So, you bought a £2 dying houseplant from the supermarket?

Whether you’re a Quirky plant customer or not we want to help support everyone in bringing new plants into their home for the first time. We hope all the houseplant care information we provide through our social media platforms along with our blogs and free webinars can help you, help your plant. 

If you’re a customer and have any plant questions regarding one of our plants, please email our customer service or message our plant doctor using the WhatsApp number provided with your order. We’d love to hear about how your new plant babies are getting along.

Things to remember while taking care of your green friends:

• Only water when the first 1-2 inches of soil have dried out. Never water a plant that has damp topsoil.
• Check weekly for pests as they are common. The sooner you spot them, the easier it will be to get rid of them. Find how what to do if you discover pests here
• Wipe down the foliage weekly for dust. This will help your plant absorb more light 
• Keep all plants in a room that doesn’t dip lower than 15ºC. This will however vary depending on each plant. It’s worth knowing that most indoor plants prefer to be in a warm room. 
• All houseplants should be placed away from excessive heat or cold. This means hot radiators and open windows that let in a cold draft (especially in the winter time).

General plant care and diagnosing a sick plant!

Check for pests!

• They are uncommon if you have brought a plant from Quirky plants, but more common if the plant has come from a garden centre or rescued from Tesco/Sainsburys/Ikea.
• Isolate your plant for two weeks to make sure that your new plant isn’t carrying anything that could be spread to the others.

You can read our blog for getting rid of pests here if you do discover any creepy crawlies on the foliage.

When to water?

When you bring your new plant home for the first time. It’s time to think about watering (if they need it). Feel the topsoil with your finger and then feel at least the first inch of soil with your finger. If the soil is dry you can go ahead and give your plant a little drink. It’s good to note that some houseplants like spider plants, ferns, Calatheas and Alocasias prefer filtered or tap water. 

As a general rule plants need water once or twice a week in the summer and much less frequently in the winter months. Some houseplants can go a few months without water so it’s always worth researching the watering needs of your specific plant. For example: Sammy the snake plant (Sansevieria) and Zoe the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia) can go without water for many weeks at a time.

Some common signs that you’re overwatering are:

• Lower yellow leaves
• Yellow patches or spots on the leaves 
• Brown markings on the leaf (particularly common in Monstera’s) 
• Dropping leaves 
• Mould on the soil

How much light does my plant need?

All plants need to be placed in a room with windows. Do not place any houseplant in a windowless bathroom as this will kill them within a few months. Most indoor plants prefer bright indirect sunlight which means a room with plenty of natural light but not in a place where the plant will have direct sunlight hitting its leaves. I will do my best to break down the types of light the most popular houseplants need but it’s always worth a google to get to know your plant properly. If you did buy your plants from Quirky plants then please message us directly for more information. 

Plants that can take full direct sunlight:

Roger the bird of paradise (Strelitzia Reginae)

Alex the Aloe Vera

The citrus tree 

Sasha the giant bird of paradise (Strelitzia Nicolai)

Marcel the false red banana plant (Ensete ventricosum maurelii) 

Percy the ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) 

Barry the banana plant (Musa Tropicana) 

 

Plants that like bright indirect sunlight: (majority of plants) 

Eddie the golden pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)

Bonnie the spider plant (Chlorophytum Bonnie) 

Lily the peace lily (Spathiphyllum) 

Bonsai the ficus ginseng 

Eraser the rubber plant (Ficus elastica robusta) 

Monty the Monstera (Monstera deliciosa)

Freya the fire flash (Chlorophytum orchidastrum) 

 

Plants that can take medium light or a less bright light: 

Mike the Calathea rufibarba

Will the Calathea leopardina 

Deborah (Philodendron scandens)

Maya the parlour palm (Chamaedorea)

Andy the Yucca tree

Kentia the Kentia Palm (Howea Forsteriana) 

Chris the bird’s nest Fern (Asplenium nidus) 

 

Plants that can cope with low lighting or a dark room (with maybe a small window): 

Zoe the zz plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia) 

Ian the cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)

Foxy the Aglaonema silver queen

Conrad the dumb cane (Dieffenbachia)

Finn the whale fin (Sansevieria Victoria)

Benny (Philodendron scandens brasil) 

Does my plant need humidity?

Most houseplants love humidity and it’s worth checking to see if your plant is a humidity-loving plant. You might notice some crispy leaves or brown edges if it does not receive enough humidity. Find out how you can increase humidity in your home here. 

Plants that love humidity:

Ferns - Hamish the Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

Calatheas (all varieties) - Ollie, Ziggy, Freddie, Marty, Will.

Alocasias (all varieties) Zara, Wayne, Pete, Frank.

Peace Lily - Lily (Spathiphyllum) 

Pothos (all varieties) Eddie (Epipremnum Aureum)  Marble (Scindapsus Pictus) Eddie on a pole 

 

Plants that don’t need high humidity to thrive: 

ZZ plant - Zoe (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia)

Cast Iron plant - Ian (Aspidistra Elatior)

Banana plants - Barry (Musa Tropicana), Marcel (Ensete Ventricosium)

Snake plant - Sammy (Sansevieria Zeylanica) Finn (Sansevieria Victoria)

Bird of paradise - Sasha (Strelitzia Nicolai) Roger (Strelitzia Reginae)

Succulent - Jade (Crassula Hobbit) 

We hope a few of our general care tips will help to keep your green friends happy. 

If you’re interested in becoming a customer and having access to our plant doctor for all your plant concerns, please check out our plants for sale here and contact our customer service team if you have a question about your order.