mean there is optimal air humidity and soil moisture so their outdoor 'houseplants' have optimal moisture to plump themselves up and protect themselves naturally. There's also more atmospheric sun protection from the hazy vapour-filled humid air in the sky and being outide, plants develop a thicker waxier and tougher exterior that helps them deal with the conditons.
By contrast, in temperate conditions, the summer sun can be more intense, the air less humid and the day longer. Your plant may be used to being pampered inside with little influence from wind, cold etc so when your houseplant gets direct summer sun on its leaves here in NZ, the leaves can burn easily in a few hours on a hot day.
Direct light isnt a hard and fast thing to avoid however. Morning light, evening light and low angle winter sun can be too plus many of your houseplants can deal with some direct sun - often if it grows into a tree or shrub, thats a good indication of being able to handle the more intense rays but generallly, larger trees are more adept at handling more light and gradual acclimatisation is always required.
Southern Hemisphere Considerations:
-
South & east-facing windows generally provide the best bright indirect light.
-
North & west-facing windows receive stronger sunlight, requiring some plants to be placed further back or shielded.
-
Winter vs. summer: Winter sun penetrates deeper into the home but is gentler, while summer sun is intense and can cause burns.
Light Acknowledgements
1. Your Eyes Deceive You
Plants perceive light very differently from humans. Your eyes adjust to light levels automatically, making dark areas seem brighter than they really are. This is why many people place plants too far from windows, leading to slow growth or decline.
Experiment: Use a camera in manual mode to photograph different areas of your home at various times of day. The exposure settings will highlight how dramatically light levels change, helping you identify the best plant locations.
2. Your Home is a Cave
From a plant’s perspective, most homes are too dark—more like caves than natural environments. Plants won’t grow in deep cave-like spaces; they need proximity to windows or skylights. Skilled plant keepers can assess their home’s unique light conditions and position plants accordingly.
3. Learn from a Plant’s Natural Habitat
Understanding a plant’s native environment will improve your care routine. Does it grow under dense rainforest canopies, on sun-drenched rocky slopes, or as an epiphyte clinging to trees? Mimicking these conditions will lead to healthier, thriving plants.
Watering Cheat Sheet - (It should be called Airing & Drying)
There are no routines, just rhymes: Water deeply, drain completely, repeat me.
Watering should always be deep and even, ensuring that moisture reaches all of the roots. Then, let the substrate drain thoroughly and get rid of all excess liquid in the saucer - your plant should never sit in water for extended periods of time. The ideal timing depends on the plant species, season, and environment.
-
Allow your soil to dry out before watering: Huh? You read that correctly but there's some key points to consider; Each plant type is different and requires their soil to dry out to different degrees before watering again and they all have varying degrees of tolerance of less than ideal conditions. Figuring out how much moisture to keep in your soil is a science, balancing that with your placement in the home and the seasonal variation is the art. We could broadly classify these into:
1/4 Dry (Peace Lily, Fittonia, calathea, Baby tears - often thin leafed plants)
1/2 Dry (Ficus lyrata, Ficus benjamina, soft philodendron)
3/4 Dry (pothos, Variegated Ficus, Schefflera, waxy philodenron & monstera)
Fully Dry (Cacti, succulents, orchids
-
How to tell when to water: Stick your finger 3-4 cm into the soil—if it feels dry, it could be time to water. You can also lift the pot; a heavy pot still holds moisture, while a light one is ready for water. Keep in mind that the top of the soil can dry out much faster than the bottom, it'll be a gradient from dry to wet. Your plant may have enough moisture access even though it appears dry on top. Your plant might sulk or droop if it isn't getting the water it requires.
-
Substrate is key: Plants in pots need a free-draining substrate that drains excess out completely. Certain plants like succulents, cacti, and orchids, need to retain less moisture between waterings so have extra well-draining mixtures like specialist cacti mix or orchid bark mixes. Others retain more moisture in their soil but still require thorough watering. The drying-out period is the aspect to get correct. This varies depending on the the particular plant, that plant’s placement in the home, the season and the weather.
-
Watering deeply: Add enough water to saturate all of the soil until plenty of excess drains from the pot’s bottom. Then, allow all extra water to escape—roots need airflow as well as moisture so tip out excess.
-
Misting leaves: You don't typically need to mist leaves if your watering regime is correct however soft new growth can get stuck in winter and misting it will allow it to unfurl correctly. We suggest having a mister in your tool kit but its an occasional tool to use.
-
Tip: Place your pot at an angle after watering to speed up drainage.
-
Tip: Keep plants in their plastic nursery pots and place them inside decorative pots. Nursery pots drain better and make repotting easier.
Too Dry or Too Wet?
Both extremes are harmful. However, it’s generally better to underwater than to overwater. Overwatering is a frequency issue—not a volume issue—so if in doubt, check again in a day or two before watering.
Final Breath: The Role of Airflow for Healthy Plants
Proper airflow benefits both leaves and roots:
-
Leaves: Good air circulation prevents fungal diseases, reduces pest infestations, and helps regulate moisture loss. Stagnant air increases the risk of mold, mildew, and pests like spider mites. Drafty positions may not suit thin leafed plants, they're often the thirstiest too so not only will the soil dry out, the breeze will mimic ultra dry air and result in curly leaves.
-
Roots: Well-aerated soil ensures oxygen reaches the roots, supporting healthy respiration and preventing root rot. Dense, compacted soil suffocates roots and encourages fungal growth.
- Humidity: Clustering plants together creates a microclimate of humid air, adding a pebble tray beneath them, enclosing in a tank or terrarium and putting your plants in naturally humid rooms of the house such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundries is one way to aid humidity loving plants and any with large delicate fresh growth emerging.
How to Improve Airflow:
-
Use fans on low settings to mimic natural breezes.
-
Space plants apart to prevent overcrowding.
-
Ensure pots have adequate drainage holes to prevent water stagnation.
-
Avoid compacting soil when potting or repotting.
